3M Paint Defender

[uclabiker06]

Let me apologize in advance for the lack of pics; I suck.  I encourage you to keep reading.  This is a write up of my experience w/ 3M paint defender which I recently applied on my bike fenders & gas tank.

Basically I have mixed feelings about this product.  I have an s2r and for those who don't know, the finish on the tank is just horrible & gets scratched VERY easily.  So I thought 3M paint defender would be the perfect solution.  I must say the idea is just great because not only is it supposed to protect agains scratches but it also seals the finish and so the paint cant oxidize.  You would think wow this is a no brainer but be forewarned its not as simple as they make it out to be in the advertisement vids.

First of all the can spits like you've never seen.  I don't know if my finger was applying the wrong amount of pressure or if it was the weather or what but it just kept spitting.  It dries clear and does level out to a certain extent but the spit marks are still noticeable.  Also if you move your hand too quickly or wait too long between coats, the finish will be matte no matter how many coats you apply.  If you're into matte finish you might like this however I don't think they intended for it to be matte or else they would have stated that a matte finish is an option.  

Time will tell how it holds up.  It definitely will not give you the level of protection that vinyl will but its still a neat idea.  Mine came out to a matte finish because I waited too long between coats and moved my hand too fast.  The trick is that you have to get more on there then you would think.  So whatever you think is "too much" is just right.  Basically you want it to turn white so its a bit hard to see through but not runny.  Another problem in addition to the spitting issue was that there were tiny bubbles in the finish in some areas.

I'm going to keep it on for now.  Although it might not be holding up well I think its still protecting the paint from oxidation so whatever.  I hope that they come up w/ a new and improved version!  Or maybe there is a version that can be applied w/ professional paint equipment in place of a rattle can; maybe that would get rid of the kinks.  Overall this project made me realize that I like my bike better in matte then regular gloss finish.  I'm sure either way it will come out better next time around.  You're supposed to replace it every year.  FYI its very similar to the plasti dip clear coat from what I gather.  In conclusion, it is what it is.