What to clean your bike with?

[Pussy]

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

Ta! I'll check them out this week.

[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

[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....

[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

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!!!