Below is how I clean my bike on a (semi) regular basis. The forum is open so if anyone else wishes to add in their methods or suggestions feel free! Chain: Ride the bike for about 15 minutes to warm the chain. Then take some kerosene and a semi-stiff brush and use that on the chain - this will tend to take most of the grime off. After doing that apply your chosen chain lubricant. This is easiest on a rear stand or a centre stand (so you can turn the rear wheel) but you can do it by moving the bike too. Plastics and Tank: I use Mr. Sheen - a normal household dust spray (Pledge etc. would probably work the same). Spray and wipe pretty much! Works great if you use it on a regular basis, but if you have built up grime or caked on bugs on the plastics then you may wish to use some bug/tar remover or perhaps a specialist fairing cleaner (Plexus works well on this stuff). I would use plexus on the entire fairing all the time but Plexus is about $15/can, Mr. Sheen is about $3 and works. Other metal bits (swingarm, frame, etc.): I use silver or brass polish to clean these (name brands - brasso / silvero). If there are stubborn areas of grease I will give it a light rinse with kerosene and light brush, and then clean with silvero/brasso. Pressure hose: Works great (I have used friends only). Just have to be wary of bearings and seals.
just quickly, with regard to the pledge thing, i've heard that for some reasons it isnt good, in that it can be abrosrbed by the plastics and becomes difficult to repaint in the future (presumably it contains silicone) although you'd have to look deeper into that
Yesterday I spent three hours giving the bike the whole treatment; wash, paint clean, polish, wax. I should only have to do this once, then provided i never remove the wax coating I can just wash and wax. So as far as i'm concerned, wash it down with some soft car wash (that doesn't remove wax) every weekend, then once a month give it a wax. I ride every day though. As for bare metal parts; wd40 to remove any tough / stubborn grime, then alluminium polish to make it shine <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->
I washed my bike about a month b4 I got married... my wife took some photos that day of me cleaning the bike... it was a nice sunny day... OH did I mention my SECOND anevery is next month!!!
You guys You guys are all the same... <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s --> <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s --> :8
I'm seriously considering cleaning my bike.... after 2 years I would like to see how it looks like...
anyone who wants to practice can come clean my bike <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s -->
I would just hose the bike down...having the hose nozzel on a light spray to mist setting. Then with a bucket of warm water and some car was (normally Soft Wash) I would wash it down. Then hose it off to get rid of all the car wash and dirt. Let it dry then, with a rag and silicone spray,lightly spray down the fairing and tank with the silicone spray. Dont drench the bike in the spray just a very light mist. What that does is it doesnt allow dirt, grease, grim or what ever gets on your bike to stick or settle to the areas covered in the spray....also gives it a awesome gloss look ( I learnt this method whan I was pit crewing for a Three Quarter Midget speedway racer) Then for swing arm and frame I would just use Autosol or some type of metal polish..using it with alittle water is good as it stops alot of the scratching that metal polish CAN cause. This method takes about an hour and makes the bike look gooood. PS: Dont forget to wipe the over spray of silicone spray off the panels and fairing...<!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!-- s -->
