How do you keep you pride and joy looking good?

[yofi]

Some basic facts

1. Snowfoam looks pretty, does nothing, but can act as an additional suds layer when you hand wash with an APC.
2. There is rarely ever need to use anything other than a ph-neutral APC to wash bikes. If there are any stubborn marks, a 10% dilution of Bilt Hamber Surfex HD (cheaper than chips) sprayed on, gently agitated and removed within one minute by APC and water, will invariably do the job without eating your bike or car.

 

[Skid06]

Anything made by Bilt hamber....Surfex HD, Snowfoam, Auto Wash, GT85, can use as a polish, engine wheels etc is brilliant n cheap as cheap (Aldi £2.70 a tin)

 

[cookie]

I avoided Muck Off because of its reputation, but was given 2 litres of it. That sat on a shelf for a couple of years until I ran out of Sdoc 100. and gave the Muck Off a whirl - It's not *quite* as good as the sdoc, but not far off, just a bit less clingy.

Been working well for me and I'm on my 3rd 5Ltr container now.

Follow the instructions - apply to a wet bike and hose off before it dries. Works great.

 

[(RIP) Mark H]

I avoided Muck Off because of its reputation, but was given 2 litres of it. That sat on a shelf for a couple of years until I ran out of Sdoc 100. and gave the Muck Off a whirl - It's not *quite* as good as the sdoc, but not far off, just a bit less clingy.

Been working well for me and I'm on my 3rd 5Ltr container now.

Follow the instructions - apply to a wet bike and hose off before it dries. Works great.

The last quote on the list applies here which is "Following instructions is no good because Muc Offs effects are cumulative, it may look fine in the short term but regular use even following the instructions will damage your bike in the long term."


After a year or two of regular cleaning with Muc off the bike will lose its showroom shine and paint and plastic will become quite dull and flat, because the effect is gradual you wont notice

I'm amazed that with so many negative comments about this product that people still use it, especially as there are plenty of good safe / better alternatives like S Doc 100 (which I use)

 

[tw99]

I find it hard to believe that Muc Off is as bad as is claimed, if used according to the manufacturers instructions.

 

[cookie]

The last quote on the list applies here which is "Following instructions is no good because Muc Offs effects are cumulative, it may look fine in the short term but regular use even following the instructions will damage your bike in the long term."


After a year or two of regular cleaning with Muc off the bike will lose its showroom shine and paint and plastic will become quite dull and flat, because the effect is gradual you wont notice

I'm amazed that with so many negative comments about this product that people still use it, especially as there are plenty of good safe / better alternatives like S Doc 100 (which I use)

My very shiny 7 1/2 year old KTM says that's utter bollocks. maybe on your shitty watercolour painted BMWs??

 

[(RIP) Mark H]

My very shiny 7 1/2 year old KTM says that's utter bollocks. maybe on your shitty watercolour painted BMWs??

My 2019 1250 having never seen muc off is fine thanks, my 20 year old R1100RT needed quite a bit of cosmetic repair after previous owner used muc off,
I know muc off will damage finishes, BMW also know and will reject any paint or wheel damage if muc off has been used,
What may appear shiney in one person's eyes maybe dull and flat in another
Anyway some will never convinced so carry on, I've no more to add.

 

[Barnoe]

I have a spray bottle of Muc Off and like a pleb stood it on my top box while washing bike (aluminum)

it was there 5 mins before being rinsed
the ring it left has been there 2 years and counting!

Muck off can Feck off!

 

[yofi]

Why would anybody need or want to use anything other than an APC on paint? Thought we were talking about the odd crud stuck to lower body metal, not paint or plastic.

 

[Engineer]

Wash it frequently - always dry it thoroughly afterwards - liberal coating of FS365 - hand wipe or brush on ACF50 over the areas that are particularly prone to corrosion.

Never let any cleaner dry on the bike whatever the brand, always rinse off well before it dries.

Oh and any polish for the paintwork, be it Muc Off, Eclat, Mr Sheen or whatever to keep it shiny.

 

[DazGS]

Looking at Sporstbikeshop at S100 Total Cleaner+ 750ml - there is a warning as below, I assume this would affect the BMW aluminium panniers if used on them?

Not for use on unlacqured aluminium or black chrome components. Do not use in hot sun or on hot surfaces.

Is this the product most people use?
https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/489103

 

[littleade]

Why is muck off so bad ?

IIRC it's an alkaline and if you (accidently) let it dry it leaves stains which are then difficult to remove

 

[ilkleymoron]

snow foam - shit
sdoc very shit - does not do what it says - should be sued under trades description act
fuc off - shit
any bike related leave for 2 minutes agitate then rinse product - shit

waterered down TFR and elbow grease or;

fairy liquid in warm water using the two bucket method and elbow grease

and an acceptance that i'll only get 95% of the crap off and i have a life to lead and its not spent cleaning bikes

pay the local albainian mafia cheshire sub branch/boat people to do it

now awaits the brain dead morons with "fairy liquid rots your bike bollocks"

it doesn't

 

[cookie]

Wash it frequently - always dry it thoroughly afterwards - liberal coating of FS365 - hand wipe or brush on ACF50 over the areas that are particularly prone to corrosion.

I find FS365 works best, really well actually, if applied to a wet bike and then allowed to dry. I quick wipe of any streaking with a microfibre cloth brings chassis paintwork ups a treat. Not so good on bodywork.

The current instructions are slightly ambiguous about that saying it's best applied after a wet run or after washing. I think they used to be clearer.

 

[MartinK]

I find FS365 works best, really well actually, if applied to a wet bike and then allowed to dry. I quick wipe of any streaking with a microfibre cloth brings chassis paintwork ups a treat. Not so good on bodywork.

The current instructions are slightly ambiguous about that saying it's best applied after a wet run or after washing. I think they used to be clearer.

Yep - that's what I do too

 

[DazGS]

Has anyone used the BMW product below, I guess that would definitely be safe on BMW bikes....

BMW Motorrad Motorcycle Cleaner Fluid

 

[Flipfly]

snow foam - shit
sdoc very shit - does not do what it says - should be sued under trades description act
fuc off - shit
any bike related leave for 2 minutes agitate then rinse product - shit

waterered down TFR and elbow grease or;

fairy liquid in warm water using the two bucket method and elbow grease

and an acceptance that i'll only get 95% of the crap off and i have a life to lead and its not spent cleaning bikes

pay the local albainian mafia cheshire sub branch/boat people to do it

now awaits the brain dead morons with "fairy liquid rots your bike bollocks"

it doesn't

Snow foam…..not shit, if you use the good stuff correctly, it removes all the lovely loose dirt that causes swirls on the paintwork if you decide to skip this step.

Pre wash…..leave for 2 minutes etc etc……again, I use professional quality product and again you are wrong, it works amazingly well at loosening off the dirt for the snow foam to carry away.

I’m sure your fairy liquid works lovely, I’ll stick with my ph neutral shampoo that is silky and lovely, does what it needs to do and costs less than fairy in the long run because I use so little of it.


I bet you take as long to do your wash as I do to do all my steps. I get 90% clean without ever actually touching the bike.

I hate washing the bike, the only reason I do what I do is to make it the quickest, easiest and most efficient way of getting 2 bikes clean (I have to wash my wife’s bike most of the time too).

 

[tw99]

Why would anybody need or want to use anything other than an APC on paint? Thought we were talking about the odd crud stuck to lower body metal, not paint or plastic.

Plenty of "APCs" are Alkali based, which is supposedly what's so bad about Muc Off.

I think we can summarise the whole discussion as:

"Use the BMW stuff if you want to be sure it won't damage the finish; or be able to complain to BMW if it does".

Alternatively "Use almost any cleaning product you like, as there will be someone on the internet who raves about it and someone else who thinks it's utter shit".

 

[Hartley]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts on this.

It does seem that one product in particular seems to come in for criticism which is quite difficult to ignore but it could be partly because its the market leader and therefore has the most users?
Ive done a bit of digging around and found a very interesting (if rather long) comparison test of many of the cleaners on the market.

https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesoci...tenance-and-servicing/best-motorcycle-cleaner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NsFLPDgFqA

Part of his test measures the PH level of the cleaners and Muc Off does appear to be one of the most Alkaline. Im no chemist so what impact this has exactly i dont know but this was enough for the tester to drop it and other highly alkaline products from his recommended cleaner list.

The handbook states to avoid highly Acidic or Alkaline products for bike cleaning. The PH scale goes from 0 (Acidic) to 14 (Alkaline) and Muc off in the test was a 12. SDOC and a few others were a 7 which is obviously neutral.

Would be interesting to see what the BMW branded cleaner is.

As said by a couple of people, one will say a product is the best, another the stuff of the devil. (Maybe ill start a tyre thread next)

 

[GSian]

A mate used Mac-off, and it brought the gold finish off his Africa Twin wheels. Suppose it's like anything, strong alkaline or Acid, it'll damage some things, not others. Since then I've stopped using it. I tend to use the original stardrops that doesn't have salt. then wipe it down with Vulacanet wipes, expensive but not that expensive considering I bought 2 tubs 2 years ago and have not opened the second one yet.