Ali panniers cleaning
- Thread starter eonbkuk
- Start date
ihandyman247
Registered user
That is one tuff question 
Ones they start scratching is hard to keep then as new I cover my ones in stuped stickers and that keeps them going . They are not as good quality as the old ones on 1150 .
If you realy want to look after them probably the best idea is to get some clear film stickers and cover them up
Ones they start scratching is hard to keep then as new
I cover my ones in stuped stickers and that keeps them going . They are not as good quality as the old ones on 1150 . If you realy want to look after them probably the best idea is to get some clear film stickers and cover them up
The best way to keep them clean? Is not to get them dirty in the first place.
How to avoid this happening? Take them off and leave them at home when you do not need them. It avoids you riding around, carrying no more than boxes of air.
Will doing so reduce the bike's 'presence'? No.
Will anyone mistake you for a long distance hardcore explorer if you have the boxes on or off? No.
Are there any other advantages of leaving the boxes off? Yes. It reduces the bike's drag and weight. This helps it go better and improves its fuel consumption.
Anything more? Yes. There are several threads on this topic, including some where the owners have covered the boxes in wrap and others have polished them brighter than a button. Search, using the words: pannier, boxes, clean.
Anything to end with? Yes. To keep them really like new, buy a spare set and leave the originals covered in the loft. Oh, and you could also try simply washing them down each time you go out for a ride. It will only take a minute or two and save you hours of anguish and elbow grease. Should you have to on an around- the-world motorbike that costs a premium price? No, probably not..... But if you were really going around the world, the cosmetic condition of the boxes would not be top of your list of fundamental concerns for that day.
How to avoid this happening? Take them off and leave them at home when you do not need them. It avoids you riding around, carrying no more than boxes of air.
Will doing so reduce the bike's 'presence'? No.
Will anyone mistake you for a long distance hardcore explorer if you have the boxes on or off? No.
Are there any other advantages of leaving the boxes off? Yes. It reduces the bike's drag and weight. This helps it go better and improves its fuel consumption.
Anything more? Yes. There are several threads on this topic, including some where the owners have covered the boxes in wrap and others have polished them brighter than a button. Search, using the words: pannier, boxes, clean.
Anything to end with? Yes. To keep them really like new, buy a spare set and leave the originals covered in the loft. Oh, and you could also try simply washing them down each time you go out for a ride. It will only take a minute or two and save you hours of anguish and elbow grease. Should you have to on an around- the-world motorbike that costs a premium price? No, probably not..... But if you were really going around the world, the cosmetic condition of the boxes would not be top of your list of fundamental concerns for that day.
Like all ally bits just wipe them over with a little WD40 and it'll clean off any grime and help protect them a little.
Stu.
Stu.
I do take them off when not being used and leave them in the garage and they do get washed before the bike gets put away along with the bike especially at this time of the year, i use autoglym to clean but just wondered if anyone uses any particular polish to keep them shiny
thanks
eon
Mad_Accountant
Registered user
What's wrong with a waxy polish?
It seems to be the front panels and the bike side of the boxes that take most of the corrosion damage, pay particular attention to those.
I'm on my 4th Adventure but it's the first one I have run with the panniers off the bike ( ally top box only) and it's SO much better.
Good advice from the Forum, as always.
It seems to be the front panels and the bike side of the boxes that take most of the corrosion damage, pay particular attention to those.
I'm on my 4th Adventure but it's the first one I have run with the panniers off the bike ( ally top box only) and it's SO much better.
Good advice from the Forum, as always.
What's wrong with a waxy polish?
It seems to be the front panels and the bike side of the boxes that take most of the corrosion damage, pay particular attention to those.
I'm on my 4th Adventure but it's the first one I have run with the panniers off the bike ( ally top box only) and it's SO much better.
Good advice from the Forum, as always.
nothing wrong with waxy polish just wondered what members of the parish used thats all
Farmer Palmer
Registered user
I use a salt water solution!
Just carefully spray on the boxes and leave a few days then repeat and you'll end up with that unique finish that'll match the most hardened 'adventure travellers' luggage
Failing that spray them with ACF50, WD40, GT85 or polish them with Solvol Autosol or any suitable wax polish and they'll stay shinier than a 1950's American jet!
FP.
Just carefully spray on the boxes and leave a few days then repeat and you'll end up with that unique finish that'll match the most hardened 'adventure travellers' luggage
Failing that spray them with ACF50, WD40, GT85 or polish them with Solvol Autosol or any suitable wax polish and they'll stay shinier than a 1950's American jet!
FP.
Excellent, you are 99% of the way there.
and considerably ahead of many PS You have altered your request from cleaning (and keeping clean) the panniers, to one of making them shiny. This is a specialist area, inhabited only by the ultimate sparkle merchants.... Of which there are many. One will be along shortly, no doubt. There is certainly several threads, many with pictures (bods love snaps) of dazzling boxes. There is also one where a fellw cocked up his polishing so much he couldn't stop and ended up with a silver sheen that rivalled the sun's brilliance.
Wapping, do you ever polish your shoes or do you just use and abuse them? 
Wapping, do you ever polish your shoes or do you just use and abuse them?
Whilst wondering what my footware has to do with adventure motorcycles' tin boxes, you'll have to address your question to the staff below stairs.
casperfelix
Registered user
I think you're missing a trick there Wapping: I get my staff to clean the bike's Ali boxes as well as my shoes. And I purposefully get them dirty to ensure the staff have something to do. In these recessionary days you have to try and create employment opportunities?
Wapping ... nice answer, casperfelix ... even better 
True enough. But, I don't have any tin boxes for them to attend to. I am a benevolent employer; when they are not cleaning shoes they are better engaged on charitable work addressing technical matters, like: Which helmet will fit my head?
So that's the secret to the post count, it's not all you, but it's your staff / manservant replying to most of these strange and senseless threads
You get to do the interesting reports / wanders ...... and the staff are the technical advisers to the masses who require guidance on whether inhaling is a good idea before exhaling, and should the action be repeated.
ihandyman247
Registered user
I can not believe how dominator you can be or become . If any one has a different opinion you jump on his neck so fast ! Relax old man , take it easy , let others to give them opinion ! How many people do you think they give a toss about the way the panniers look and how many people keep the panniers on the kitchen shelf
I spit on my ones then I wipe them off .
The question is how you clean them and how you keep them clean !
I can't believe lots of things either.
So that's the secret to the post count, it's not all you, but it's your staff / manservant replying to most of these strange and senseless threads
The secret is out.
PS Don't tell Sarni, or he'll go off on one.
WindyChuffer
Registered user
Why do you want to clean them? Have had mine since '06 and cleaning them never occurred to me.
What do they look like after six years and what mileage ???
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