Removing the "X" from the City X airbox?

[shaggy]

Can the "X" be removed from the City X airboxes without damaging the airbox? Thanks!

 

[upthemaiden]

I know it can be removed somehow, because I saw someone selling just their "X" on badweb, but when I mentioned it here once someone said that the X is glued on with something much worse to deal with than the stuff that's under the tank decals. I've pulled the little "lightning" badge off of my flyscreen without too much hassle, I'm not sure if it's a similar glue?

Either way, if you manage to get it off, I may be interested in grabbing it from you. I'd love to get a tank bag, but am worried about ruining my airbox cover.

I assume it would involve a heat gun, some mineral spirits, and some delicate work with a razor blade/scraper.

 

[BuellerPilot]

It was me that responded last time. I tried removing mine, I lifted a little corner up and that **** is glued down with a Cyanoacrylate based glue (SUPER GLUE). Havent found anything to eat the glue yet, but they do make a CA glue softener/remover that I havent tried yet. It might just end up having to be razor'ed off then wet sanded and polished out. I went ahead and bought another airbox cover because I didnt want to mess with getting that thing off. I wish it was like the Buell decals, those peel up and clean off no problems

~Mike.....

 

[agfish18]

It can be removed, but it is a pain in the ass...probably have to do what Buellerpilot suggested, razoring it off, sand down and re-polish.

 

[e3mcgrath]

sanding and polishing doesn't work all that well on the translucent plastic. i sanded up to 2000grit and tried multiple different polishes. then ended up buying an 07+ airbox with no x

 

[BuellerPilot]

Anyone try the headlight polish? Figured that would work.

~Mike....

 

[agfish18]

I just ordered my Traslucent Blue cover from HD. After nearly 3 months of backorder it finally came in the other day.

 

[RyBuell]

I removed m airbox X and had great sucess polishing it out. What I did was basically yank the X off, then masked around the glue as not to scratch the airbox in unwanted areas. Then using a x-acto and straight blade I scraped away the hardened glue as best i could. I was able to get most of the glue off in chunks. After that I basically wet sanded using the finest grit possible as to not scratch the plastic,then i followed up with plastic polishing compound, although id assume the headlight polish would work too. After all the elbow grease I removed all the tape, the area where the X was was noticably different becasue it had been freshly polished, so then I went ahead and polished the whole darn thing. It looked great when completed. I did get a tip from a bodyshop guy who specializes in plastics and fiberglass: he suggested that I polish once or twice a week with regular car wax, or plastic polish, then follow up with a wipe down of WD-40, this apparently keeps the plastics from "drying out" and getting white/hazy around where you polished. Afte a few times of doing this my airbox looked perfect. I've also heard people suggest that you use a hairdryer on the area that you polished to get it to be glossy again..but ive never tried it. Hope this helps.

 

[fabic]

why you will remove the x? if you do not use I buy from you.

 

[driftingswiftly]

I was just about to write the exact same thing as fabic! Why do all you guys hate the X so much? I love how they look and if there are enough to go around would buy one for the right price.

 

[BuellerPilot]

I hate the look of it (HATE). I don't use tank bags, I wear a back pack. If I ever get around to polishing mine out, I'll post up the "X" for sale and I'll clean it up and apply a double side tape for the next owner. But seeing as I just got a non "X" tank, I wont be doing this anytime soon.

~Mike.....

 

[upthemaiden]

It would be nice if they made them easily removable, but since the purpose is to keep the cover from getting messed up from a tank bag, I understand why they'd attach it with some pretty rigid glue. The stickers on my cover have moved slightly by themselves, so I can imagine something like that X would get moved all over the place if the glue was any softer.

As far as headlight polishing kits, I tried using one we had left over on the back of my black airbox. The previous owner put a sticker on the back in the place of a buckle guard, and when I pulled it off I found that it had started to eat at the plastic. It was flaking off almost like fish scales and was faded to a lighter color. I sanded it down(although probably should have started with a rougher grit than was provided in the kit), all the way down to polishing it. It looks worlds better, but it's not perfect, and it's still a bit dull. Eventually I'll probably but some more sandpaper and try to do it again, and eventually will cover it with a tank guard. I just don't really like any of the 3 options we have available for our bikes so I haven't wanted to put out $40-50 for something I thought was uglier than the messed up plastic.

I understand why people don't like the X, I prefer the look of the cover without it, especially the transparent ones, but I get very paranoid with things bungeed to my back seat because I can't see them. Aside from a tank bag, I could probably even just bungee things to my airbox cover if I had the X on it. Hopefully enough people will read the instructions here, pull theirs off, and there'll be a bunch floating around that I can grab one for a couple bucks. [up]

 

[BuellerPilot]

Back Pack........ bungee between the two shoulder straps, no worries of scratching things or loosing them while riding, and if you do get in a wreck, its a good back protector lol.

~Mike....

 

[upthemaiden]

Where does the bungee cord come in there? I was slightly confused with that part. You mean to hold the 2 straps tight while you're wearing it?

I do love my backpack. It's a suzuki bag, but I pulled all the suzuki logos off and stuck a buell patch on it. Works great, it's just nice to not have anything strapped to you sometimes.

 

[brightbuell]

I have a tank bag and a back pack, i alternate between the two. I have used my buell tank bag 200 times and its never scuffed my air box cover. Its really soft on the botom. It dosnt look bad. Some people like it some people dont. I use it when I need it and dont give a **** what other people think. It can hold more then you think. You can also rest on it during long hwy rids. basicaly its a great tool. When your ready to rock your bike take that bitch off and ride naked or throw on your back pack. Options are great. I only use it if i need it. I prefer my bike naked.

 

[upthemaiden]

It sounds like the solid colors are ok, its just the clear airbox covers that get messed up from the tank bags.

 

[BuellerPilot]

You mean to hold the 2 straps tight while you're wearing it?

Exactly, although the backpack I use has a strap already built in that connects the two shoulder straps together (strap around each shoulder, buckle in the center going across my cheast linking the two shoulder straps).

~Mike.....

 

[shaggy]

I'm not sure what I'll do yet. Thanks to all who replied!!!!

 

[Charlie Hieb]

I cant stand the x either. It bugs the hell outa me. Im on your page shaggy

 

[Riderdie]

You guys can sell your hero blue or kick ash airbox with an x on it to me and then buy one without it.