Try our new info resource - "Aladdin's Cave" (Main menu)Just added a separate link to Ash's Dropbox thread (shortcut)
I'd agree that the better the chromers the better the result but none will cure the problem, I asked when I had mine done why the bottom of the fins looked dull and was told it was because they haven't got anything that can get deep enough inside the fin to polish the surface, the smoother the surface the better the nickel coating will be. If you've got 6 years old of yours then you must wrap the bike in cotton wool, my first set lasted less than a year before they were unsightly. My BIL has my K reg 500 and when he came round on it in the summer last year the engine looked great, the clamps were a real mess, so much so that I couldn't stop looking at them, they spoiled what was a nice bike with many thousands spent on it.My aim in commenting on this subject isn't to say "Look at me I'm so clever" it's to advise members of the potential pitfalls of just throwing parts in a box and expecting the chromers to sort all of it out. They'll sort 95% of it if they are really good but they'll charge you the earth to do it. Or you can pay less and get an inferior result. The alternative is to sort the problem as well as you can before giving it to the chromers, they'll charge less and take less time as well. My current chromer charges me around £5 to chrome a gear lever off a 500/550. That's because all of his time consuming work has been done for him. He took a week to do it as well, which was really fast for a chromers these days.