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Thread: Bike cleaning topic

  1. #16
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    21st March 2010 - 13:28
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    buy commercial truck wash, those fuckers are fussy bout their rigs and trucks are made of steel and plastic and chrome and fibreglass and all sorts o shit.

    first bike, fuck my first bikes all got stripped down on a regular basis and scrubbed and polished and i must have owned shares in armourall (made the seat nice an slippery for moving round on it easy), good quality polish is your friend also, makes it easier to keep the bike clean.

    as for using general house hold cleaners, don't put that shit near my bike (tho chemco is awesome for cleaning rims). in reality commercial vehicle wash works out cheaper and works better than household cleaners and unless you have access to a steam cleaner and are proficient in the use of one then elbow grease is your best answer

  2. #17
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    24th April 2011 - 08:47
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    Polish smolish, are going to admire your reflection all day, or are you going to ride?
    "If you ever need anything please don’t hesitate to ask someone else first.”

    Anyhoo don't forget to add to calendar 19th May, 27th July, and 31 August.
    World whisky day, International whisky day, and Scotch whisky day.

  3. #18
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    13th July 2008 - 20:48
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    Quote Originally Posted by granstar View Post
    Polish smolish, are going to admire your reflection all day, or are you going to ride?
    Yesterday we had a guy turn up for a course on a GN125. A loose bolt had seen the chain guard rest against the chain.

    If you clean your bike for no other reason, it's a good idea just to help you identify minor maintenance issues before they become major issues.

  4. #19
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    3rd June 2016 - 19:49
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    Mothers Waterless Wash and Wax. Not the cheapest and definitely not as a great as a proper wash and detailed wax but good enough for an easy to please guy like me and if you cbf spending more than 5 minutes cleaning your bike on a regular basis.

  5. #20
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    10th June 2006 - 18:35
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    Silicon spray and paper towels on the plastics and instruments. Leave the real cleaning for the next owner.

  6. #21
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    1st June 2017 - 00:33
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    Yamaha R3
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    Thanks for replying, I am just wondering is the car wash harmful for the bike? Cause some part like Chains/ Breaks might not good if using car wash for long time?


    Quote Originally Posted by EJK View Post
    IMO the ones with "Motorcycle specific wash formulae" are marketing bull crap. Cars are made of metal and plastic, bikes are also made out of metal and plastic.

    Get a cheap big bottle car wash from Supercheap or Repco. Sometimes I also mix a little Bar's Bug Windscreen Cleaner to clean off bugs during spring/ summer.

  7. #22
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    1st June 2017 - 00:33
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    Thanks for the info, gonna try out some stuff.


    Quote Originally Posted by caspernz View Post
    There's quite a few choices, and as long as you stay away from the Sunlight dishwash, think neutral detergent basically.

    Look at CT18 from Chemwash, available at Repco and Supercheap.

    Or try Grapewash from Pacer.

    Both are cost effective and kind to your paintwork while still cleaning thoroughly.

    Beyond that the main ingredient is elbow grease and a selection of brushes and sponges. Oh and save the water blaster to clean your driveway obviously...

  8. #23
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    1st June 2017 - 00:33
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    I am gonna try out this weekend, Thanks for that




    Quote Originally Posted by swarfie View Post
    Dynamo. Great stuff. Use it in my waterblaster (has a dispenser bottle) on all sorts of gear including the house, windows, car, motorhome and dirtbike. Stay away from sensitive areas like wheel and swingarm bearings because water in there will bugger them. Use it in a bucket with warm water with a brush on the road bikes and classics. Rinse off well and dry with a rag or chamois. Beats the hell out all those expensive cleaners that just simply cost more.

  9. #24
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    1st March 2017 - 06:23
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    Something that hasn't been mentioned: Try not to get too much detergent or wax on your brake disks and brake pads, and rinse thoroughly with water. If you contaminate the brake pads with wax or oils they wont work... (although Brakekleen usually fixes it)... and be ready for your brakes to be less effective while they're still dripping wet

    Old story, and only partly on topic: Once upon a time, long long ago, I looked at bike for sale. The guy had just finished cleaning it and it looked quite shiny and there was a can of crc556 and dirty rags nearby, and the familiar smell of kero. Funny way of cleaning your bike I thought. I took it for a ride and sailed straight through a red light with the brakes hard on Killed bike to stop it and walked back. Jesus I was Told the guy he was a fucking and ought to be and he better buy some new brakepads before he tries to ride it home
    (in fact if he wasn't so big and strong I may have hit him... I was a bit more impulsive then...)
    High miles, engine knock, rusty chrome, worn pegs...
    Brakes as new

  10. #25
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    9th March 2010 - 20:56
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    I use silicone WD40 on all the black plastic and electrical bits, then wipe off the excess. Keeps them shiny and helps protect them from water and it's easy to spray into all those difficult to reach area. Also the silicone spray takes chain lube off the wheels in a flash and leaves then with a nice shine.

    Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

  11. #26
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    14th June 2007 - 22:39
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    Quote Originally Posted by aws View Post
    I use silicone WD40 on all the black plastic and electrical bits, then wipe off the excess. Keeps them shiny and helps protect them from water and it's easy to spray into all those difficult to reach area. Also the silicone spray takes chain lube off the wheels in a flash and leaves then with a nice shine.

    Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
    Yeah, I use sillycone on me lectrics, too. Or. LP1, a very light spray oil but not, I believe, kero based, from Repco. A fraction of the price of WD40 or CRC aerosols. Comes in a 4 ltr container and I just pour it into a wee squirty bottle. Cleans oil and tar spatter very easily. Do not get it on your tires..
    Good for cleaning the chain and does not seem as harsh as kero. Not convinced it's good for the chain, though.

    Thanks for the reminder on truck wash. That's what I used in the UK and it's still the best all round cleaner I have used, it was actually called Truck Wash... Cheap, too. Must keep my eyes open for some.
    Manopausal.

  12. #27
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    9th April 2015 - 16:03
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Sichoe View Post
    Leave the real cleaning for the next owner.
    Every bike I have ever bought, I seem to have bought off you.

    Quote Originally Posted by rastuscat View Post

    If you clean your bike for no other reason, it's a good idea just to help you identify minor maintenance issues before they become major issues.
    THIS!

  13. #28
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    14th July 2006 - 21:39
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    Quote Originally Posted by rastuscat View Post

    If you clean your bike for no other reason, it's a good idea just to help you identify minor maintenance issues before they become major issues.
    Simple stuff really but how many shitty bikes do you see riding around that look like the only person who ever runs a eye over them is the WOF man.

    Me - I like mine looking better than new.

  14. #29
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    5th December 2009 - 12:32
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    This thread has made me feel so guilty I went out and brought a bottle of kerosene today. Tomorrow I am going to try and clean a bike chain for the first time ever. My regime for the last 20 odd years has been to bang some lube on if it has been raining hard and change the chain and sprockets when it can't be adjusted any more.

    God knows why they can't put shaft drive on all bikes. This home maintenance malarkey is so 1950's.

  15. #30
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    13th July 2008 - 20:48
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    Quote Originally Posted by Berries View Post
    This thread has made me feel so guilty I went out and brought a bottle of kerosene today. Tomorrow I am going to try and clean a bike chain for the first time ever. My regime for the last 20 odd years has been to bang some lube on if it has been raining hard and change the chain and sprockets when it can't be adjusted any more.

    God knows why they can't put shaft drive on all bikes. This home maintenance malarkey is so 1950's.
    I first got shafted about 15 years ago. I've been belted a couple of times too. Such is the life of a Beemer Phile.

    Chains are dirty greasy oily things. Can't see a need for them myself.

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