The Essential Bike Cleaning Thread

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I'd reccomend the all year biker ACF50 treatment, had my CB400 done not long after I got it. If applied properly it won't attract dirt, it just sits as a very thin layer on the bike.

As a plus, you get your bike cleaned to within an inch of it's life too. It's only 60 quid, it's a bargain for that price.
 
So after the treatment from 'All Year Biker' how do you keep it clean afterwards? By that I mean what not to use and what should be used on the bike when ACF50 is applied?
 
IC3 said:
So after the treatment from 'All Year Biker' how do you keep it clean afterwards? By that I mean what not to use and what should be used on the bike when ACF50 is applied?
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A decent shampoo will wash the ACF-50 off after 2-3 washes, so basically just a rinse off every week or 2. The ACF50 acts like a barrier between the road salt/muck and the metal underneath.
 
Wouldn't it make more sense to acf50 it when winters here? Summertime regular washing up lquid or car shampoo would do
 
Did my car with Collinite last weekend, took me about 4 hours but it seems brilliant. Water beads perfectly on it and any dirt just rinses straight off.
Need to get it on the bike next but not sure how easy it's gonna be to get in the nooks and crannies!!!
 
I'm a bit ocd when it comes to cleaning my bikes. Never used to be, but I've always had old hacks to ride around on and it's only the past few years I've had enough money to buy new(ish) bikes. So I ended up investing in various products. :o

Depending on the time of year I'll use;

In the winter ACF50, pre rinse with Karscher jetwash, SDOC Powergel around rear suspension, radiator/oil cooler. Agitate with a brush in stubborn areas, never on the paintwork, only suspension and swing arm etc. After 10 mins jetwash off, being careful not to aim at chain and wheel bearings. Then depending on paint finish (my street triple had matte paint work) use fairy liquid on matte and Meguiars on gloss finish, using two different sponges, Swissvax lambswool mitt for upper and bug sponge on lower parts of bike, using two bucket method.

Almost same method for wheels, except using a wheel cleaner such as ValetPro bilberry on the front to loosen up brake dust, leave for 5 mins and jetwash off, then use bug sponge to wash wheel. Rear wheel depending on the amount of dirt and oil/chainlube on left side of wheel, rinse off with jet wash to remove dust/dirt. Soak in SDOC leave for 5 mins, blast off again, then re-apply sdoc and agitate with brush, blast off, then soapy water and sponge.

These are just a small selection of what I use. (Swissvax..how much £££ :eek:)

DSC_0799_zpsbusygals.jpg


Once rinsed off I use this to dry it.. never a chamois.

DSC_0801_zps8maiiry8.jpg


Summertime I don't worry about ACF50, but I do use a few sheets of soaked kitchen roll and lay it over the front fairing/headlamps where all the dead bugs hang out to soften them up. Makes jetwashing them off a whole lot easier. Especially on the screen, so easy to scratch with a sponge load of bugs.

Once dry I use a soft detail cloth and detailer to prepare paintwork for waxing, it also helps if there are watermarks on the engine covers. Small amount of MucOff bike spray around rear suspension linkage and exhaust, wipe off excess. Re-lube levers, cables and drive chain. Not forgetting to wax wheels, makes them so much easier to clean next time.



This was my GSX-R last year after riding back from Stelvio..

DSC00718_zpslpoghrmv.jpg


Then just before I sold it. 9 year old nearly 20k miles used rain, shine, sleet, snow, salted roads etc..

_DSC1317_zpsgetawaxf.jpg


I don't spend all day doing this either, got it down to a few hours (Winter time even quicker brrr)
 
Is white vinegar a good multi-purpose cleaner which can also be used on bikes? Or is it not that affective as chemical based products that most of you guys have posted?

BTW That GSXR is sexy and clean af. :D
 
unKle said:
I'm a bit ocd when it comes to cleaning my bikes. Never used to be, but I've always had old hacks to ride around on and it's only the past few years I've had enough money to buy new(ish) bikes. So I ended up investing in various products. :o

Depending on the time of year I'll use;

In the winter ACF50, pre rinse with Karscher jetwash, SDOC Powergel around rear suspension, radiator/oil cooler. Agitate with a brush in stubborn areas, never on the paintwork, only suspension and swing arm etc. After 10 mins jetwash off, being careful not to aim at chain and wheel bearings. Then depending on paint finish (my street triple had matte paint work) use fairy liquid on matte and Meguiars on gloss finish, using two different sponges, Swissvax lambswool mitt for upper and bug sponge on lower parts of bike, using two bucket method.

Almost same method for wheels, except using a wheel cleaner such as ValetPro bilberry on the front to loosen up brake dust, leave for 5 mins and jetwash off, then use bug sponge to wash wheel. Rear wheel depending on the amount of dirt and oil/chainlube on left side of wheel, rinse off with jet wash to remove dust/dirt. Soak in SDOC leave for 5 mins, blast off again, then re-apply sdoc and agitate with brush, blast off, then soapy water and sponge.

These are just a small selection of what I use. (Swissvax..how much £££ :eek:)

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j291/Aeldile/DSC_0799_zpsbusygals.jpg[/MG]

Once rinsed off I use this to dry it.. [b]never[/b] a chamois.

[IMG]http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j291/Aeldile/DSC_0801_zps8maiiry8.jpg[/IG]

Summertime I don't worry about ACF50, but I do use a few sheets of soaked kitchen roll and lay it over the front fairing/headlamps where all the dead bugs hang out to soften them up. Makes jetwashing them off a whole lot easier. Especially on the screen, so easy to scratch with a sponge load of bugs.

Once dry I use a soft detail cloth and detailer to prepare paintwork for waxing, it also helps if there are watermarks on the engine covers. Small amount of MucOff bike spray around rear suspension linkage and exhaust, wipe off excess. Re-lube levers, cables and drive chain. Not forgetting to wax wheels, makes them so much easier to clean next time.



This was my GSX-R last year after riding back from Stelvio..

[IMG]http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j291/Aeldile/DSC00718_zpslpoghrmv.jpg[/IG]

Then just before I sold it. 9 year old nearly 20k miles used rain, shine, sleet, snow, salted roads etc..

[IMG]http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j291/Aeldile/_DSC1317_zpsgetawaxf.jpg[/IG]

I don't spend all day doing this either, got it down to a few hours (Winter time even quicker brrr)[/QUOTE]

All those products and you still use Fairy as your soap on matte finish :(
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Last edited:
Craig321 said:
All those products and you still use Fairy as your soap on matte finish :(
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I know. Sounds so wrong. But matte paint cannot be cleaned using normal car shampoos and waxed based shampoos. Unless you want it to look shiny, which defeats the object of matte finish. Fairy or equivalent removes oil/grease and silicone from matte paint.

I eventually bought the swissvax matte paint cleaner but to be fair it was no different to using washing up liquid.
 
unKle said:
I know. Sounds so wrong. But matte paint cannot be cleaned using normal car shampoos and waxed based shampoos. Unless you want it to look shiny, which defeats the object of matte finish. Fairy or equivalent removes oil/grease and silicone from matte paint.

I eventually bought the swissvax matte paint cleaner but to be fair it was no different to using washing up liquid.
Click to expand...

WD40 is great for matte :)
 
Does anyone use Muc-Off products for cleaning their bike? I need to buy some stuff for dry cleaning, my bike is naked and I don't want any water getting where it shouldn't go.
 
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