Do you wax...??

**Milky** · 1st February 2005, 21:48

Originally Posted by merv

...I use kerosene to clean off chain grease and shit like that

50/50 kerosene and detergent works a treat - just as effective as engine degreaser, but much easier on paint/rubbers etc. I usually apply it with a toothbrush for the fiddly/well stuck bits or an old paint brush for larger areas.
This reminds me I should clean my bike sometime soon... Maybe even tomorrow, if I can fit it into my hectic student schedule

**Will** · 1st February 2005, 22:27

Originally Posted by scumdog

As I said on an earlier thread - spray silicone spray over the underneath parts of you scoot, forks fronts, front of fairing etc, stops oil/tar/cow-shit etc from sticking

Just make sure NONE gets on you tyres/brakes.

I wish to highlight that you must not get any silicone on your tyres. Was following a Harley that some one had put tyre black on the walls of the tyres to make it look good. We didn't realise that it had tyre black. It is not good to see your mates go around an easy corner and suddenly all shit is happening as rider and pillion are high sided at 100 k. And in amongst that you are trying to avoid the bike, them and your other mates on their bikes.
If in doubt, I would say no silicone any where near the bike. Dirty is best and saves injury.
By the way, the rider only got a broken wrist and pillion had cracked ribs.
I still have an image in my mind of two bodies and one bike up in the air.

**Blackbird** · 2nd February 2005, 07:11

Mothers Carnuba Wax, it's the dog's doo dahs.

**Riff Raff** · 2nd February 2005, 07:16

Originally Posted by Will

I wish to highlight that you must not get any silicone on your tyres. Was following a Harley that some one had put tyre black on the walls of the tyres to make it look good.

When I bought my bike, the bike shop had put tyre black on the tyres. WTF were they thinking?

**merv** · 2nd February 2005, 07:24

Originally Posted by Riff Raff

When I bought my bike, the bike shop had put tyre black on the tyres. WTF were they thinking?

When I clean my bike which is very occasionally and then I do it thoroughly, I happily use the brush on water based tyre black - bought in a small red paint type can from Repco (think its CRC brand) - just brush it onto the sidewalls, not the tread area anyway. No problems with that, but don't use the spray on foam type stuff because as some have mentioned above, get that slippery shit on the part of the tyre you use in a corner and you'll be practising your dirt rider foot down style slides.

I know you will be horrified, but the last time I cleaned my bike was in August last year and then it looked like this http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/at...achmentid=3205

Though its only a bit cruddy now like this http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/at...achmentid=6829

**Wellyman** · 2nd February 2005, 07:37

Originally Posted by scumdog

As I said on an earlier thread - spray silicone spray over the underneath parts of you scoot, forks fronts, front of fairing etc, stops oil/tar/cow-shit etc from sticking

Just make sure NONE gets on you tyres/brakes.

yes I agree with scumdog silicone spray makes it shiny but don't put it your seat,grips,brakes,tyres makes it very slippery

**scumdog** · 2nd February 2005, 10:43

Originally Posted by Riff Raff

When I bought my bike, the bike shop had put tyre black on the tyres. WTF were they thinking?

I use the spray on tyre dressing but I spray it onto a rag then wipe it on the side-walls only, just up to the rib that delineates where the tread and side-wall meet.

**Pwalo** · 2nd February 2005, 12:33

Originally Posted by Blackbird

Mothers Carnuba Wax, it's the dog's doo dahs.

And it smell's nice too. Their car wash is pretty good if the bike's not too dirty.

**Blackbird** · 2nd February 2005, 14:17

Yup - smells like a vanilla dessert - thought I was the only sad bastard who thought that.

**Lou Girardin** · 2nd February 2005, 14:55

I use Meguiars, kept a showroom shine on 13 year old red Mazda. Only started to show a tiny bit of oxidation on the boot when I sold it. It's hard work though, being a three step process.

**vifferman** · 2nd February 2005, 15:25

I use WD40 or kero to get the really oily, crappy stuff off, or to remove tar. I wash the bike with some wash'n'wax, and clean the screen, instrument panel and headlight guard with Plexus plastic polish.

Don't use Armorall or like that there on your seat.

I haven't yet found anything that works well on the wheels, apart from Wurth's Intensive Rim Cleaner - spray on, leave, rinse off. It's not caustic like many of those mag wheel cleaners, so it doesn't eat alloy, paint, or clear-coat. Oh yeah - and it smells very pretty.

I've tried that Mr Muscle orange stuff, and some Armorall or whatever wheel cleaner, and they're useless.

Here's a tip - don't use engine degreaser on your rims to remove chain spooge. Unless you want InstantStuntORama.

Or carefully remove all traces of the spooge/degreaser mix from your tyres before riding....

**RiderInBlack** · 2nd February 2005, 17:04

Originally Posted by wkid_one

I used Pledge (Dust Free was good)

Yep, I rub Pledge Orange all over "Roxanne's" nice bits. Use the Trigger bottle at home and take some Pledge wipes with me so I can give some away from home rubs.
PS: Just a rant here, but when I was try out a replacement bike (after righting off the VFR), one of the wally owners had blacked the tyres on a CBR1000 I had come to try out on a dizzly day. It nearly got me killed on the Massey Roundabout

Only just kept her up. Fu*k did I take a piece out of that wanker

PSS: Have not seen you on here for a long time Wkid. Where the fu*k have you been hiding (or have I just been reading all the wrong threads)? Ooh and like you tits mate.

**FzerozeroT** · 2nd February 2005, 19:52

I was thinking about putting together a kit to sell at races (buy in bulk and split it up)
Like an armourall gift pack but with just good polishes instead of buckets and sponges.

My full cleaning kit goes something like this:
rags - lots
microfibre cloths - removes smears
wash sponge / polish sponges / small sponges - for different compounds
paintbrushes - 25mm is the best size
soft toothbrush - for fiddly corners on paint
hard toothbrush - like a denture toothbrush
wire toothbrush - for stuff caked on metal (or decoking pistons/powervalves)
3m scouring pads - brake discs etc
spray bottles - $2 each from bunnings (or old MrMuscle bottles)

el cheapo car wash - commercial stuff
turps - for the tough stuff
diesel - softens up grease and brake dust
ripper - it's a commercial degreaser to remove diesel
groom all - another commercial dirt remover for plastics (even leather)
polyglaze - good for bugs and tar without removing wax
whole range of mothers polishes - 3 step, ultimate, wheel, alloy
turtle wax rubbing compound - never know when you'll need it
tyre black - it's a water based dye, great on all black stuff (seats / plastics / tyres) and it's non slippery
effax - leather balsam from a saddlery
revive - commercial version of armourall

race stands - only way to do wheels properly
waterblaster - even a low pressure one is good
dremel with little brushes - now we're getting anal-retentive
air compresser is on the wishlist

I've also got a whole lot of other more car specific stuff (windows, fabric etc.) just in case you were wondering I have been a Truck, bike and car groomer. Always loved making an old shitter look like it was actually worth something. (name those contraptions!)