Left it alone, they look much better dirty. 
It is very bad to clean a GS, they are not meant to be clean
Thats why people have corrosion problems as they clean them to muchBMW treat new bikes with a special secret prohibitier , if they are cleaned more than once a year this is affected and corrosion is the result
Also your street cred'is seriously affected if you keep it shiny, all true GSER's keep them covered in as much ***t as possible
, this also protects the secret inhibitors applied at the factory........................... surely everyone knows this and I thought it was now an addendum in the handbook
When I purchased my GS1200 the dealer said he would coat the bike with something similar to what you describe
He said the bike would loose some of it's shine as product was waxy but if you prefered riding to cleaning it was good stuff...............anyway when I picked up the bike they had forgotten to coat it, saying the stuff needed 24 hours to dry but gave me a can to use at home. It's labled up as "Original BMW care products" "Special conservation wax" and says it gives long term protection from corrosion. Has anyone used it? Any hints on how best to use it?
Dealer said bike needs to spotless and completely dry before coating and 24 to dry after but I haven't been able to stay off the bike long enough to do this.
Mike Gough
Registered user
Powerwashing
When I bought my 1200 a couple of months ago, I got talking to the mechanic (Southport Superbikes) about the best way to clean the bike.
Good hand wash and then plenty of WD40 etc......but no powerwashing. His view was that BMW had moved to water based paints over the last few years - these paints being nothing like as resiliant as before. So according to him use a powerwasher at your peril.
Mike
When I bought my 1200 a couple of months ago, I got talking to the mechanic (Southport Superbikes) about the best way to clean the bike.
Good hand wash and then plenty of WD40 etc......but no powerwashing. His view was that BMW had moved to water based paints over the last few years - these paints being nothing like as resiliant as before. So according to him use a powerwasher at your peril.
Mike
Bodywork / screen: Not touched since June 2006 - nice collection of bugs and beetles.
Engine / Wheels / Forks: Jet wash in cold water in the winter on return from travel.
Corrosion? None.
Engine / Wheels / Forks: Jet wash in cold water in the winter on return from travel.
Corrosion? None.
Sorry and without wishing to cause offence coz you are merely passing on what has been said to you, but what utter cock!
Powerwashering is perfectly safe providing that you are sensible as to where and at what pressure you jet at.
Ask anyone that have seen the GS's that I have owned, everyone has been cleaned by jet washing.
Liberal coating of WD40....oh yes
MATKAT
Registered user
Alaways pressure wash
Well said Alan........................ Now how about all this Pro Clean i've bought what do I do next
Sorry and without wishing to cause offence coz you are merely passing on what has been said to you, but what utter cock!
Powerwashering is perfectly safe providing that you are sensible as to where and at what pressure you jet at.
Ask anyone that have seen the GS's that I have owned, everyone has been cleaned by jet washing.
Liberal coating of WD40....oh yes
Well said Alan........................ Now how about all this Pro Clean i've bought what do I do next
Well said Alan........................ Now how about all this Pro Clean i've bought what do I do next
You can use it undiluted, but I prefer to water it down a little.
4 litres of ProClean to 1 litre of water.
Wet the bike, proper wet not just damp, and only do one area at a time.
Then simply spray on the ProClean, and then power jet of within a few minutes.
NOTE
1) Do not leave it on for any longer than that, you have been warned!
2) Do not apply in direct sunlight.
3) Do not apply to a hot or warm engine.
Above all read the instructions on the bottle before you start.
Failure to do so could result in some nasty streaks on the alloy parts.
I have been using it for years and only once did I suffer any problems. That was on my DRZ-E, sprayed it on and then stopped to talk to my next door neighbour. Streaked all the friggin' colour out of the tank graphics.
Other than that self inflected issue, no problems at all
Just make sure that you really wash the bike down afterwards with copious amounts of clean water.
Easy
STUBBS
undead
if its lucky twice a year, just before the mot and again before covering in acf50
My method works for me!
1 Let it cool down
2 Spray liberally with diluted screen wash (I buy this in bulk from Halfords when they offer 3 for 2). Leave to soak for about 5 mins, and maybe an extra squirt on the 'fly areas')
3 Carefully power-wash off
4 Wash with soap and cool water using sponge, different brushes etc
5 Allow to drip dry o side stand for a few minutes
6 Onto centre-stand and blow off the water with a leaf blower
All of the above rarely takes more than 45 mins
7 A couple of days later if I have the time spend 10 mins polishing the paintwork with a spray polish (usually Autoglym) and silicon spray on the black plastic.
35k on my 1150 and still like new.
Mike
1 Let it cool down
2 Spray liberally with diluted screen wash (I buy this in bulk from Halfords when they offer 3 for 2). Leave to soak for about 5 mins, and maybe an extra squirt on the 'fly areas')
3 Carefully power-wash off
4 Wash with soap and cool water using sponge, different brushes etc
5 Allow to drip dry o side stand for a few minutes
6 Onto centre-stand and blow off the water with a leaf blower
All of the above rarely takes more than 45 mins
7 A couple of days later if I have the time spend 10 mins polishing the paintwork with a spray polish (usually Autoglym) and silicon spray on the black plastic.
35k on my 1150 and still like new.
Mike
1. Hose the bike down to get rid of any easily dislodged dirt.
2. Spray over with parafin gun connected to air compressor, with degreaser in reservoir.
3. Allow to marinate for a few minutes.
4. Jet wash off.
5. Hand wash with hot soapy water (wash and wax, not fairy liquid).
6. Dry with air hose.
7. Spray with polish; Pledge, Mr Sheen, Autoglym etc all good.
8. Buff to shine.
Or...
Spray with degreaser and jet wash off and park in garage and go for a .
2. Spray over with parafin gun connected to air compressor, with degreaser in reservoir.
3. Allow to marinate for a few minutes.
4. Jet wash off.
5. Hand wash with hot soapy water (wash and wax, not fairy liquid).
6. Dry with air hose.
7. Spray with polish; Pledge, Mr Sheen, Autoglym etc all good.
8. Buff to shine.
Or...
Spray with degreaser and jet wash off and park in garage and go for a
.
Trippy
Guest
Rain.
Hangman
Guest
engine fins
I have noticed a few gs 1200 with rust engine fins
After cleaning I noticed water gathers between the fins
how do you clean the fins and keep them from going rusty
after all its these things that cool the engine
I have noticed a few gs 1200 with rust engine fins
After cleaning I noticed water gathers between the fins
how do you clean the fins and keep them from going rusty
after all its these things that cool the engine
mikepg
Registered user
Clean it!!!!
I just buy another one when it gets to the state when I can't see it in the garden!
I just buy another one when it gets to the state when I can't see it in the garden!
I used to clean my 1150GSA with cotton buds, I clean my 12GSA with fast flowing water..............from a river. It's a f'kin GS noy a Harley-get a life and don't waste valuble riding time cleaning it like it was life and death but if you really want to go down that line- I honestly would do it proper every now and then not every time. . .
This has been taken from another forum. . . . . . . . . .NOT ME
...in I don't know how many steps.
Thought I'd try and eliviate some of my OCD issues by attempting to turn everyone else into cleaning freaks - then I won't seem so odd, right?
Anyway, cleaning my bike is kind of like a maintenance routine - some think I'm quite obsessive when it comes to keeping the grime off, but I look at it as more an appreciation for the bike. I also like to take the opputunity to make sure everything is in tip top working order. More often then not, a proper clean also requires a strip down, and a disassemberly of surrounding parts, so all the nooks and crannies can be sorted.
The key, is in the details. Viewers of the bike tend to see it as a whole and won't spot every single change you've made (even, in some cases (like me), it's down to almost every last nut and bolt). However, I believe that if the minor details are also considered, the finished result is so much better. Far too often, I see a few bikes with spotless paintjobs, but the infrastructure underneath is a right pig (kind of like the Konica actually).
I've found cleaning a bike is never complete; even if, to the 'untrained eye' no work appears to need doing or that it very rarely sees rain. There will always be something that requires attention, a stonechip that requires polishing out, a bolt that's showing some corrosion. The only time a bike appears to be mint is when it rolls off the production line, or someone's got really anal about keeping their bike wrapped in cotton wool (and where's the fun in that). Nothing wrong with that, as there's always something to strive for.
But, mint, in those cases, is not pracitical, so best to aim for 'very good condition'. (Unlike now, a couple of years ago, I used my bikes as commuters, all year round, in all weathers. The RVF, in the early months of ownership saw everything the cruel British winter could throw at it, so offers a good base for realistic cleaning). Such a project wasn't done over night - it took 9 months. After a 'general clean' I'll clean/polish some other area that I hadn't got round to yet (for example; if I had been using the bike during the week; giving it a clean and it had remained cleani up to the weekend, there would still be some areas that I hadn't got round to doing). It does take some time, and a bit of elbow grease, but that's part of the owner satisfaction that I get out of owning a bike. I do not do this for other people's appreciation or attention for my bikes; I simply enjoy doing it, almost as much as riding (and so that I can sleep at night). Plus, a well sorted, clean, good working order bike will easily add a couple of hundred to a bike.
First step I'd say is to get it the bike up to a decent standard, and try and keep it there. If it's a wet week, the bike will be rinsed after it's used for the day, once it's cooled down, and before it's put away for the night. I usually spend a hungover Saturday morning doing a fairing-off clean if the weather's been particually bad. Once a bike is at a certain stage of cleanliness, so to speak, it's much easier to clean - hence why bikes look clean most of the time. If you can get a bike up to that kind of standard, the everyday dirt and grime just rinses off.
Ready for some proper cleaning:
Now to the nitty gritty, can't go into too much detail (might get carried away y'see), as I approach each component differently depending on its condition.
Bodywork
Use a decent soapy wash when you wash the bike, I use a Turtlewax one that has polishing wax within it. Taking the fairing off is sometimes easier at this stage (to clean the insides of them if anything else).Depending on how bad the weather's been, I might first saturate the bike in Autoglym Motorcycle Cleaner (it's a mild degreasant that can be used on nearly all motorcycle surfaces). Spray on, agitate with a brush if need be, then rinse off. Lather with the soap, working all around the bike, bottom to top and then back to bottom (rinse the sponge so as to not scratch bodywork) then rinse off, dry with a shammy leather to get rid of any water stains (they're a witch to polish out thereafter). Any tiny marks can be polished out if you're very careful - use either Brasso or Belgom Alu (and use, very, very lightly). This will allow you to polish out imperfections (the Alu will also leave a layer of Wax protection).
Once completely dry, get a decent high gloss wax Autoglym's good, Meguairs excellent (yet to get my hands on some Harley Wax). Apply with a clean rag (or an applicator pad), work out of sunlight, all around the bike. You want a nice mist covering all bodywork (watch for overrun in fairing gaps/fasteners though), leave for a few minues before buffing to a shine with a Microfibre. For a really good shine, once waxed, use a bit of Mr Sheene - gives a very smooth, very fine glossy finish - showroom condition easily and your bike would look amazing under multi-spot lights (petrol stations at night look cool) even with 15 year old paint. If the budget allows, invest in some stage 3 Meguairs (Corodura Wax) gives an even better shine/level of protection that will last for months. Don't be afraid to get carried away - paintwork looks so good if treated reguarly and letting the layers of wax build up - it'll look like it's got another few layers of laquer to the paintwork, as well as make the colours look even richer.
15 year old, original paintwork, given the Craig S treatment:
For areas of large single colour (such as wheels), get a Turtlewax Coloured Wax (the ones that sometimes come with a chipstick). Gives a good level shine/finish, quite cheap as well. I used a black (similar to back-to-black) for my wheels - very deep, almost black-chrome shine. Be careful if you want to use spray on polish here (or Mr. Sheene) - keep away from your tyres!
Remember to pay almost as much attention to the fairings insides as the outsides and use the same techniques above (may require more degreasing to rid them of excess chain lube/road grime from the tyres). People won't always notice if your fairing internals require a clean, but they will definately notice if your engine bay is gleaming.
Metalwork
Depending on the finish really. I've recently wet'n'dried some areas of my bike to get a mirror finish - very intensive though, and doesn't leave much skin on your fingers. Though I found I got a better, more controlled finish than with polishing mops.
The basics for coated metal surfaces involve degreasing (Paraffin, Cillit Bang Green (aly friendly), Autoglym Aerosol Degreaser, WD40.....) then washing the surface. May need to repeat to make sure you get in all the knooks and crannies. Agitate with a paint/tooth brush (or cotton bud) if necessary. A bit of Mr. Sheene over the top works okay (but I found it doesn't react to nicely when heated up). Glass cleaner will work well to remove residue. Only use Autosol/Brasso very lightly on coated surfaces, otherwise it'll begin to polish too much.
For uncoated surfaces (polished frame, rearsets, exhaust hangers, levers, etc) Once dry, polish firstly with Autosol - keep buffing until the marks eventually rub out (it actually skims out imperfections in the metal, which is mixed with the dirt - that's what you see on your cloth). A lot of people add a bit, rub in until it goes dark grey and then immediately buff away. Don't do this. When the surface goes dark grey - keep buffing with the dirtying cloth until the shine comes through from under. Then buff away with a cleaner cloth. For a better, finer finish, use a bit of Brasso in the same way. Get a clean(er) cloth and polish again with no polish on the cloth - this gets rid of any excess. Repeat for Belgom Alu for even more bling - use a wax-on-wax-off technique.
For mirror finish you may want to invest in some polishing mops.(WARNING! THIS IS VERY PERMENANT AND MAY COMPROMISE THE VALUE OF YOUR BIKE (some see polished frames and what not as disguising crash damage) I did and they are currently sitting unused in my garage - I didn't like the lack of control they didn't give. So I use wet'n'dry. The original finish depends entirely on what grade to start with. Original finish - 240 grit; quite a bit of hard work at this stage, but it gets easier (relatively) when moving up the grades. Remove all surrounding bodywork/obstructions, fill a bucket of water, apply a tiny amount of washing up liquid, tear a hand sized patch of wet'n'dry up and then sand away like you would paintwork. Keep the surface saturated.
For painted/laquered surfaces you may want to try Nitro Morsing first. I have little experience with this stuff, but heard it works pretty well (won't remove the finish of a frame though). Anyway, gradually move up the grit levels - the key is to be patient - it will take a while. Miss a spot and leave a deep(ish) scratch in your metal work and it will show in the levels thereafter, so be careful not to just hack away in the first stages. Once you've moved up the 240-500-800-1000-1200-1500 grit stages and most sratches have been polished away (along with the original finish) dry thoroughly and then apply some Autosol to a cloth. Then Belgom Alu with a seperate cloth, buff to a mirror shine.
All in the details:
General Degreasing
A good degreaser is essential for all areas of the bike - especially for cleaning around the swing arm and soiled areas - taking the rear wheel out helps as well. Again, Autoglym's aerosol degreaser works pretty well as Cillit Bang Green or WD40; Parrafin even better (and cheap) - agitate with an old paint brush for real stubborn stuff, or get scrubbing with a brillo pad if you want quite a flat finish. This is a tricky and often labourious area, requiring lots of elbow grease to get the bike back to the way it should. Be patient, and keep at it, the results can be quite rewarding. I've heard oven cleaner can eat through alot of baked on road crap, but be careful when using it on soft aluminium (it could eat into it).
Remember to relube any components where necessary.
Chains
There are a few techniques; some people just rely on their Scotoiler to do all the work. That's not good enough for me. Liberally apply a degreaser - Parrafin again - to your chain. You want to absolutely drench the thing in the stuff so all the muck, grit, road kill, etc just rinses out (make sure you cover the floor on which you're working, this stuff will get everywhere). Keep rotating the chain to work around all areas - do the hub, the inside of the front sprocket cover (check the speedo cable whilst you're at it) - Everywhere. Once degreased, whipe off with a rag until dry, pay attention to cleaning the inside and outside of the chain for extra bling. Then apply a good coating of Chainsaw Lubricant (I've found this much better than oil and spray chain waxes (which go into a sticky, gungey (and sometimes green!) mess after a couple of weeks of use). Pour a little lubricant into a cap, and wipe in with a cloth, working into the o-rings whilst moveing the chain around. Wipe off the excess to reveal a non-fling, spotless, wet-looking chain. Good as new.
That's the major areas - sorry if it's a bit long winded. One thing I've found is that the cleaner a bike is, the more scruitiny it gets - plus no one believes that it's your everyday, all weather transport. Once the big areas are clean and kept clean, then you can work around to the detailing (this is where I'm at at the moment, and hence why I'm always finding new areas that need work). Same theories apply, but it's easier to spend a weekend or so doing each area. For example, my rearsets were done a couple of weeks ago - taken off the bike, disassembled, cleaned, polished and then reassembled - it's really the only way to get all the muck off - some nooks and crannies are just unreachable when the parts are all together.
Other areas that just won't clean up - rub down and respray/powder coat/replace/etc to make them like new.
Another tip - don't try and attempt to restore an entire bike in a weekend. If you plan on keeping the bike for a period of time, do it in stages. Get the bike to a general level of clean and then think "I'm going to be hungover and homebound on Saturday 11am - 3pm - good time for a fairing off clean me'thinks...." (and the like). It's also a good mode of practice if you're modifying a bike, as said parts will have to be removed anyway - may be an idea to couple the installation of a new exhaust system with an engine bay overhaul, for example.
And don't worry about being brandished an obsessive, I think in many parts, I've got that area fully covered.
This was taken from another bikers forum....it's not me
This has been taken from another forum. . . . . . . . . .NOT ME
...in I don't know how many steps.
Thought I'd try and eliviate some of my OCD issues by attempting to turn everyone else into cleaning freaks - then I won't seem so odd, right?
Anyway, cleaning my bike is kind of like a maintenance routine - some think I'm quite obsessive when it comes to keeping the grime off, but I look at it as more an appreciation for the bike. I also like to take the opputunity to make sure everything is in tip top working order. More often then not, a proper clean also requires a strip down, and a disassemberly of surrounding parts, so all the nooks and crannies can be sorted.
The key, is in the details. Viewers of the bike tend to see it as a whole and won't spot every single change you've made (even, in some cases (like me), it's down to almost every last nut and bolt). However, I believe that if the minor details are also considered, the finished result is so much better. Far too often, I see a few bikes with spotless paintjobs, but the infrastructure underneath is a right pig (kind of like the Konica actually).
I've found cleaning a bike is never complete; even if, to the 'untrained eye' no work appears to need doing or that it very rarely sees rain. There will always be something that requires attention, a stonechip that requires polishing out, a bolt that's showing some corrosion. The only time a bike appears to be mint is when it rolls off the production line, or someone's got really anal about keeping their bike wrapped in cotton wool (and where's the fun in that). Nothing wrong with that, as there's always something to strive for.
But, mint, in those cases, is not pracitical, so best to aim for 'very good condition'. (Unlike now, a couple of years ago, I used my bikes as commuters, all year round, in all weathers. The RVF, in the early months of ownership saw everything the cruel British winter could throw at it, so offers a good base for realistic cleaning). Such a project wasn't done over night - it took 9 months. After a 'general clean' I'll clean/polish some other area that I hadn't got round to yet (for example; if I had been using the bike during the week; giving it a clean and it had remained cleani up to the weekend, there would still be some areas that I hadn't got round to doing). It does take some time, and a bit of elbow grease, but that's part of the owner satisfaction that I get out of owning a bike. I do not do this for other people's appreciation or attention for my bikes; I simply enjoy doing it, almost as much as riding (and so that I can sleep at night). Plus, a well sorted, clean, good working order bike will easily add a couple of hundred to a bike.
First step I'd say is to get it the bike up to a decent standard, and try and keep it there. If it's a wet week, the bike will be rinsed after it's used for the day, once it's cooled down, and before it's put away for the night. I usually spend a hungover Saturday morning doing a fairing-off clean if the weather's been particually bad. Once a bike is at a certain stage of cleanliness, so to speak, it's much easier to clean - hence why bikes look clean most of the time. If you can get a bike up to that kind of standard, the everyday dirt and grime just rinses off.
Ready for some proper cleaning:
Now to the nitty gritty, can't go into too much detail (might get carried away y'see), as I approach each component differently depending on its condition.
Bodywork
Use a decent soapy wash when you wash the bike, I use a Turtlewax one that has polishing wax within it. Taking the fairing off is sometimes easier at this stage (to clean the insides of them if anything else).Depending on how bad the weather's been, I might first saturate the bike in Autoglym Motorcycle Cleaner (it's a mild degreasant that can be used on nearly all motorcycle surfaces). Spray on, agitate with a brush if need be, then rinse off. Lather with the soap, working all around the bike, bottom to top and then back to bottom (rinse the sponge so as to not scratch bodywork) then rinse off, dry with a shammy leather to get rid of any water stains (they're a witch to polish out thereafter). Any tiny marks can be polished out if you're very careful - use either Brasso or Belgom Alu (and use, very, very lightly). This will allow you to polish out imperfections (the Alu will also leave a layer of Wax protection).
Once completely dry, get a decent high gloss wax Autoglym's good, Meguairs excellent (yet to get my hands on some Harley Wax). Apply with a clean rag (or an applicator pad), work out of sunlight, all around the bike. You want a nice mist covering all bodywork (watch for overrun in fairing gaps/fasteners though), leave for a few minues before buffing to a shine with a Microfibre. For a really good shine, once waxed, use a bit of Mr Sheene - gives a very smooth, very fine glossy finish - showroom condition easily and your bike would look amazing under multi-spot lights (petrol stations at night look cool) even with 15 year old paint. If the budget allows, invest in some stage 3 Meguairs (Corodura Wax) gives an even better shine/level of protection that will last for months. Don't be afraid to get carried away - paintwork looks so good if treated reguarly and letting the layers of wax build up - it'll look like it's got another few layers of laquer to the paintwork, as well as make the colours look even richer.
15 year old, original paintwork, given the Craig S treatment:
For areas of large single colour (such as wheels), get a Turtlewax Coloured Wax (the ones that sometimes come with a chipstick). Gives a good level shine/finish, quite cheap as well. I used a black (similar to back-to-black) for my wheels - very deep, almost black-chrome shine. Be careful if you want to use spray on polish here (or Mr. Sheene) - keep away from your tyres!
Remember to pay almost as much attention to the fairings insides as the outsides and use the same techniques above (may require more degreasing to rid them of excess chain lube/road grime from the tyres). People won't always notice if your fairing internals require a clean, but they will definately notice if your engine bay is gleaming.
Metalwork
Depending on the finish really. I've recently wet'n'dried some areas of my bike to get a mirror finish - very intensive though, and doesn't leave much skin on your fingers. Though I found I got a better, more controlled finish than with polishing mops.
The basics for coated metal surfaces involve degreasing (Paraffin, Cillit Bang Green (aly friendly), Autoglym Aerosol Degreaser, WD40.....) then washing the surface. May need to repeat to make sure you get in all the knooks and crannies. Agitate with a paint/tooth brush (or cotton bud) if necessary. A bit of Mr. Sheene over the top works okay (but I found it doesn't react to nicely when heated up). Glass cleaner will work well to remove residue. Only use Autosol/Brasso very lightly on coated surfaces, otherwise it'll begin to polish too much.
For uncoated surfaces (polished frame, rearsets, exhaust hangers, levers, etc) Once dry, polish firstly with Autosol - keep buffing until the marks eventually rub out (it actually skims out imperfections in the metal, which is mixed with the dirt - that's what you see on your cloth). A lot of people add a bit, rub in until it goes dark grey and then immediately buff away. Don't do this. When the surface goes dark grey - keep buffing with the dirtying cloth until the shine comes through from under. Then buff away with a cleaner cloth. For a better, finer finish, use a bit of Brasso in the same way. Get a clean(er) cloth and polish again with no polish on the cloth - this gets rid of any excess. Repeat for Belgom Alu for even more bling - use a wax-on-wax-off technique.
For mirror finish you may want to invest in some polishing mops.(WARNING! THIS IS VERY PERMENANT AND MAY COMPROMISE THE VALUE OF YOUR BIKE (some see polished frames and what not as disguising crash damage) I did and they are currently sitting unused in my garage - I didn't like the lack of control they didn't give. So I use wet'n'dry. The original finish depends entirely on what grade to start with. Original finish - 240 grit; quite a bit of hard work at this stage, but it gets easier (relatively) when moving up the grades. Remove all surrounding bodywork/obstructions, fill a bucket of water, apply a tiny amount of washing up liquid, tear a hand sized patch of wet'n'dry up and then sand away like you would paintwork. Keep the surface saturated.
For painted/laquered surfaces you may want to try Nitro Morsing first. I have little experience with this stuff, but heard it works pretty well (won't remove the finish of a frame though). Anyway, gradually move up the grit levels - the key is to be patient - it will take a while. Miss a spot and leave a deep(ish) scratch in your metal work and it will show in the levels thereafter, so be careful not to just hack away in the first stages. Once you've moved up the 240-500-800-1000-1200-1500 grit stages and most sratches have been polished away (along with the original finish) dry thoroughly and then apply some Autosol to a cloth. Then Belgom Alu with a seperate cloth, buff to a mirror shine.
All in the details:
General Degreasing
A good degreaser is essential for all areas of the bike - especially for cleaning around the swing arm and soiled areas - taking the rear wheel out helps as well. Again, Autoglym's aerosol degreaser works pretty well as Cillit Bang Green or WD40; Parrafin even better (and cheap) - agitate with an old paint brush for real stubborn stuff, or get scrubbing with a brillo pad if you want quite a flat finish. This is a tricky and often labourious area, requiring lots of elbow grease to get the bike back to the way it should. Be patient, and keep at it, the results can be quite rewarding. I've heard oven cleaner can eat through alot of baked on road crap, but be careful when using it on soft aluminium (it could eat into it).
Remember to relube any components where necessary.
Chains
There are a few techniques; some people just rely on their Scotoiler to do all the work. That's not good enough for me. Liberally apply a degreaser - Parrafin again - to your chain. You want to absolutely drench the thing in the stuff so all the muck, grit, road kill, etc just rinses out (make sure you cover the floor on which you're working, this stuff will get everywhere). Keep rotating the chain to work around all areas - do the hub, the inside of the front sprocket cover (check the speedo cable whilst you're at it) - Everywhere. Once degreased, whipe off with a rag until dry, pay attention to cleaning the inside and outside of the chain for extra bling. Then apply a good coating of Chainsaw Lubricant (I've found this much better than oil and spray chain waxes (which go into a sticky, gungey (and sometimes green!) mess after a couple of weeks of use). Pour a little lubricant into a cap, and wipe in with a cloth, working into the o-rings whilst moveing the chain around. Wipe off the excess to reveal a non-fling, spotless, wet-looking chain. Good as new.
That's the major areas - sorry if it's a bit long winded. One thing I've found is that the cleaner a bike is, the more scruitiny it gets - plus no one believes that it's your everyday, all weather transport. Once the big areas are clean and kept clean, then you can work around to the detailing (this is where I'm at at the moment, and hence why I'm always finding new areas that need work). Same theories apply, but it's easier to spend a weekend or so doing each area. For example, my rearsets were done a couple of weeks ago - taken off the bike, disassembled, cleaned, polished and then reassembled - it's really the only way to get all the muck off - some nooks and crannies are just unreachable when the parts are all together.
Other areas that just won't clean up - rub down and respray/powder coat/replace/etc to make them like new.
Another tip - don't try and attempt to restore an entire bike in a weekend. If you plan on keeping the bike for a period of time, do it in stages. Get the bike to a general level of clean and then think "I'm going to be hungover and homebound on Saturday 11am - 3pm - good time for a fairing off clean me'thinks...." (and the like). It's also a good mode of practice if you're modifying a bike, as said parts will have to be removed anyway - may be an idea to couple the installation of a new exhaust system with an engine bay overhaul, for example.
And don't worry about being brandished an obsessive, I think in many parts, I've got that area fully covered.
This was taken from another bikers forum....it's not me
Hangman
Guest
Thanks
I do ride my GS everyday
done 2.5k miles this month
so I don't treat it like a show room Harley
I find in cleaning it I notice were things need fixing spot problems
before they get to bad, saves me cash and time off the road
and when I sell it I will not lose a wad of cash
thanks for the help though
keep riding
I do ride my GS everyday
done 2.5k miles this month
so I don't treat it like a show room Harley
I find in cleaning it I notice were things need fixing spot problems
before they get to bad, saves me cash and time off the road
and when I sell it I will not lose a wad of cash
thanks for the help though
keep riding
I can relate to this guy!
..........Cleaning your bike :-0I might use some of that.......can you tell me the source please so I can give 'credit'. Thanks
bmwbenji
Guest
wonder wheels
decided to 'poof 'the bike up the other day as it was about that time ,and used what i thought to be a reliable cleaning product wonder wheels ,not again . If you like the way the stainless spokes look and the disc bolts be warned avoid this cleaner like wild fire
decided to 'poof 'the bike up the other day as it was about that time ,and used what i thought to be a reliable cleaning product wonder wheels ,not again . If you like the way the stainless spokes look and the disc bolts be warned avoid this cleaner like wild fire
Getting worried!
Cleaned mine today. Second time this year. Am I turning into BTBR?
Mark
Cleaned mine today. Second time this year. Am I turning into BTBR?
Mark
Last edited:
GeoffCollins
Guest
The only way to clean it.
1. Pick up phone
2. Speak to bike cleaning man
3. Wait until appointed time
4. Give him money
5 Admire clean bike
Theres a guy that has a mobile bike cleaning business. When he's done it looks like a showroom bike. F**king expensive but he does a very good job.
www.mo-clean.com
1. Pick up phone
2. Speak to bike cleaning man
3. Wait until appointed time
4. Give him money
5 Admire clean bike
Theres a guy that has a mobile bike cleaning business. When he's done it looks like a showroom bike. F**king expensive but he does a very good job.
www.mo-clean.com
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