Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > General Motorcycles only > Carbon fibre Uv protection

[Lee1980]

I have a S4r which as standard has lots of carbon fibre, will leaving it out in the sun all day at work do much damage?

I can protect paint with polish, rubber and plastic with armour-all or wd40. Is there anything to protect carbon?

Or am i worrying over nothing?

[chris999]

if its standard fit carbon fibre its good quality.
you wont have any problems.

italy gets more sun than us and there bikes always look really good !!

shouldn't worry -- its the wet and salt thats a problem on metals..

[antonye]

The UV protection is in the resin, which is the clear coating of the part.

A cheap resin will have little or no UV protection and it will turn milky or yellow over time as the resin gets broken down by the UV rays. Keeping it out of the sun for long periods will obviously minimise this.

More expensive resins have UV protection in them, so they will not break down and need no special treatment.

How can you tell? Ask when you purchase, or purchase from a reputable supplier.

[Lee1980]

Thanks guys at the mo its all the standard bits which i guess are DP parts, its just all exposed compared to 748/9** can i polish/protect it with normal polish?

[BDG]

I use Ambre Solaire Factor 40 for good UV protection

[Lee1980]

I thought someone may say that very good BDG

[chris999]

i just use normal polish (treat it like fairing)-- on my bike !!!

[moto748]

Admittedly my bike's out in all weathers, but I'm pretty disappointed with the finish on my huggers. I'm on my second, both genuine Ducati parts, and the second is already looking pretty dull.
And anyone who knows my bike will attest that's it's a shed compared to many on here: I'm certainly not the mega-picky kind. But even to me the hugger looks ripe for replacement..
At this rate, this means buying a new hugger every couple of years. I don't think this is acceptable really. I might go to those-guys-who-advertise-in-Pronto-can't-remember-their-names.

In fact I bought some heel plates from them years ago, and they seem to have lasted much better than the huggers.

[Sandbar]

The UV protection is in the resin, which is the clear coating of the part.

Actually, these days there is often a uv-resistant lacquer top coating on most quality carbon fibre parts. This particularly applies to pre-preg.

can i polish/protect it with normal polish?

Yes!! and if it goes dull then treat (polish) it in exactly the same way that you would a normal painted or colour-impregnated body part.

I'm on my second, both genuine Ducati parts, and the second is already looking pretty dull.

Remember that Ducati use different suppliers even for the same part. and not all these suppliers manufacture to the same standards of quality, fit and finish.

How can you tell? Ask when you purchase, or purchase from a reputable supplier.

Or even better, look for the MS Productions manufacturing details inside the part. Here is an example from the inside of a 748/916/996/998 hugger.




"You will get what you pay for!" is as true with carbon-fibre as it is with most things these days.

Sandbar
www.sandbarcomposites.co.uk

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