Washing your bike

Rodm

Rodm

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Hi all, heres my first question, how do you guys wash your bikes, what products do you use and any special cloths/sponges? Mine needs a clean already, just wondering the best way to go about it. Also I am about to look on ebay for tail tidys/clear blinkers, any susgestions on which are better, photos of yours? Thanks. Rod:flash:
 
Rodm said:
Hi all, heres my first question, how do you guys wash your bikes, what products do you use and any special cloths/sponges? Mine needs a clean already, just wondering the best way to go about it. Also I am about to look on ebay for tail tidys/clear blinkers, any susgestions on which are better, photos of yours? Thanks. Rod:flash:
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Hi Rod, I don't have too many opportunities to really wash it but when I do, I spray a light degreaser like simple green on the motor when it's just warm (not Hot), and let it sit for a few minutes. I also put a small dish towel below my seat and then put the seat down again. Once thats done I spray the bike with water, soap up with Turtle Wax car wash, and then hose the entire bike down. My friend has a gas powered blower that he has attached a smaller outlet tube to the end. I use that and blow the entire bike dry in about two minutes. Not a drop of water remains when you do it this way! They sell those units for over two hundred dollars but any leaf blower will do the trick. I remove the dish towel from below the seat and start with the microfiber cloth and the Liquid Ice spray polish. Thats it! The trick to doing the motor is just to have it warm. If you spray the Simple Green on a hot motor, it's gonna leave stains on the exhaust header. So remember, just warm to the touch. Thats enough to get the grease and grime to loosen up. As for signal lights and fender eliminators, I don't have any to show. I run stock lights front and back with the exception of the front marker lights which we have a thread about on this forum here:http://www.998cc.org/forum/gen-ii/1436-pod-mod-lights.html I hope this helps.
 
The FZ has only been dirty enough once for a full washing. It was after I got caught in heavy rain a long way from home. I cleaned it the hard way. I used dish soap & water with a soft towel and just went after everywhere that looked dirty. I also used Turtle Wax Bug & Tar remover on the spots that needed it. Then I dried it by using another towel. That’s way too much effort though. Next time it needs cleaning that badly I’ll do the spray, hose, leaf blower method.

I’ve been using Mothers Carnauba Wax for years. Great stuff. However I just got a free sample of McGuire’s liquid wax. I tried them both on the fuel tank on small areas next to each other just to see if there was any difference. I have to give an ever-so-slight advantage to McGuire’s. I use a soft towel to apply it and one of those special wax-removing towels to buff it out.

For chain cleaning I use kerosene applied with a paintbrush. I can’t imagine anything else working better. The crud comes off with almost no effort. Plus it’s what the manual recommends.

I’ve been using Bell Ray chain lube only because it’s what I had laying around from the old bike. I do get some fling off though. Maybe I apply too much? After cleaning I put on latex gloves and glob it into the palm of my hand. Then I work it into the chain. Then I wipe off the excess with a sacrificial rag.

What do you guys use to clean the exhaust pipes? The FZ6 crew loves something called Autosol. I haven’t seen it anywhere local and I'm too lazy to order it.

http://www.fz6-forum.com/forum/fz6-technical/20876-keeping-down-pipes-shiny.html

http://www.fz6-forum.com/forum/fz6-general-discussion/23957-cleaning-exhaust-pipe-assy-1-a.html

I had some Turtle Wax rubbing compound lying around. I tried it on the pipes a few days ago by applying it vigorously with a rag. It spiffed the pipes up nicely. I don’t know if it’s a good idea to use it continually though. I might order the Autosol or try another brand of chrome/ brass cleaner.
 
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Autosol

I am very familiar with Autosol and every other brand of Chrome or Aluminum polish out there. Having polished Big trucks for over a decade, and not just my own. Allthough Autosol will work you must have what you are polishing perfectly clean or it will scratch! especially chromed surfaces. There are much better and cheaper products out there for that application. Wicked- Lightening Shine for one( My favorite) or Zepher 40. Available at Peterbilt dealers or your local truckstop. 4 times the product for the same cost. Truckers know.
When cleaning the pipes they must be cool and the key is use a clean, soft cloth(terry works best) to apply, and remove the polish. Make sure all the product is off the pipes before you start it again and you won't get staining.
http://www.wickedproducts.com/wickedshop/vmchk/Shiny_Metal.html
http://www.zephyrpro40.com/s2/Scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=77
 
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I just use Turtle Automotive Car wash, Turtle ICE spray-on wax all after degreasing with a rag dampened with kerosene which is for the chain and also the wheels. But, I don't wash it often. I let the rain take care of it during commutes. ;)
 
I started using this stuff when we had heavy water restrictions here in the southeast. I like it because due to my health, I can not spend a lot of time washing my bike like I used to with my old one. With this stuff, I can wipe it down a little each time I let the dawg out. Keeps the bike very clean and works well on all the surfaces. On the rims, I use the purple degreasing stuff about every other month or whenever I remember to.

Before that, on my VX, I used to use the same stuff I used on the car. Some kind of blue car wash stuff. Then I'd dry it with a chamois. After drying, I'd put Mequires Wax on it. After waxing, I spent some quality time with the chrome bits to get them all shiny (Barkeeper's friend and some chrome polish that came in a silver can with black writing). I applied the lessons I learned shining up the chrome on my VX to the exhaust pipes and other silver bits on my FZ.

With Barkeeper's Friend and a little water, I make a paste. I use the paste and an old t-shirt or one of the cleaning microfiber rags and apply to the pipes until all of the golding (patina?) is gone. Very little polishing is needed if you keep the pipes silver. On the other shiny bits, it's basically making sure I touch every visible part before dribbling water on it to wash off the powder. Afterwards (remember water restrictions?) I take a couple of 20 oz sport bottles of water and spray down the pipes before drying. Here's a pic of the last time I did this:

With one pipe done:
View attachment 1330

After:
View attachment 1331 View attachment 1332
:yes:

I tried Blue Magic once but it didn't seem to get any better :shame:. It was way more work than the Barkeepers. Either I was using it wrong or the stuff doesn't work. Either way, I have a barely used bottle of it if anyone wants it :flash:.

One of these days, I'm going to go all out and try FZSarasota's Cleaning method (from that other site) but with the Blackhawk stuff, I haven't needed to.

I recently got some Mequire's Polish on closeout at WalMart and have been using it on the windscreen. Should have done that sooner, thing is starting to look newer with each application.

As for turn signals, stay away from the ebay LED cheapies :tdown: . They are not bright and will eventually fail. I tried twice, once with regular ones and later with the LEDs that had the little tip on them. The first weren't bright at all and the second weren't bright and some of the LEDs stopped working. I went back to the stockers and will replace the bulbs with LED bulbs because they draw less power.

I don't have any pics of the bike where you can actually see the turn signals. Probably another good reason I went back to stock.:flash:
 
Blue Tragic

Blue magic is junk, I have a bottle in my garage that will never waste another moment of my life. Wasting your time is where the "Magic" comes in. You start useing it and magically hours have past with no noticeable results. It is very hard to get all of it off (greasy)which just adds to the annoyance factor.:tdown:
 
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I keep it simple...ArmorAll car wash or Turtle Wax zip wax is fine for me. I usually detail after and in between washes with Honda spray cleaner polish or the Cycle Gear cleaner polish. Ive used the Turtle Was ICE synthetic polish on entire bike because its easy to apply and can use on all surfaces with no white residue...Seems to work nicely.
 
Thanks heaps guys for the great responses, that gives me a fair bit of ammo to polish her up, being only a week old Im obsessing over it hehe :yes:
 
little do you know

Rodm said:
Thanks heaps guys for the great responses, that gives me a fair bit of ammo to polish her up, being only a week old Im obsessing over it hehe :yes:
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You seem to be under the false impression that the obsessing will lessen or stop after you have had it for a while. Not likely:sinister:
 
haha yeah I know, I shouldnt kid myself, I still obsess over my dirt bike and Ive had that for 3 years haha, treat it like a baby.
 
When I am at work I will wash my bike on my lunch break from time to time. I use the Street Bike Wash we have at work (I sell motorcycles) and the pressure washer. Blow it dry with the air compressor then hit it with Honda Polish and a micro fiber.
 
Oldschool said:
Blue magic is junk, I have a bottle in my garage that will never waste another moment of my life. Wasting your time is where the "Magic" comes in. You start useing it and magically hours have past with no noticeable results. It is very hard to get all of it off (greasy)which just adds to the annoyance factor.:tdown:
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I found that out the hard way, but I only lost minutes before I went back to barkeepers.
 
I commute with my bike, so typically I only get to wash it once a week. I like the simple green idea and I will have to try that out! I live in a rural area and in the Spring and Summer bugs are all over the bike!

There are a lot of good posts here, thank you to those who have posted!
 
Just washed mine - bucket o' water, a splotch of liquid dishwasher soap (no suds) and a clean rag - really made it shine, and no streaks to cleanup.

I used some orange citrus spray cleaner on the bottom of the motor that worked pretty well, but need a heavier-duty grease cutter for some hard-to-get stuff.
 
Armorall car wash, Bucket, sponge, chammy, ride till dry, then MR SHEEN all the plastics, swing arm etc, then silicon spray the engine & hoses. Then use a product called purple on all the chrome bits.

Finished.
 
Armorall car wash, Bucket, micro fiber mit. I use my lawn leaf blower to get the water out of all the nooks and crannies and then I use micro fiber towels to dry the rest of the way. I use Simichrome paste on all chrome parts.

I always clean my chain before I wash and lube the chain after the wash.

In between washed I use Yama-lube Spray Polish. That stuff is magic I tell you!
 
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Never wash the bike. Damp cloth and a dry cloth on plastic. Simple green on chain with a soft brush. Then WD40 on chain/wheels, final light coating of oil on the chain.

Simple green around the front sprocket, kick stand, wipe down rear sprocket, and done. Takes about 15 minutes, and after every ride.
 
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