Stanley,
Could you provide some comments / feedback on my method:
I start with a cold or very close to it bike, bad idea to
hit the warm bike with cold water. I'm on City water so hardness isn't
an issue, but the chlorine content might be.
I start by high pressure rinsing down the entire bike, trying
not to hit the gauges, battery, electricals, spark plugs directly with
full pressure. I also try not to hit the gas cap to avoid putting
water in the tank. I then spray down the entire bike with the
degreaser of choice, in this case Simple Green, being sure to hit the
rear wheel on the chain side in particular as it is always grimy. I
then rinse down the entire bike again, and hit sections of the bike
that I didn't get sufficiently by spraying and rinsing repeatedly
until the desired effect is obtained. Keep in mind of course that I
can mix the Simple Green to any concentration I choose, I generally
run about 50/50. Is this too strong in your opinion?
I don't try to hit the tank / seat with the Simple Green
either - just water - as they aren't really that grimy usually.
Thoughts?
Thanks!
-Joey
On Mon, May 3, 2010 at 1:58 PM, stanley/ Randolph <[email protected]> wrote:
> While I don't recommend or use sidewall dressing on bikes, I don't recommend
> using something as strong as Simple Green for the whole bike, either, if
> that's what you are saying. It is better to use a little kerosene in water
> than use any butyl type cleaner, or other similar chemical alkyd cleaner,
> like Westley's.
> These cleaners are great on grease but they also remove wax and other
> beneficial oils from the paint and leave it open to oxidation, uv
> deterioration, etc., especially if there's a clear coat involved.
> Not only that, but they are very hard on aluminum also. If left on long
> enough to dry, it will eat through the clear coat on the finished aluminum
> surfaces and even cause the surfaces to appear powdery and/or pocmarked with
> corrosion.
> When cleaning, it is best to start with the mildest cleaner possible and
> only go to stronger ones if the results aren't satisfactory.
> When I detail cars and bikes, I don't clean with any kind of soap, including
> those made for cars. For most dirt all that is needed is a terry cloth and
> water and then dry off the water with those cloths made in Germany if you
> have hard water, because if you don't you will have to use something lilke
> Meguiar's Fine Cut Cleaner to get them off of the paint, and off the glass
> and chrome as well.
> That means, if you are washing your car or bike in the sun, wash only as
> much as you can dry before the sun dries it.
> Paint is something that requires TLC if you want it to stay new looking like
> some of the bikes I have seen in pictures on the site. And tires are better
> looking dull than shiny on a bike, unless you are just going to look at it
> and not ride.
>
> Stanley
>
> ________________________________
> From: surfswab <[email protected]>
> To: Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers! <[email protected]>
> Sent: Mon, May 3, 2010 3:05:32 AM
> Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Bike cleaning products
>
> I don't either, and for a couple reasons. Sidewall dressings
> contribute to dry rot on tires. Tire rubber has anti-decay properties
> built into the compound that keeps it stretchy and flexible. It must
> "exercised" (used regularly) to keep the compound in good shape, and
> stored away from conditions that would also allow it to deteriorate.
> That's why you often see seldom-used vehicles like RVs parked with
> fabric wheel covers over the tires -- to protect the rubber from UV
> rays to keep them from "drying out," or establishing the tiny surface
> cracks we call dry rot.
>
> The other reason is that tire dressing can be downright dangerous if
> applied sloppily. If applied to the tread area of the tire, it can
> act like the cosmoline coating that comes standard on new tires and
> cause loss of traction. That's why new motorcycle tires come with
> the standard warning to "wear in" tires for a couple hundred miles, to
> wear off the cosmoline. Anyway, tires don't come shiny when they're
> new, so why go to the time and expense of making them that way
> artificially. Soap and water and a brush will do.
>
> Simple Green, special formula or no, is safe to use to clean your
> bike. Dirt is dirt. There's nothing special about motorcycle dirt,
> except maybe a little more petroleum in it (from gas/oil), but regular
> Simple Green will take care of that.
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group.
> To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
> [email protected].
> For more options, visit this group at
> http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
>
>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group.
> To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
> [email protected].
> For more options, visit this group at
> http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
>
--
-Joey Kelley
Need Computer Technical support?
http://www.crossloop.com/JoeyKelleyComputerServices
At your service - via remote control!
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected].
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
