What to clean your bike with?

[ZephyrMark2]

Hi all..

As an eternal lurker on this site, I tend not to post. But as I was cleaning my bike, due to the continual showers today, I thought 'I wonder what other products people use to clean their bike with'.

So as a way of interacting more with KB, I thought I'd enquire...

[rosie631]

Turtlewax for the paint and Mothers for chrome.

[p.dath]

Dish washing liquid and warm water mostly.

A little kerosene on bits that I want to get oil and grease off.

[Hahn]

High power water blaster.... sometimes.... and carefully:whistle:

[ZephyrMark2]

Dish washing liquid and warm water mostly.

A little kerosene on bits that I want to get oil and grease off.

Good to know about the kerosene.. I've been using CRC... :confused:

[Hahn]

What kind of CRC? a cleaner or lube?

[ZephyrMark2]

What kind of CRC? a cleaner or lube?

Um... I have a CRC cleaner.. one that you spray on and it disolves the grease.. worked well first time.. not so well since.

Also have used the 5.56 stuff as well around the frame and wheels.

[SMOKEU]

Use some car wash mixed with water and a sponge.

[hospitalfood]

dishwashing liquid.
turtle wax.
silicon spray is the best bit though. once it is clean spray the bike with it. protects, renews and the next layer of dirt just wipes off.

the best i have found is "CRC wet look tyre black". it is silicon spray but thicker.
you can get silicon in a tube but i don't know where. car groomers use it.

[ZephyrMark2]

dishwashing liquid.
turtle wax.
silicon spray is the best bit though. once it is clean spray the bike with it. protects, renews and the next layer of dirt just wipes off.

the best i have found is "CRC wet look tyre black". it is silicon spray but thicker.
you can get silicon in a tube but i don't know where. car groomers use it.

Excuse my newbieness.. but wouldn't that make the tyres slippery?

[Hahn]

Had a mate wash his bike in the ocean at 90 mile :first:

Unintentionally of course. But damn it was funny for us watching. :woohoo:

[Pussy]

Simple Green is good, and so is CRC "Clean Machine", spray it on and scrub a bit before hosing off.
Kero works wonders for tar and grease removal, as well as cleaning the chain.
Any of the waxes works well on the paint

[ZephyrMark2]

Simple Green is good, and so is CRC "Clean Machine", spray it on and scrub a bit before hosing off.
Kero works wonders for tar and grease removal, as well as cleaning the chain.
Any of the waxes works well on the paint

A ha!! It's the CRC "Clean machine" i got.. it had a pic of a motorbike on it. :woohoo:

[Pussy]

A ha!! It's the CRC "Clean machine" i got.. it had a pic of a motorbike on it. :woohoo:

Yeah.... it's good shit! We have had a fair amount of roadworks in the 'Naki over winter... with associated cement mud. I have found the clean machine stuff gets the road spoodge off... but you do have to give it some help with a scrubbing brush.. or old toothbrush in to the nooks and crannies.
I'm having a bugger of a job finding it in our local shops at the moment. I bought the last can at the "Ware whare"

[ZephyrMark2]

Yeah.... it's good shit! We have had a fair amount of roadworks in the 'Naki over winter... with associated cement mud. I have found the clean machine stuff gets the road spoodge off... but you do have to give it some help with a scrubbing brush.. or old toothbrush in to the nooks and crannies.
I'm having a bugger of a job finding it in our local shops at the moment. I bought the last can at the "Ware whare"

I got mine from Mitre 10 Mega... if that helps

[Pussy]

I got mine from Mitre 10 Mega... if that helps

Ta! I'll check them out this week. :niceone:

[Ducky848]

Dishwashing liquid and warm water.
Once dry I go over with Plexus plastic cleaner/polish. This stuff moves bits of tar and bugs and so forth while being safe on all paint and plastics. Polishes up as good as any wax in 10% of the time.
Silicon spray on a cloth then wiped over rubber/plastic lines cable bundles etc.

[trailblazer]

cant say i have washed my bike properly since i have only done 450ks. But after aride i just get a damp polishing cloth and wipe the whole bike down to get rid of the bugs and crap. Then i get my polishing cloth's and give it a wax with kem o pro car wax it's the best wax i have come across.

[swbarnett]

My wife and I use the S100 range of products. Easiest stuff I've ever used. There's a "spray on, hose off" product that shifts most everything and what that doesn't shift the "Detail and Wax" spray can will. And this leaves the bike positively gleaming.

[hospitalfood]

Excuse my newbieness.. but wouldn't that make the tyres slippery?

don't put it on the tyres mate, or the brakes. but it is great on everything else

[mister.koz]

I use turtle wax wash and wax on the fairings, plain water on the tires, kero on the chain (when its HOT) and a small amount of tire shine silicon spray (from a cloth) on the hoses to keep them supple.

There's a "wax and grease remover" product that super cheap does its probably about 95% kero but whatever else it has in it does a good job of clearing the tar and road gunk, after using that i wash the same areas again with the turtle wax stuff to make sure the kero doesn't effect the paint AND so when it does get rained on the wax repels (ish) the water the same all over the bike.

Oh and NEVER put ANYTHING shiny or silicone on your tires.... there was a thread about 12 months ago with a guy who put tire shine on the whole tire and immediately low-sided when he rode out of the driveway.... cost him a packet in fairings and bits i suspect. Poor bugger just wanted a "showroom shine"

[Conquiztador]

Elbowgrease.

[Maki]

I just take mine apart and put the bits in the dishwasher :woohoo:

[YellowDog]

Dishwashing Liquid !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone here owning a Triumph will tell you that the manual kicks off with a large 'How to clean your bike' section.

And it starts by stating NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, use any kitchen products, such as dishwashing liquid, on your bike.

[Chooky]

Yea, dont use dish wash.... Its as corrosive as hell.

Go down the warehouse and get some turtlewax.

And.. waterblasters are only for dirt bikes....:cool:

[CookMySock]

There are two different types of detergents - one that works and one that dunt. Most detergents are soapy bubbly excuses for a detergent that go on great, wash off great, and otherwise do nothing, and then there is Tergo. http://www.tergo.co.nz Watch this stuff instantly dissolve crap before your eyes without scrubbing. It's awesome.

Also use a cheapo degreaser for removing tar and old grease, and cleaning wheels. Kero is not too bad, or else any degreaser spray in a can.

Once cleaned, rinsed well, and chamiosed off, there is only one wax to use, and that is TurtleWax Ice. Yum. Put it on everything including tyres. A bottle will last you a year at least, as the tiniest smear of the stuff goes a long way.

Steve

[meteor]

Get a waterblaster, spray bike, spray dynamo liquid or truck wash on, have a coffee, spray off. Presto, clean bike. Silicon spray on plastics, WD40 on metals (not exhaust) and chain. Note... never go near seals or bearings with waterblaster.

[Grahameeboy]

Kerosene with a toothbrush...I then use MotorMuck...advantage is that it has a seperate and long tube for the sprayer (lasts ages)so you can spray underneath where most bottle sprays cannot..then water blast and then wax wash and then light water blast and leather...takes about an hour and a half

[Grahameeboy]

I just take mine apart and put the bits in the dishwasher :woohoo:

Is that after you crash it....

[Owl]

Dishwashing Liquid !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone here owning a Triumph will tell you that the manual kicks off with a large 'How to clean your bike' section.

And it starts by stating NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, use any kitchen products, such as dishwashing liquid, on your bike.

Yeah you're right Yellowdog, but in saying that, I use dishwashing liquid (Palmolive) from time to time. It doesn't cause any harm, but will aid in removing silicone whether wanted or not.

It's something I have to use at work on vehicles, because they are often groomed and I can't have silicone covered vehicles contaminating the workshop.

However, the warning is warranted, as there are some nasty household products including dishwasher or laundry powder, so best to cover all bases with one warning.

Automotive products are superior!!!

[slofox]

I tried some pink stuff - "Muckoff" - (with an M - not an F).

"Spray on wash off" it said. "No effort required" it said. "Designed especially for lazy bastards like you" it said.

All lies. I did have to get in there and scrub a bit. BUT at the end of it all, the bike came up pretty well I would have to say. Specially after 25000km without a serious clean...

[usa-vtwin]

I just ride through the local car wash!!!:msn-wink:

[firefighter]

I use a plain old car wash. Kero(chain). Degreaser(everywhere else). Meguiars polish, meguiars carnuba wax, meguiars non-slip vinyl/leather polish, scotchbrite pads then mothers metal polish for header/exhaust pipes........oh and plain old glass cleaner for the mirrors.

I clean my chain and behind the covers every second wash. New wax on the chain after every wash.

Takes me hours.

All this aside the bikes always fucken dirty.........

bloody naked bikes.......next one will have fairings.

[usa-vtwin]

I love it dirty! Gives it character...esp squished bugs on the headlight. I might go 6 months without washing my bike, and YES...its ridden often.

[Bounce001]

Best cleaning product I've used is Handy Andy. Brush on undiluted with a paint brush to get into all areas and then hose off with cold water. Gets dirt and grease off easily. Polish after drying if you want. (Just waiting for handy Andy to come round and clean my bike!)

[slofox]

My problem with cleaning the bike is that if I have time enough to give it a decent clean, then I will use that time for a ride instead...:niceone:

[SMOKEU]

Don't ever wax/polish your petrol tank. If the tank is slippery then it's much harder to balance things on the tank while you're riding.

[mister.koz]

Don't ever wax/polish your petrol tank. If the tank is slippery then it's much harder to balance things on the tank while you're riding.

An excellent point :laugh:

[Owl]

My problem with cleaning the bike is that if I have time enough to give it a decent clean, then I will use that time for a ride instead...:niceone:

Can't really argue with that!:laugh:

[Quasi]

Don't ever wax/polish your petrol tank. If the tank is slippery then it's much harder to balance things on the tank while you're riding.

wot - like beer gut and such like?:devil2:

[ZephyrMark2]

wot - like beer gut and such like?:devil2:

What great advice.. thanks guys..

Looks like some standard themes coming out of what's used and what never to use..

Keep it coming.. I'm wanting to know what to buy next shop.

[SMOKEU]

wot - like beer gut and such like?:devil2:

I went to buy a bag of chicken feed yesterday. After I bought the 10kg bag I found it was far too big to fit in my back pack, and I had to get home some how. So I put the bag of chicken feed on the petrol tank and rode home like that.

[Hahn]

I went to buy a bag of chicken feed yesterday. After I bought the 10kg bag I found it was far too big to fit in my back pack, and I had to get home some how. So I put the bag of chicken feed on the petrol tank and rode home like that.
Fish n chips goes home with me the same way :niceone:

[Hahn]

And.. waterblasters are only for dirt bikes....:cool:

Or road bikes that get used as a dirt bike!:laugh:

[MVnut]

I usually use a Blonde (but sometimes a Redhead):niceone:

[one fast tl1ooo]

I usually use a Blonde (but sometimes a Redhead):niceone:

Nice one Mvnut, anyway all this sounds like hard work,
truck wash and a waterblaster :bleh:

[kittytamer]

Wd40 ...........

[firefighter]

Nice one Mvnut, anyway all this sounds like hard work,
truck wash and a waterblaster :bleh:

Do you really use truck wash?

It's completely rusted out our old stainless buckets........

Just something to think about!

[one fast tl1ooo]

Do you really use truck wash?

It's completely rusted out our old stainless buckets........

Just something to think about!

No sorry i don't use truck wash,,, I use enviro cleaner and a waterblaster.
It works, Gets bugs tar chain lube and road grime off, just spray and walk away. 30 seconds and waterblast, JOB DONE :clap::bleh::rofl:

[mister.koz]

No sorry i don't use truck wash,,, I use enviro cleaner and a waterblaster.
It works, Gets bugs tar chain lube and road grime off, just spray and walk away. 30 seconds and waterblast, JOB DONE :clap::bleh::rofl:

I am always a bit nervous of things that work REALLY well without effort, on one of my older bikes i found prepsol was really good for cleaning the fairings, after 2 or 3 cleans i realized that the prepsol was etching the paint a bit and took away the shine :crazy:... its not "supposed" to effect paint...

So i still do the slow way with low-powered cleaners :)

[Cr1MiNaL]

o w n e d !

[Hiflyer]

o w n e d !

L O L How does that relate to this thread?

[Maki]

Clean your bike gently with the right products, or don't bother. Harsh cleaning with a waterblaster is not going to make you happy in the long run...

[Cr1MiNaL]

L O L How does that relate to this thread?

LOL you and me get it so that's all that matters hehe :mobile:

[retro asian]

just spray and walk away. 30 seconds and waterblast, JOB DONE :clap::bleh::rofl:

+1 to that!

[Dean]

I clean my bike with petrol, just apply a heavy amount on your tank and fairings. It works a treat, I learnt this from short-circuit he told me it will work wonders on my bike. Since I trust him so much I even pour petrol on other peoples bikes when I get the chance, they will thank me in a year when there paint job will be immaculate.

[LBD]

Some worrying ideas posted...and some good ones...

Quality car wash detergent and sponge. ...For those hard to get at places, I use wifes tooth brush...

[Owl]

I clean my bike with petrol, just apply a heavy amount on your tank and fairings. It works a treat, I learnt this from short-circuit he told me it will work wonders on my bike. Since I trust him so much I even pour petrol on other peoples bikes when I get the chance, they will thank me in a year when there paint job will be immaculate.

That'd have to be the worst troll I've seen.

[Dean]

That'd have to be the worst troll I've seen.

I dont troll.

Dont pour petrol on your tank or fairings it helps if you pour the petrol in the tank.

[aahsv]

Dishwashing liquid and warm water.
Once dry I go over with Plexus plastic cleaner/polish. This stuff moves bits of tar and bugs and so forth while being safe on all paint and plastics. Polishes up as good as any wax in 10% of the time.
Silicon spray on a cloth then wiped over rubber/plastic lines cable bundles etc.

+1 - SC1 for silicone spray :2thumbsup

[SMOKEU]

Silicone spray will make your plastics look like new just about, but it's very slippery. A mate of mine sprayed his bike tyres with it, and he learnt the hard way when he ended up sliding on the ground one day.

[slofox]

Silicone spray will make your plastics look like new just about, but it's very slippery. A mate of mine sprayed his bike tyres with it, and he learnt the hard way when he ended up sliding on the ground one day.

Hell, not even I'm that stupid...not usually anyway...:whistle:

Who wants their bike to look like they never ride it anyway?

[Hiflyer]

Best thing to do is buy the normal cleaning products from a bike shop, 99% of the time they dont damage your bike and if they aren't cleaning the dirt good enough, man up and scrub harder!!

[awa355]

Fish n chips goes home with me the same way :niceone:

I used to be able to balance a carton of beer on the skinny tank on the old CT1 trailbike. And these were the large 'quart' sized bottles. Had to sneak thru the back roads to get home. Amazing what you can do when 17.

As for silicon, my mate sprayed his VFR750 with the stuff before trading it in so it would look real shiny. The shop charged him to clean the stuff off before they would sell it.