There's a commercial cleaner called Desolvit (or something similar). It's not often in the supermarket but places like Mitre 10 stock it - clear spray bottle, orange label. It works like kero or turps but its water emulsifiable. Just hose it away when it's done the job.
It works wonders on fresh tar on a hot muffler - just runs away. Old, baked on tar with all the volatiles gone is a different proposition no matter what the cleaner.
I've tried all the others suggested except peanut butter. They all do about the same job but the stuff I have named is just heaps faster because of the "hose it" clean up. It's a household cleaner so has heaps of other uses too, like getting rid of chewing gum.
I run a Scott oilers on both bikes and so the front sprockets chuck a fair bit around the "hard to get at places" on the gearbox and crankcase - especially the DR cos I put plenty of oil on the chain to flush the crud away. Cleaning time = spray this stuff around, stir it up a bit and put the hose in. Presto!
I notice that all the bikers I have mentioned it to, who have actually tried it, now have a bottle on their shelf.
One note however - the work area has to be dry. As I said, it emulsifies with water and once that happens, it won't clean anything.
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