How sexy is my bike(washed it)

[chric]

I'll do one when I get chance said I would do one a while back but forgot
Me and mate will strip it down in winter and give it a proper good going over

[sirch345]

That's a lovely job when can you pop around and do mine

Chris.

[VTRDark]

I found it. I think it's worth posting for others to see and IMO something like this should be made a sticky or have a cleaning section sticky.

OK here it is......

Oh god, my pet subject - polishing and cleaning

Ok, there are a number of different products you can use, some for keeping the shine, some for removing discolouring, some for general maintenance.

If the alloy has oxidised "gone grey", then I use either Belgom Alu (get it from eBay), MAAS metal polish (brilliant stuff but not well known http://www.lastingshine.co.uk/acatalog/index.html) or Meguairs Motorcycle All Metal Polish. I've just done my hangers using MAAS and got a cracking finish without too much work. For removing discolouration, Meguairs Motorcycle All Metal Polish followed by Meguairs NXT All Metal Polish (for that extra shine) I've found gives best results. if though you are talking brown downpipes, then virtually nothing shines those (well a buffing wheel would), but they go brown very quickly again, so little point.

Belgom Alu is typically used by metal polishers after they have put a mirror shine on alloy, note, so if ever you use a polishing wheel yourself, this does a great job at getting rid of residual polishing soap and putting a good shine on alloy.

For all of these apply use a rough cloth - something similar to a terry cloth will do - using circular motions. Little and often!

One you have acquired the shine you want (and/or removed the discolouration), finish off with meguairs NXT All metla polish (blue tub/green lid) to give that added sparkle, apply using a micro fibre cloth (little and often) until it has almost disappeared and then buff off with another (clean) mirco fibre cloth.

I do use autosol, but rarely, bit too abrasive for my liking - but for really stubborn marks, it works.

On a separate subject, if you want to bring your paintwork up, try Meguairs Swirlx (removes swirls in paintwork) or Scratch X 2.0 (for those nasty scratches) finishing off with meguairs motorcycle polish for an absolute cracking shine - again apply and buff off using mirco fibre cloths, little and often. If you have the time, rather than the Meguairs motorcycle polish, use something like Harly wax which is a pure number one carnauba wax for a really deep shine, gives a slightly deeper shine, but take a while longer to apply and is best used on warm days (whereas the Meguairs wax works in virtually any temperature)

For a quick was and polish, Auto Glym Aqua Wax, comes with 2 micro fibre cloths, wash bike, dry off using one micro fibre cloth, as you dry spray on the aqua wax and buff off using the other mirco fibre cloth. Showroom finish for not a lot of work. The Meguairs motorcycle wax lasts longer (and you can always use Meguairs detailer for those "in-between polishes" shine if required.

And no I don't work for Meguairs, but I do like a clean shiny bike.....just that i find polishing quite therapeutic after a ong day at work, so often spend an hour or so just buffing up the paintwork or alloy in the evenings on the Storm or on my GSX1400 Suzuki (ooops can I mention that here ).

Sorry, rambled on a bit there......and went way past the original question.

(:-})