Cleaning products?

[baffa]

Ok tidy kiwis, what do you use to clean and polish your bikes?

Some of the bikes I see at work constantly have clean paint and shiny wheels, and it makes my bike look like it's just been through a sh!tstorm in comparison.

[nodrog]

I use Stirton bike cleaner, it also cleans various household things as well.

And it only cost me $20.

[psykonosis]

I find that for cleaning/polishing all the chrome on my bikes S100 Polishing Soap works very well

[bogan]

I use turtle wax bug and tar remover, some misc cut and polish for when it's photo day, and a bit of DW liquid, warm water, and elbow grease for calipers, and some turps on the swingarm every now and then.

Clean about every month (along with chain lubing), or if it gets pretty dirty in the meantime.

[baffa]

Btw bogan, if you can, avoid dishwashing liquid, and use a car or bike based type instead.
DW liquid can damage clearcoat and paint. I cant remember why however.
This is about as far as my knowledge goes :laugh:

[nzspokes]

Btw bogan, if you can, avoid dishwashing liquid, and use a car or bike based type instead.
DW liquid can damage clearcoat and paint. I cant remember why however.
This is about as far as my knowledge goes :laugh:

because it has salt in it.

[slofox]

... it makes my bike look like it's just been through a sh!tstorm in comparison.

No. It makes it look as though you actually RIDE your bike...

[DrunkenMistake]

I start in areas of alot of greese and tar etc I.E Rims, swing arm and ill use the likes of kerosene or meths to scrub that shit clean, then ill use a
generic car wash 'wash and polish' basicly wash, and do a really good job at actually cleaning the bike, get it spotless, Leave it to dry or use a microfibre cloth to dry it out, remove both seats, cover the grips and pegs, remove both seats and lay on the silicone spray I do the entire bike excluding the tank, ill spray the front half of the tank, and leave the back half and sides, ill leave it sit for a few mins and do one my coat, then ill use a cloth and buff and polish the silicone and ill use that method to spread it over the tank, just means that part isnt as slick as the rest of the bike haha,
if done right all you have to do hose down the bike every few weeks for a month or two before it needs another wash, and so long as you hose it down every so often, it leaves you a really nice clean looking bike


EDIT: Dont even attempt to silicon your rims, you will just overs pray onto your tyres and your fucked haha.

[vifferman]

Ok tidy kiwis, what do you use to clean and polish your bikes?
Say wha...?? :confused:
Clean?
Um.... err.....
I haven'tr actually cleaned the VFR in as long as I can remember. Doesn't help that I don't have a driveway, so I've nowhere to clean it. If (heaven forbid!) I actually felt the urge...\
I do clean the chain, and remove chain spooge from the centrestand and like that there.
And this week I waved a cloth over the 'paintwork' (or what was once paint) because the booolderz had coated it with cement dust.
Does that count as cleaning?:confused:

[hayd3n]

generic car stuff then
Carnauba wax for paint after i cut and polish whats left of the paint
supa cheep degreaser for the oilly and a use old tooth brush to scrubb bits
then i relube and go for a ride to get all dirty again

[vifferman]

generic car stuff then
supa cheep degreaser for the oilly
Watch that - it creates a very nice oily emulsion that soaks into your tyres very well.
Been there, done that, very nearly highsided afterwards...

[hayd3n]

Watch that - it creates a very nice oily emulsion that soaks into your tyres very well.
Been there, done that, very nearly highsided afterwards...

all good ,
im no rossi

[mossy1200]

Watch that - it creates a very nice oily emulsion that soaks into your tyres very well.
Been there, done that, very nearly highsided afterwards...

Good for motards only then?

[Mooch]

Ok tidy kiwis, what do you use to clean and polish your bikes?

Some of the bikes I see at work constantly have clean paint and shiny wheels, and it makes my bike look like it's just been through a sh!tstorm in comparison.

Check out this link http://prestige.finishing.school.nz/ have a look at the results of 525i M

Have started to use clay baring on the vechiles , then a three stage mothers waxing products. Have used the same on the Ducati but havn't clay bared it yet.

[davebullet]

Standard turtle auto wash
finish with meguiars nxt wax / polish
WD40 to lift the grime off the wheels - have to be careful as rubbing it off can scratch it. Must find a friendlier way.

Keen to try that pink "muck off" stuff - does it work?

[p.dath]

Btw bogan, if you can, avoid dishwashing liquid, and use a car or bike based type instead.
DW liquid can damage clearcoat and paint. I cant remember why however.
This is about as far as my knowledge goes :laugh:

Wow, I didn't know that. I use dish-wash liquid on my bike to clean it, because I know it is free from wax, and I don't like it to be slippery to ride when I am on it.
Fortunately my bike is already old, has a few battle scars, and the paint work is in average condition.

Looks like I'll have to go down to Repco and get some simple cheap wash now.

[scumdog]

Wow, I didn't know that. I use dish-wash liquid on my bike to clean it, because I know it is free from wax, and I don't like it to be slippery to ride when I am on it.
Fortunately my bike is already old, has a few battle scars, and the paint work is in average condition.

Looks like I'll have to go down to Repco and get some simple cheap wash now.

As baffa sez, dishwashing liquid will right royally fuck-up your paint - ok if you want a dull no-shine look.

Oh, and it will very likely perpetrate rust/corrison on any bare metal.
Do as you sed and get some wash'n'wax stuff.

[caspernz]

The main ingredient is elbow grease...

My choice of detergent is Grapewash from Pacer, or CT18 from SuperCheap, both being neutral detergents.
Pre-wash spray with kero to take off oily mess around chain area, kero also helps loosen up them baked on bugs after a serious roadtrip.
A couple of times a year I do the polish thing with a colour coded wax to get rid of minor scratches.

And then every few years just trade the bugger in for a new one seems to help as well...

[puddytat]

I use diesel on a rag to remove tar , grease etc, but to bring out the shine im a lemon Pledge fan.....'tis also really good for hiding scratches on perspex & visors.....

[caspernz]

I use diesel on a rag to remove tar , grease etc, but to bring out the shine im a lemon Pledge fan.....'tis also really good for hiding scratches on perspex & visors.....

The way to fix scratches on perspex is to use a fine polish, such as one for paintwork in good nick, and simply polish the scratches away. Visors, screens, headlamps etc. Showed a mate recently how to tidy up the monsoon on his car, and the headlight covers, came up like new.

[cowpoos]

Ok tidy kiwis, what do you use to clean and polish your bikes?

Some of the bikes I see at work constantly have clean paint and shiny wheels, and it makes my bike look like it's just been through a sh!tstorm in comparison.

Porn....gets everything off!!