Best way to remove tank badges

All the gold has wore off my tank badges. I have a good set on the 900 I just got and was planning on swapping them out.

I was just wondering the best way to remove the tank badges. Should I use a heat gun, adhesive remover, or is there a better way? I have always used a blow dryer and razor blade in the past, but I tend to scratch up the paint.

Or is there a way to replace the gold without removing them. I was originally going to take them off, repaint black, then put a gold leaf(not real gold) over the 'Yamaha', then a final clear clear coat.

 

On the 650 Seca they were silver (chrome) not gold.

You can still buy them, chacal carries them and they're not horribly expensive.

The easiest and least destructive way to remove them is to use a hunk of good strong fishing line and "garrotte" them off. Slide the fishing line under the badge and draw the ends together toward one end "sawing" the emblem off by cutting through the two-sided tape holding it on.

Install using double-sided 3M automotive weatherstripping tape from the auto parts store.

 

Warming them with a heat gun or hairdrier helps too.

 

I used dental floss (same principle as Fitz) only I don't have fishing line around....someday I'll get back to fishing after the kids grow up a bit more.

It tends to "stick" after you get under the badge a ways so using something very thin to pry them away from the tank made it easy.

It's definately easier to have a buddy help pry (gently) while you saw the fishing line through the tape. The monkey and football comment was used when I tried it myself