Scratched windshield

[mrmike]

   After doing some night riding last night, I had lots of little dead bugs on my windshield (Puig). I took warm soapy water and a course sponge to clean it. Now I have very faint scratch marks on it. Is there any way to polish these swirls out?


   Update: Tried this product, and it worked well.

[Neil955i]

Let me know if you find out Mike. Mines the same!

[rjs987]

That course sponge is what caused those scratches. Should have used a microfiber cloth or other soft wet cloth after letting the mild soapy water soak on the bugs for several minutes. I usually use a dripping wet cotton cloth or dripping wet microfiber cloth and just lay it over the bugs for several minutes before attempting to clean them off.
You may have done that but just didn't say it that way so take the above as just a clarification for others reading this.

As to the scratches... there are not a lot of solutions available. The obvious, but not so preferred, solution is to replace the shield. I have read of certain products that are made for Lexan (what most shields are made of) that will fill in minor scratches but have no experience to know how well they work.

edit: I just did a Google search for "Lexan scratch remover" and there are a lot of results about what to do to fix that issue. One that seems to be common is to use paste type tooth paste and a cotton cloth (t-shirt material). There are Plex/Lexan/Plastic safe products that are made for this. There was one solution that involved using a heat gun to soften or melt the plastic scratch a little but I'd really prefer to avoid doing something like that. Likely I'd end up melting a hole instead or at best making a spot that is severely distorted.

[Stig / Major Tom]

Bummer.
Yeah, I'd be careful trying things. Maybe work in a small corner to see what happens.
A lot of stuff will probably make it worse.

Have you ever thought of trying a shorter 'sport' screen? Like something from Ermax, FR.
I removed the tall stock screen from a Burgman 400 and replaced it with a short screen that was no longer in my sight line.
The buffeting was gone - and I no longer had to look through water now spotting both my face mask and the screen in the rain at night!

It made a big difference in my daily night riding!
Bugs? That's handled by my moustache.

Stig

[Neil955i]

Bugs? That's handled by my moustache.

Stig

Reminds me of a joke from the 60's, "How do you tell a happy motorcyclist?  He's the one with bugs on his teeth!"

[souzamoto]

Use Mirror Glaze Products.

[mrmike]

  The Meguiar's Motorcycle plastic cleaner and polish got most of the scratches out of my windshield. I'm wondering if anyone knows of a product that would protect the finish from future damage, and make cleaning bugs off easier? I was thinking some brand of wax or possibly Rain-X.

[Stig / Major Tom]

No "product"...I always used a water-soaked paper towel ...
Lay  a soaked paper towel on the screen. Let it sit. Soak the bugs and dirt....
Another very wet paper towel slides 'em right off after it has soaked them loose.

Stig