On my bike, I have used nothing but Honda Spray Polish. It too has worked great, plus you can clean the bike just by spraying it on and wiping it off.
However, for several years I've heard people going on and on about ceramic coating as an alternative to polish. This is a newer technology chemical that forms a rock hard, smooth surface coating, filling in pores and lasting for months.
I decided to give it a try. I did quite a bit of research online, and kept coming back to one product over others: The Last Coat Car Polish. I bought it from Amazon, along with a few other items:
Car Wash Mitt to clean before applying
Clay Bar Mitt to remove impurities from paint, essential - otherwise the impurities will be sealed in
Lubricant for the Clay Bar Mitt to prevent it from scratching paint
Microfiber towels for applying the sealant
I already had lots of decent car wash soap on hand. I decided to first test it on my car, as it's far easier to wash/wax than my bike is, with its copious nooks and crannies. I started out by hitting the local no-touch car wash to get the main layers of grime and dirt off, then I did a hand-wash to make sure everything was spotless.
Next, I used the clay bar mitt - a process I was originally skeptical of, but it really works - you can literally feel it pulling the bits of grit and stuff off of your paint as you use it. Make sure it's well lubricated so that it glides smoothly!
After that step was finished, I rinsed the lubricant off and dried with one of the microfiber towels.
Next, I wiped the car clean with a microfiber towel soaked with isopropyl alcohol. It's important that you remove any grease or residual wax coating that may be on the paint.
Next was The Last Coat polish. It comes in a spray bottle, which you spray onto the TOWEL, not the car. You wipe it onto the car, allow it to sit for a minute or so until it hazes, then use a different towel to polish it off. That's it - that's the entire procedure. I did about 4 foot by 4 foot area at a time, polished it, then moved on to the next area. It also works on windows, mirrors and plastic lights and trim, so I used it everywhere.
While it doesn't say that it requires it, you can do a second coat after 15 minutes if you wish. It looked pretty good after one coat, but I thought "what the hell" and did a second coat just for good measure. After finishing, the car should sit and not be subjected to moisture (inside a garage is best) for 24 hours to allow the coating to cure. Once finished, make sure you throw the towels out, as they too will harden and be useless. After a second coat, there was enough left in the spray bottle for two more applications (and I was not being at all stingy with the application).
So...how does it work? Let's say I was absolutely flabbergasted. My car is seven years old and, well, let's just say I don't pay a whole lot of attention to washing and waxing. This car has been waxed twice in seven years. The paint was somewhat dull and water did not bead. Now?
- My car after applying The Last Coat
- My car after applying The Last Coat
OK, so obviously I'm sold. I'm definitely using this on my bike next, I'm especially excited to see how well it works on the windshield as a rain repellent.
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