tricks for applying graphics?

As far as tricks to applying, I've heard soapy water works good.

But a method to AVOID (my mistake), is using a heat gun to try and get a shrink wrap effect to get rid of wrinkles. Does not work as you would expect. Just burns the graphics. Oops.

DECAL WORKS 3 step application kit. I always do mine with all the plastic on the bike, so everything lines up. I know you asked about household products, but this is worth the money.

windex works great, just get them lined up, start squeegeeing it out to get everything to stick, then sit it somewhere hot to get it all to evaporate, i put mine on top of my AC unit, this also gets them maleable enough to work the small corners over and get everything to lay flat.

heat gun, just use it in moderation. to much will distort and/or melt them depending on how long you use it but it is absolutly needed when doing graphics. Graphics are just thick enough they are not pliable enough without heat. Windex or a couple of drops of dish soap in a spray bottle of water will do wonders. Front number plate off the bike, the rest is on the bike. The heat also makes the glue bond better in the long run. Don't be afraid to pull them back up if you start to make a mistake. Oh yeah, clean your hands twice before installing, you WILL have your fingers on the adhesive at some point. Also if you get a bubble don't poke it with a pin, for some reason this never works well for me, just pull it back as close as you can to the bubble and work it out.

On a multi contoured panel you may find yourself regretting the use of soapy water. It just won't dry quick enough to hold the adhesive and the graphic will keep lifting. If you want to mix your own stuff up try this. 1/2 water, 1/2 rubbing alcohol. Add a few drops of baby shampoo to the mix in a spray bottle to help float the graphic into place. It will give you a little float but the alcohol will help set the adhesive.

I've gotten to the point that I usually put them on dry. You can pull the graphic up if you need to.

Heat gun? Better to just use a hair dryer if you haven't done it before.

Practice on your friends bikes first!!

Trick is, to let whoever made the graphics apply them! Next time I'm saving myself the grief and having Decalworks apply them to new plastic and send them to me. The goddamn rad shrouds are a mofo.

And I find the big bulging ass side panel over the muffler to be the hard one.

this

Patience! I spray alil windex on the plastic (light layer) that way you can move em around if need be