Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989


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Desperate to learn about Motorcycle Wheel Polishing

2003

Where do I start? I'm in the army deployed to Iraq right now. On my return I plan to open a motorcycle wheel chroming business. In the past year I've been learning as much as I can about buffing and polishing. I've polished numerous things on different vehicle and motorcycles. I've been looking for a business to sink a substantial amount of money into with a good return. I've decided in Polishing and Chroming. I'm a pretty impressive polisher.

Before I got deployed I tried a motorcycle wheel. That was so much trouble. I sat and sanded and polished and sanded to find it extremely difficult. There were so many precarious areas that I wasn't able to get to. After about a week I came to the conclusion that there had to be special tools to do this. I know I couldn't do this everyday expecting to make any money. I searched for a bit to find a Marlin polisher. It seems to be able to do the outside lip but not the area I had problems with. I tried contacting some motorcycle wheel polishing businesses with no accord. No one wanted to give up their secrets on these wheels.

Shortly after that I was sent to this hell hole in Iraq. I've now been here for 6 months and haven't been able to do much searching. Just in the past week we've received an Internet connection. I remembered in my previous search, some way or another, ending up at Finishing.com. So now, at my wits end, I figured I give this message board a shot. If there is anyone that can help me with some information or tools or machines that make polishing motorcycle wheels less of a curse, I'd be really appreciative.

Thank You. SGT Brown, US Army

Anthony Brown
hobbyist/ entrepreneur - Fort Riley, Kansas, US

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2003

If you search this site (there is a link to the search engine at the bottom left corner of every letter) with the term "polishing motorcycle wheels" you will see that several people have had similar problems. letter 20527 suggests using a Dremel [on eBay or Amazon] tool for the tight corners; letter 800 includes passages from people who have been polishing wheels forever, but it warns that the process is tedious. Good luck, and thank you for your service!

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

Will enough people pay what you will need to charge to keep the doors open and still be able to eat? It is a very tough business to make a living doing. I doubt if you will want to do chrome plating after you spend a week in a chrome plating shop. Big bucks to get started and a nightmare of federal, state and local regulations to comply with.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2003

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Although your caution is appropriate for most, Jim, I doubt that after deployment in Iraq Anthony will find a chrome plating shop intimidating :-)

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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First of two simultaneous responses --

First try working in a plating and polishing shop. Make money while you learn. Secondly put that money into waterfront property. If plating and polishing wheels is for you, you may just want to polish the wheels and deal with the customers (cash up front!). Then have the plating done at an established plating shop. Good Luck!

Todd Osmolski
- Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
2003

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Second of two simultaneous responses --

You had better reconsider where and how you want to make a living when you get back. In a tight labor market, there is always someone willing to do the same thing for less. Instead of raising the bar, it is more and more like lowering of the bar technically and financially. Therefore, unless you want to invest big money for a questionable return and you still have an interest in motorcycles, I suggest you look into the making of custom bikes. That means you don't have to rely on volume that much to make a decent living.

AF Kenton
retired business owner - Hatboro, Pennsylvania
2003

This is in response to the gentleman, who wants to start his own motorcycle wheel business. I am the happy owner of my own customizing business, who is also deployed to Iraq. I will tell you the first thing right off the back do your research! I was blessed to have people around me that wanted me to succeed. Also if what your saying about a large amount of money to invest, I say from experience get with others in the industry who can give you tips and solid advice! I started my business and had to knock down doors to get most of my account, be patient and if you are a true bike lover like myself, after you customize your first bike to see the look on the customers face it's worth it! remember this is a multi-billion dollar industry there is money to be made, but the experience of meeting other passionate bikers is priceless! Good luck, stay safe and hope to see you on the highway when we get back.

christopher.letsinger
customs - Columbia, South Carolina
2007