One thing I ashamedly don't recommend is using your air-box cover as a spot to balance an 18-pack of Coors Light for a "quick" run home. Cardboard with some weight behind it does wonders on the plastics...bad wonders. [mad]
My plastics look like crap! my bike sat on the dealers floor for almost a year before I bought it and it is plenty scuffed up, I need to try to buff it all out but I'm nervous about making it worse!