The blue plastic on the used 2007 250 D-Tracker was in very bad shape when I got it with less than 5000km on it.

The guy that owned it before me said the blue had bubbled up or something like that.

When I got the bike the only good blue was the back of the front fender which showed minor fading and the 2pc headlight bezel which looked PERECT somehow

Japanese plastic vs Thai plastic?


I am reading that plastic parts (side covers, shrouds etc) are much cheaper in Thailand.than the USA etc

Is the plastic available at Thai Kawasaki shops inferior? I know here in the Philippines genuine Kawasaki and Honda parts are not cheap just because it's Asia

It will probably sound weird, but plastic made with the same formula is the same quality everywhere it's made, regardless if it's made in Thailand, Japan or China.

I have some, or I should say “had”, nice plastic garden chairs made in Germany. And even for German standards this chairs where not from the cheapest brand name. But the plastic chairs did not last that long, they turn brittle and when I tried to sit on one the plastic turned into all small little pieces... similar as you get with old fashion car safety glass.

The problem with plastic and rubber in Thailand is the constant temperature and the daily overwhelming amount of UV-light.

Many natural and synthetic polymers are attacked by ultra-violet radiation and products made using these materials may crack or disintegrate (if they're not UV-stable). The problem is known as UV degradation, and is a common problem in products exposed to sunlight. Continuous exposure is a more serious problem than intermittent exposure, since attack is dependent on the extent and degree of exposure.
Many pigments and dyes can also be affected, when the problem is known as phototendering.

UV attack by sunlight can be ameliorated or prevented by adding anti-UV chemicals to the polymer when mixing the ingredients, prior to shaping the product by injection moulding for example. UV Stabilizers in plastics usually act by absorbing the UV radiation preferentially, and dissipating the energy as low level heat. The chemicals used are similar to those used in sunscreen cosmetic products, which protect skin from UV attack.

Downside is adding UV protection chemicals to the polymer when mixing the ingredients will also change the desired properties of the plastic.