I have a 2007 Buell Lightning XB ss that I use throughout the year for both work and pleasure.

After a week in the garage (and before you ask, I did put it away washed and oiled up) I noticed today a whole lot of corrosion around the tail light, the paint is literally dropping off, and the metal looks pitted and its gone all dusty.

I'm really concerned about this and would appreciate any serious suggestions on how to sort this out.

Eg
1. How to sort out the metal to stop the corrosion
2. What I need to paint it with or should I think about powdercoating?

I love my Lightning and really want to get it sorted asap, so as much as I'm sure you'd like to take the p..s, I would appreciate some good rectification advice.

Respect

Darren

I am assuming it is the cast tail piece, in which case I would get it blasted (to get rid of all the corrosion) and then powder coated...

Sounds like you had a poor finish to start off with or a chip that started the ball rolling...

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08 Specialized Langster

Cheers Pash, I thought as much. Its actually the second tail piece I have had, last time replaced by HD in Stockport.

I cant believe how bad the paint quality is on this one!

It sounds like oxidation of the aluminium most likely due to road salt.
Depending on how deep this has gone depends on what coating you can use, if its only very mild pitting then powder coating will cover this, if its deeper then go with the painting as the pits can be filled or heavy high build primed and flatted back.

I would get the part fine aluminium oxide blasted to remove the old coating and oxidation.
At work we then use deoxidine to clean and get rid of surface oxidation after blasting then use alochrome to provide an anti oxidation coating and also helps the primer we use to key to the substrate, you could then high build prime, this will fill in the pits and then flat back smooth, paint and clearcoat in the desired colour. it may seem a long prosses but well worth it if you are keeping the bike and using it all year round.
this is what i have done with the tail tidy i made and some other aluminium parts. Hope this helps, feel free to pm if you need help