Detailing procedures

[WarrenH]

I cleaned up the bike this afternoon, and it occurred to me that there may be some who could benefit from going over the steps in order.

1. Wash with a mild car soap, and dry.

2. Clay bar the painted surfaces, to remove swirls, or pitted areas. (you use a quick detailing spray as a lubricant, rub a clay bar to smooth the surface, then dry with a microfiber cloth)

3. Polish the painted surfaces. This further removes the swirls, and cleans the paint. Only do a couple square feet at a time. It's hard to buff out if you leave it too long. I use Mcguire's.

4. Wax the painted surfaces. I do a synthetic wax first for protection, then a carnuba coat for even more shine.

5. I use Lexol for the seat, and my leather bag. It works great.

6. Mcguires Clean and Shine works great on plastic surfaces.

Warren.

 

[baldo]

Thank you for this info. This is where I could use some help.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I hand it to you.  I'm doing good if I get it washed once a month and waxed twice a year. 

[Bighead]

Believe it or not the 97 bee hasn't ever seen wax and looks as good as the day she was bought.

[Alien]

My procedure:

1.  Wash
2.  Dry
3.  Spray lemon Pledge on whole bike
4.  Work Lemon pledge in with a microfiber cloth
5.  Final buff with a microfiber cloth

Lemon Pledge is great stuff and it works like Rain-X on the windshield, which is great since you can't use actual Rain-X on it.

Ride Safe,

Alien

[crash1980]

When I first started riding, someone told me that if it was nice enough to outside to wash a bike that it was nice enough to ride. That is kinda my motto. I'll wash it the first of the season maybe once a month to knock the dust off.

[Chrisj CMA]

I have been caring for my red and white for 14 years now.  I have taken the hose to it maybe six times and I am over estimating for sure!  

I spray the whole bike down (except the windshield) with either Mequires or Turtle Wax spray wax, let it almost dry and then buff it with a microfiber towel.  

In-between full washing or waxings I just use a clean towel with a wet end and a dry end.

It seems to look OK after all these years and 150K miles.

[Misfit]

When I first started riding, someone told me that if it was nice enough to outside to wash a bike that it was nice enough to ride. That is kinda my motto. I'll wash it the first of the season maybe once a month to knock the dust off.

So using that reasoning every time it's nice enough to ride, you ride? I have always found it more enjoyable to ride a clean bike, drive a clean car, live in a clean hose, work in a clean garage and so forth. Even with my dirt bikes I cleaned them when I got home. Not only is clean better, you can see things cleaning that you might not notice until it becomes a problem. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem coming home on a dirty bike, but I have a hard time leaving out on one. To each there own.  

[Oss]

Damon, its funny but I like to keep the bike clean when home but once I start a trip I dont want to clean the bike till I return.

Its almost like every piece of dirt and guts from toad strangler storms or sandstorms or insect hits or animals is a prize and a memory not to be loosened from the dragon until it is time for it to sleep in my garage

Yeah I am just different I guess  


Cleaning?   Water, then mild soapy water, then liquid wax then carnuba wax Never use a blower on the bike only air dry and microfiber cloths

[The emperor has no clothes]

Damon, its funny but I like to keep the bike clean when home but once I start a trip I dont want to clean the bike till I return.

Its almost like every piece of dirt and guts from toad strangler storms or sandstorms or insect hits or animals is a prize and a memory not to be loosened from the dragon until it is time for it to sleep in my garage

Yeah I am just different I guess  


Cleaning?   Water, then mild soapy water, then liquid wax then carnuba wax Never use a blower on the bike only air dry and microfiber cloths

I am the same way on trips except for windshield and headlight. But heading to Inzane last year we hit some rain and snow in CO. that did a number on it. I was a little embarrassed pulling into the hotel parking lot with everybody looking. But I was beat and didn't wash it till Tuesday morning because there was so much riding to do there.

[Moonshot_1]

Clearly, work this important should always be left to the professionals.

[Mr Whiskey]

My procedure:

1.  (Car) Wash
2. (Ride to) Dry
3.  Spray lemon Pledge on whole bike
4.  Work Lemon pledge in with a microfiber (100% cotton wash) cloth
5.  Final buff with a microfiber (100% Cotton wash) cloth

Lemon Pledge is great stuff and it works like Rain-X on the windshield, which is great since you can't use actual Rain-X on it.

Ride Safe,

Alien

Other than those few little amendments, we have the same procedure
By the time we get to/finish breakfast bike's dry, but water spotted. Takes jus' a few minutes to wipe down.
Lasts longer & shines better than I would have ever believed possible!

[t-man403]

3.  Spray lemon Pledge on whole bike

Alien

Not sure if it was the time of year or what....... but I used lemon Pledge on my windshield only once, due to being attacked by wasps ...... they loved that lemon! 
Think I'd stick to the original Pledge if I ever try it again. 

[robin]

When I first started riding, someone told me that if it was nice enough to outside to wash a bike that it was nice enough to ride. That is kinda my motto. I'll wash it the first of the season maybe once a month to knock the dust off.

So using that reasoning every time it's nice enough to ride, you ride? I have always found it more enjoyable to ride a clean bike, drive a clean car, live in a clean hose, work in a clean garage and so forth. Even with my dirt bikes I cleaned them when I got home. Not only is clean better, you can see things cleaning that you might not notice until it becomes a problem. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem coming home on a dirty bike, but I have a hard time leaving out on one. To each there own.  

 I AM WIT YOU DAMON

[Robert]

Since I use my bike everyday it gets a bath once a week. I too like a clean bike, the chrome or paint doesn't have that pop unless its clean. The 1500 has alot of nooks and crannies for dirt to get into and the engine block itself can get dirty in hard to reach areas. I use a wheel cleaner on these spots and it seems to brighten the paint and take off the dirt. Do not get it on the painted surfaces of the frame though.

I agree with the original post but clay bar is to remove over spray and dirt embedded into the paint that can not be taken off any other way. It does not take out swirl marks and in fact may put a few small scratches in the paint if the dirt that is picked up by it stays on the surface. The best to remove swirl marks is a high speed buffer with the correct pad and the polish or extremely light compound as needed.

While polish protects along with wax, it fills the surface scratches which is one reason it looks good for awhile. But when the wax wears off you are back to the surface scratches.

 Removing or hiding surface scratches is the difference between a paint that pops or one that just looks good. Stopping these scratches is what paint maintenance it all about. When you look at the paint if you have surface scratches you actually look at the scratches not the paint. While on some cars it looks like you are looking in a pool of the paint that is because you are looking into the paint not paint colored surface scratches.

Washing, then drying with soft micro fiber or absolutely clean damp terry cloth towel and a good detail spray go along way in making life easier. On the microfiber towels make sure they have no sewn edges on them. Sometime they use a clear thread that actually puts scratches on the paint.   

The reason Pledge does a good job because its oil or silicon will fill the surface scratches very much like putting oil on any surface.

[Mr Whiskey]

3.  Spray lemon (Multipurpose) Pledge on whole bike

Alien

Not sure if it was the time of year or what....... but I used lemon Pledge on my windshield only once, due to being attacked by wasps ...... they loved that lemon! 
Think I'd stick to the original Pledge if I ever try it again. 

For mine, I should have amended that as well.
Yes, the bees love it

[Ramie]

I would like to hear Dirty Dan's take on this.

[Bighead]

I would like to hear Dirty Dan's take on this.

NO WATER EVER! unless it is falling from the sky

[DirtyDan]

well I did have it at a carwash once

after this {willow don't look   }



dan

and the close up



Clean bikes LOOK great

dirty bikes get RIDDEN

[The emperor has no clothes]

Damn Dan. 12 lbs. of weight and an original tire valve on the front wheel ?

[jdp]

Man that's a rider, I was going to say I seldom see a dirty Valkyrie

[msb]

well I did have it at a carwash once

after this {willow don't look   }



dan

and the close up



Clean bikes LOOK great

dirty bikes get RIDDEN

Yup, the old Valk still looks good even under all that grime. Clean bikes get ridden (and dirty) as well though....they just get cleaned more often    Personally, I like spending time going through and detailing my bike, although I'm certainly not obsessive about it in the midst of a ride. It's also a great chance to check, tighten, and replace little things that might otherwise go unnoticed and create a bigger problem down the road. I ride all year long and am not afraid of getting wet (a common occurrence here in SW BC) or dirty, but I do like the look and feel of all that shiny paint and chrome. Different strokes for different folks  

[The emperor has no clothes]

You guys are starting to shame me into cleaning. 

[DirtyDan]

You guys are starting to shame me into cleaning. 

don't do it man

 

dan

[cookiedough]

I'm sort of weird,  I don't clean my 7K I/S but 2-3 times all summer since don't drive in rain if can avoid it, except for the headlight/front end/windshield since after a month or more,  hard to see out of the bug splatted windshield, especially with the sun in front of you glaring.  Biggest issue is all the dust that accumulates all over on the black I/S even if you drive weekly as I usually do during the summer months.    I'm tempted to switch to honda spray cleaner or something like that in hopes the dust doesn't 'attach' to the black bags, mostly on the tops pretty thick and dull/ugly looking only after a few weeks after cleaning. 

Now,  I do clean my 5K ATV's after almost every ride by hand and garden hose with soapy 5 gallon bucket of hot water.  Issue is dirt and grime much more so on the ATV's after a ride is 10x's worse than dry pavement on a cycle.  I see so many low mileage newer ATV's that looked trashed after only a few years and mine are 8 years old looking 3-4 years old. 

[Bighead]

I'm sort of weird,  I don't clean my 7K I/S but 2-3 times all summer since don't drive in rain if can avoid it, except for the headlight/front end/windshield since after a month or more,  hard to see out of the bug splatted windshield, especially with the sun in front of you glaring.  Biggest issue is all the dust that accumulates all over on the black I/S even if you drive weekly as I usually do during the summer months.    I'm tempted to switch to honda spray cleaner or something like that in hopes the dust doesn't 'attach' to the black bags, mostly on the tops pretty thick and dull/ugly looking only after a few weeks after cleaning. 

Now,  I do clean my 5K ATV's after almost every ride by hand and garden hose with soapy 5 gallon bucket of hot water.  Issue is dirt and grime much more so on the ATV's after a ride is 10x's worse than dry pavement on a cycle.  I see so many low mileage newer ATV's that looked trashed after only a few years and mine are 8 years old looking 3-4 years old. 

Hey cookie keep a wet microfiber cloth in a ziplock bag in the trunk and a dry one also and that and 5 minutes will take care of the dust .
Atv's when I had one the only time I cleaned it was when I ran it off in the creek or nearest mud hole the day I bought my first one it was a 1986 Honda fourtraxx 250 you couldn't even tell it was red it had so much mud on it I would however clean the mud and grime from the inside of the wheels.

[Jess from VA]

I used to keep my bikes meticulously.

I don't go that far anymore. 

They're still better looking than most of the bikes I see out and about.

Dude, that bike is so shiny I need my sunglasses.

I dunno, haven't washed or waxed it since last year.