I wash my bike with car shampoo washed off with a garden hose then I polish with what ever I can get my hands on.
For removing road tar and chain fling I use WD40.
I have never had any problems with electrics for the years I have been doing this apart from a problem I had years ago with the head lights on my old Elsie which I put down to poor maintenance from its previous owner.
Am not sure what the safety implications of getting WD40 on yer hands, but I do know petrol is a skin irritant as well as a carcinogenic and may cause dermatitis, so therefore I always get my missus to clean my chain and wheels.
After washing the wheels and cleaning off any bits of chin lube (I can't believe it's not butter!) from the swing arm with T&G
My bikes both get foamed wth a foam gun on the PW left to soak for 5 mins to soften up the bugs and it removes almost all of the loose grit and stuff stuck to the bike.
Next the bike gets rinsed down with the PW on half pressure.
The bike then gets washed using Lambs wool mit (Not sponge or "RAG" as it will wreck your paint)
The lower fairing gets a quick spray with T&G remover (45 second soak only) and wiped over with an old microfiber to remove the tar spots.
Bike then gets clayed to remove anything that has bonded with the paint.
Washed again and rinsed then dried.( usually with the leaf blower bought for this purpose) which stops water sitting in any hiden area.
Final dry down with micro fibre drying towel.
Finally the Milli F gets a coating of Zymol wax to keep it looking shiny.
In fact I think that is what I will spend my afternoon doing.
The cleaning a bike with petrol and rags is not for me thanks but each to their own.
Budgie30 wrote:
what is everyone elses views on cleaning bikes??
it gets cleaned with warm water and car shampoo occasionally then dried with a micro fiber cloth, alloy bits get pollished every now and again to keep them shiny and prevent corrosion, the bike is regularly stripped and always has the fasteners copperslipped.
Maybe something to do with the amount of engine rebuilds
Pop the bike onto paddock stands.
Cover the dash with a plastic bag. (Fcuking Fiat dash get full of condensation).
Wet bike well with the garden hose.
Clean wheels with GT85 (best for removing chain lube (I can't believe it's not butter!)).
Wash bike with a car type shampoo and sponge.
Hose bike doon with garden hose again.
Dry bike with the chamoise.
Run bike to stop the open dry clutch roosting together (again).
Go oot on bike and get it covered in flea's, then repeat above.
If polishing the bike i use Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection, as no cutting properties in it.
