"Debadging" Val

I can't tell you how many people will ask me "what the heck kind of a bike is that?" I've never understood why people didn't just look at the huge "Valkyrie" tank badge, but I'm always pleased as punch to talk about my F6.

Today I made it more difficult for the curious folks who are unaccustomed to seeing a six-cylinder motorcycle. I debadged her (removed the nameplate emblem).

I have to be honest with you. I usually screw up things like this, often making it a complete disaster. The project made me a bit apprehensive, but it sounded so simple that I was willing to risk it.

Here were the instructions I found on the web, verbatim, on how to remove a motorcycle badge: "Heat it with a hair dryer. Use floss or fishing line to separate the emblem from the tank with a sawing motion. Clean the residual adhesive with a solvent."

Who knew that badges are only kept in place with industrial-grade adhesive? The only reason I haven't debadged Val before now is that I feared a sizable bill from a bike customizer to sand off a pop weld and touch up the paint on my tank.

From start to finish the whole process took me a half hour. Click on a picture for a larger version.

The required tools. Beer is optional.

First I turned on the hair dryer and hung it upside down by the cord from my handlebar, leaving the hot air blowing on the badge for about ten minutes. Then I began to saw beneath the badge with floss.

The floss kept breaking, so I dug through my fishing tackle.

This turned out to work much better, and the heated adhesive was no match for the line.

Presto!

Removing the residual adhesive turned out to be the most difficult part of the project.

I recommend using more Goo Gone than you think will be necessary. Good. Now use even more.

The final result looks great!

Now I need to save up $500 to have my tank painted with this . . .