Cleaning windscreens

[Mikkel]

Hey folks,

I was wondering if anyone could give me some good advice on how to get my windscreen spotless and clear.
Since last week there has appeared some streaks on the inside of my windscreen that won't go away from normal washing. Unfortunately I don't know exactly what caused it...
It looks as if some liquid has run down the inside of the windscreen and dried up - but normal carwashing products and a brush doesn't help.
Not that I think it makes any difference - it's an '89 Kawasaki ZXR250.

Cheers
Mikkel

[Disco Dan]

Meths and paper towels.

[Trudes]

wet newspaper and then dry newspaper does a great job of glass, no streaks, might work.

[Usarka]

if any old fart says to use a potatoe i'll punt them back 1927 where they belong.

[Mikkel]

I'm not too keen on chucking solvents on the windscreen - solvents have been known to fuck up plastics.

And let me repeat that normal washing doesn't take care of it... It's not streaks that are left over from drying since I use a chamois to wipe the bike down after I've washed it.

I was thinking more in the direction of a fine cut'n'polish thing to get the stuff off - or remove a thin layer of plastic since I fear that it's the plastic that has somehow gotten discoloured...

[spookytooth]

toothpaste works well on glass to take crap off it shouldn't scratch plastics

[vifferman]

Ignore ALL the previous posts.
Use a good plastic polish (I have one called "Plastex" I think), then follow up with Plexus or Pledge. If you can remove the screen and use a polisher, so much the better. You can buy the plastic polish from Repco, SupaCrap or one of those kind of shops. Pledge you can get at the supermarket (I'd recommend that New World around the corner from where we used to live in St Martin's Road. :niceone:

[James Deuce]

Mother's (the Car Cleaning Product brand, not my Mum) Plastic polish is bloody good too.

[imdying]

Ignore ALL the previous posts.
Use a good plastic polish (I have one called "Plastex" I think), What do you reckon about the autosol plastic polish (comes in the blue trimmed tube)?

/edit: Thinking about it more, it's actually labelled 'autosol plastic cleaner'. Might be just the ticket in this application. I'm guessing it'll be an extremely mild abrasive.

[Mikkel]

Thanks guys. I'll put down a shopping list! :)

No worries getting the windscreen off the bike - it's still curved though and I'm not too keen on starting to bend 18 year old plastic. Besides I haven't got a polisher - will have to apply some elbow grease instead. :niceone:

BTW - should I use this on the plastic parts of my bike as well (fairings and panels I mean)? Or should I keep on using the turtle wax I've been using so far? (Can anyone recommend a better wax than the turtle stuff? I've found it hard to get good smooth coverage and it takes ages before it goes "foggy"...)

[babyblade250rr]

cheap and easy solution iso-propanol a.k.a Prepsol, works on just about everything plastic paint etc.... (Not recommending washing ya bike in it lol) it's almost 100% alcohol no solvents added

[jrandom]

People who wash their bikes (other than the exposed portions of the drivetrain prior to lubrication) are odd.

One day I will buy a shaftie, and then I shall never wash again.

Muahahahahahaha!

Edit: An exception to the above rule is made for anyone who owns an MV Agusta.

[Mikkel]

cheap and easy solution iso-propanol a.k.a Prepsol, works on just about everything plastic paint etc.... (Not recommending washing ya bike in it lol) it's almost 100% alcohol no solvents added

Well - all alcohols ARE solvents... Organic solvents. ;)

[jrandom]

Well - all alcohols ARE solvents...

Yes, I never let solvents anywhere near my bike.

Particularly dihydrogen monoxide. Nasty shit that is.

[babyblade250rr]

Well - all alcohols ARE solvents... Organic solvents. ;)

i understand that but i assumed when you mentioned solvents you ment serious solvents i.e Dichloromethane,ether,acetone etc.... things that actually melt plastic, iso propanol will not, even methanol, ethanol will do if you can get some.


good luck with it anyway

[imdying]

People who wash their bikes (other than the exposed portions of the drivetrain prior to lubrication) are odd.Cleaning is an integral part of a regular maintenance program... easiest way to spot things like bolts that vibrate out is to become familiar with your bike by cleaning it...

[Ronin]

Yes, I never let solvents anywhere near my bike.

Particularly dihydrogen monoxide. Nasty shit that is.

Still or sparkling?

[johnnyflash]

Ignore ALL the previous posts.
Use a good plastic polish (I have one called "Plastex" I think), then follow up with Plexus or Pledge. If you can remove the screen and use a polisher, so much the better. You can buy the plastic polish from Repco, SupaCrap or one of those kind of shops. Pledge you can get at the supermarket (I'd recommend that New World around the corner from where we used to live in St Martin's Road. :niceone:
Ditto, good advice


Mother's (the Car Cleaning Product brand, not my Mum) Plastic polish is bloody good too.

Ditto again.. many of the screens are tinted and using the wrong stuff will destroy it, I have used both above with excellant result, as with anything, test it first on a section least noticable, ie, away from the viewing region, perhaps as low as possible as one never assumes all screens are equal..

[AllanB]

PLEXUS - a plastic clean, protectant and polish in one. Also anti-static.

No smears, no scratches. Developed for aviation.

Its good stuff, greet stuff, brilliant even, did I mention it works well? Smells nice even.

Comes in a spray can $10 from the chaps in Hamilton who make bike screens (can't remember their name dammit).

One can will last ages.

Don't use it on the blow-up doll through - you will slide off ..........:laugh:

It will make her smell good though.

[Mikkel]

Again, thanks for the feedback guys. :niceone:
I'll have a good look at it this weekend - need to go shopping. I need some good chain lube as well (any recommendations?) and am considering getting a rearend stand for the bike as well.

[James Deuce]

Maxima Racing Chain Lube is astonishing. It doesn't fling and it doesn't attract dirt like some chain lubes do.

[vifferman]

PLEXUS - a plastic clean, protectant and polish in one. Also anti-static.

No smears, no scratches. Developed for aviation.

Its good stuff, greet stuff, brilliant even, did I mention it works well? Smells nice even.

Comes in a spray can $10 from the chaps in Hamilton who make bike screens (can't remember their name dammit).
That must be the small can - the full-sized one (300ml?) is around $27.
Yes, it's good, but apparently not drastically better'n Pledge, which is about 20-25% of the price.


Don't use it on the blow-up doll through - you will slide off ..........:laugh:
Don't use it on your seat either.
But DO use it on any of the plastics on your bike, on your visor, your helmet, paint, mirrors, headlights, etc etc. It's also good for scratched CDs and for DVDs that some pillock has rented, used as a frisbee/drinks coaster/dinner plate then returned to the video store, where the video store drone has chucked it back on the shelf without cleaning or polishing it.

[vifferman]

I need some good chain lube as well (any recommendations?)
I've used a few, and of those I definitely DON'T recommend Shell Motorcycle Chain Lube (too sticky). Motul Chain Lube is pretty good - it's very tacky, and dries clear to a sort of a grease that gets... greasy... as it warms up. But I prefer Spectro Chain Wax, as although it doesn't seem to lube quite as well as the Motul, it goes much further, smells nicer :rolleyes: and is less messy (the Motul tends to leave a hard-to-remove sticky mess if it does fling off at all). It's also clear like the Motul, which is important if you have a coloured finish on your chain. Those lubes that dry white look like crap, IMHO.

[Mikkel]

Maxima Racing Chain Lube is astonishing. It doesn't fling and it doesn't attract dirt like some chain lubes do.


I've used a few, and of those I definitely DON'T recommend Shell Motorcycle Chain Lube (too sticky). Motul Chain Lube is pretty good - it's very tacky, and dries clear to a sort of a grease that gets... greasy... as it warms up. But I prefer Spectro Chain Wax, as although it doesn't seem to lube quite as well as the Motul, it goes much further, smells nicer :rolleyes: and is less messy (the Motul tends to leave a hard-to-remove sticky mess if it does fling off at all). It's also clear like the Motul, which is important if you have a coloured finish on your chain. Those lubes that dry white look like crap, IMHO.

Cheers for that - I've put that on my shopping list as well! :niceone:

My chain is a normal matte black thing - and currently lubed with some of the dry white kind. And yeah, it doesn't look pretty - it would be ok if the whitish colour just disappeared when the chain needed another lube...

However, I've run out of bling so you'll have to wait for that...

[AllanB]

Check out Budget motorcycles in Waltham Rd for a rear stand, best price I found in CHCH for one. Bike-Lift brand - works well.

[Mikkel]

Just had a chat with the guys down at Street and Sport about various stuff and mentioned the windscreen. They had a polish lying around that fixed the stuff inside 2 mins - I was rather impressed. The stuff they used is called "Plum Crazy" from Malco Pro (www.malcopro.com). Seemed like some good stuff to me! ;)

[JMemonic]

As AllenB said give the guys at budget a try, they changed ownership a while back and are really a good bunch of folks. They have gone out of their way to sort me out a new helmet, being the difficult customer that I am with an odd shaped head.