Cleaning a motorbike - how do you do it ?

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stevewestern

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Despite having owned 42 different bikes over the years, I have never really bothered with much more than a quick jet-wash and a squirt of washing up liquid if its really dirty...
However, I am going to try to give my current bike a vaguely 'proper' clean over the next few days, and just want to know how you do it, what do you use and any other tips.
I have got some Sdoc100 -

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/96484

and also some ACF50 -

https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/339233

..and a pack of various size brushes.

I guess a gentle jet-wash first, then use the Sdoc. Would you then use anything else, like a wax, traffic film remover before the ACF50 (which I've never used before - all I know is not to get it on the tyres and I guess discs) or what..?
The bike is 11 years old, so not quite in showroom condition, and I don't imagine my enthusiasm will last too long.....
Any advice will be much appreciated!
 
I give mine a wash with bucket and sponge and any car shampoo then polish with autoglym super resin polish . I use acf50 but VERY LIGHTLY . The stuff is very very good but it's like gloop . I spray mine onto a cloth and wipe around frame and engine etc . Any hard to reach places I use a small paint brush . A small amount goes a loooooong way
 
As above really. You can help the application of ACF50 by warming the can up in a bucket of hot water.
 
As far as the chain goes I use paraffin on a cloth to get all the muck off the chain, then use a spray lubricant through a small plastic device I bought from the States (Grease Ninja) that prevents the lubricant flying all over everything else, which I find helps keep the back end of the bike a lot cleaner.
 
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I now use both an aerosol and the alternate pump bottle versions of acf50 as the pump version with a microfiber and or soft brush allows good fine coating of the accessible areas and then the aerosol with it's straw on nozzle gets to the last few bits especially the less accessible exhaust areas and Bolt head. Seems to give the most efficient usage pattern for me anyway although pricey initially buying both types.

Glad to see you mention gentle with the pressure wash, see too many blast away at lubricated and or electrical areas. Not so glad to hear you mention washing up liquid, that's a definite no no as far as I am concerned.

You seem to have the process pretty thought out, clean as best you can first to apply act to bare metal, don't think traffic film remover would gain much over sdoc TBH. And yes definitely avoid getting acf on brakes as well as tyres, tape a couple of carrier bags over bottom of disc then top overlapped so none drips inside to discs.

XCP is an acf alternate that some rate but I did see a YouTube video of "real world" salt testing that put off switching to it, in essence reviews showed it being more effective in straight saltspray tests but this guy tested as it had dried then fresh water reactivating residual salt, as would likely happen when ridden or even rinsed off in real use and his version showed acf to be more effective in that scenario hth.
 
Don’t use washing up liquid! It’s got salt in it and it’ll corrode any chrome and bare metal parts. I use Muc Off first to get rid of the worst of the grime, then a go over with a pressure wash. If I want it ultra shiny (and I frankly wouldn’t bother at this time of year) I’ll follow that up with a sponge and bucket of normal car wash and wax.
 
S100 motorcycle cleaner. It's great stuff. Just spray it on all over the bike, leave it for 10 min pressure wash it off and the bike is gleaming.
I use it on my Harley which has more chrome on it than 2 can tell and it comes up lovely every time.
 
My comment about washing up liquid was tongue in cheek.......
Many thanks for the help and suggestions - guess its now up to me to man up and get out in that cold and wet weather...
 
stevewestern said:
My comment about washing up liquid was tongue in cheek.......
Many thanks for the help and suggestions - guess its now up to me to man up and get out in that cold and wet weather...
Click to expand...
Or just leave it like I have done with my 4. ;)
 
Your meant to clean them!

Just water, mild car shampoo, elbow grease and wax.
 
never use a jet washer.
some soft brushes and a nice sponge for the plastics and then a gentle spray with a low preasure hoes.
extra care around the radiator and any wiring.
 
I have a Harley softail its full of chrome iv had it 14 months now and never washed it yet, although i dont do many miles and it never sees a wet road .
I use a garden blower to clean it then car wax for the paint and autosol for the chrome.

It looks as good as the day I got it

While at a shop they said FS 365 is great to protect it but it leaves a greasy film so just stik with the above but if I did have to wash it then car wash is what i would use .
Rob.
 
I don't know much about photography but I can help with this!

I use vulcanet wipes on my bike. It takes about 15 mins from start to finish if it's really dirty, 5 minutes if it's the summer.
 
My general routine, is gently dampen with pressure or hose, spray lightly with rhino goo, wait a few mins, pressure wash off, low power from a sensible distance, don’t try to blast off, go over with dodo juice wash&wax and sponge, dry with microfibre mop/towel, the polish with dodo juice Pre wax, if I’m really game I’ll canuba wax the front end, “fly zone” and use detail spray to tart some bits up.

Then once every few days/weeks (pending use) give it a quick once over with detail spray.
Sounds long winded but hour, maybe two at a push, first time is the longest, then it’s dimply top up the protection, nowt sticks to it so it’s quick and easy after the first main time.

Chain is simply, chain degreaser with chain brush, clean, wipe dry, re-lube I use motul or wurth dry chain lube, it goes on easy, doesnt fling but it’s not got a great life span, some prefer proper chain lube, but I just find it collects dirt and makes the next clean a ball ache.
 
Washing up liquid does not contain salt, ie the stuff we put on our food.

The following is from https://www.morebikes.co.uk/3729/can-clean-bike-fairy-washing-liquid/

Does washing-up liquid damage your vehicle? We asked Dr Bob Eden BSc MSc PhD MICorr (Member of the Institute of Corrosion) for the truth:
“Washing up liquid does contain a ‘salt’ but this is the active ingredient and should not be confused with road salt. There is nothing in a washing-up liquid that will exacerbate corrosion – there’s no sodium chloride salt to worry about. The issue regarding corrosion is the ‘chloride’ bit of the salt. In ‘chloride nests’ at the base of a corrosion pit, the chloride exists as hydrogen chloride, which in damp conditions creates a solution of dilute hydrochloric acid, and it’s this acid that does the damage. You need to avoid ‘chloride’ from any and all sources, e.g. seawater, road grit and fish & chips (but not washing up liquid). When I wash my aluminium bodied Lea Francis, a dash of Fairy is just fine…”

Dave
 
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