Product Recommendations - Bike Cleaning

[veeeffarr]

Just had a go at the GS500 with some different stuff to what I usually use, and chuffed with the results:

Stardrops: Doesn't leave watermarks when dry, used on whole bike (69p, home bargains)
Autoglym SRP: Tank, excellent shine
Autoglym M/C Degreaser: Rear wheel, Swingarm, Engine, Side/Centrestand, road gunge just pours off.
WD40: Use on engine, black plastics, makes painted engine casings shine bright
Microfibre Cloths (99p for 3 from Home Bargains)

Best product I've ever used for degreasing is this autoglym stuff, got the bottom of my engine clean in one spray, plus all the runoff from my new loobman + dirty chain/sprocket.

[.....]

I used to use the Autoglym cleaner stuff but recently used Muc Off - Brilliant stuff

And for wheels and general metal bits paraffin is great.

Cue craigs23....

[veeeffarr]

Autoglym M/C Cleaner is complete shit, the Degreaser is awesome though.

I have some paraffin, and an old bottle of used M/C cleaner, thinking of making a paraffin spray, but eats bikes alive apparently.

[FreshAL]

Parafin as a cheap degreaser, or this stuff

https://www.motorspot.com/cat_img/CHAIN-CLEANa1004.jpg

Amazingly effective, but expensive - £6.70 from my local Hein Gericke. I use it when I can't be bothered to clean the chain properly. Good squirt of that, then a squirt of Profi-Dry chain lube, job done.

For general fairings forks and things I use Muc-Off as well

[Mark_petty]

Sorry Toby off the topic but just wandered how you are finding the bike compared to your old cg?

I bet you get to work quicker
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[Rides: Suzuki GSF600sx]
[CBT: Passed] [Theory: Passed] [DAS: Passed]

[Mister James]

Muc Off is amazing stuff, I couldn't be arsed to do any scrubbing, just chucked it on and washed it off after a few moments, the end result was a gleaming bike! It cut through yucky lube and brake dust - pretty impressive.
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>Soultrader Mister James, I bet you are a copper
>Bazza Wow. Eyes like a shithouse rat, you...

[phantomtek]

I use Triplewax, great stuff for the SV as it has fairings so not sure if a GS really needs it.

WD40 is a total must.

ACF50 for the winter months.

Went out to buy some paraffin, petrol station didn't have any so I went to Halfords and they didn't either so I bought this instead, don't know if it's any good yet though. Should be.

Old rags also come in handy, and I've found window cleaning fluid is brilliant for mirrors and clocks.

ASDA SmartPrice wax polish that I found in the cupboard is amazing, spray abit onto some gunk and then leave for a second or two before wiping, it comes straight off and leaves a nice shiny surface. Used it on my rims and it worked wonders. Don't know if it's still available to buy though.

Good topic Toby, looking forward to some of these answers.

[_Will_]

Anything thats in the garage if i havnt been shopping.

Have used flash kitchen degreaser before worked a treat tho.
Use engine degreaser normally, any old one.
Autoglym shampoo.
WD-40, a must.
Glass cleaner for screen/mirrors
Sponge/brush/toothbrush/glasses wipes/bucket(or hose when bans aren't in place )/
Black plastic & tyre shine.
Wax if i have it but the shampoo is a combo one.
Jobs a gud'n.
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Past -Honda qr50 | 2004 Peugeot Tkr s 50| | 1996 Yamaha XJ600s Diversion|

[craigs23]

My general product list mostly comprises of:

Autoglym M/C Cleaner (good all purpose, lightly degreasant - use before washing, rinse, then shampoo as normal).

WD40

Paraffin

Meguairs

Mr Sheene

Turtlewax Shampoo

Autosol

Belgom Alu

[veeeffarr]

I've got some of that triplewax stuff.

Found that Stardrops is about 200 times better than any other cleaner I've used.

My ritual today was:

Soak bike in water

Lather up non greasy bits (fairing, seat, clocks, grips, forks, mudguard, etc) with stardrops

Autoglym MC Degreaser over the greasy bits, rinse, then wipe off with a clean sponge (It works amazingly on the rims)

Clean bottom of engine with degreaser too.

Rinse whole bike with water

Polish all plastics, grips, switchgear, chain guard, rubbers, indicators, backs of mirrors with Mr Sheen.

Go over all plastics, black plastics, painted engine casing, sidestand, centrestand, clocks, with WD40.

Polish mirrors and wipe off strands of microfibre with my sleeve.

Idle bike to dry off sensitive internals, squeeze loobman, run bike on centrestand at about 2,000rpm in 3rd/4th to distribute oil on chain.

Pop the seat, dry inside and spray WD40 over electrics and vulnerable places.

Give the frame a wipe with WD40.

Stand back and pish my pants at the shiny bike.

[craigs23]

[veeeffarr]

[Psychonaut]

Muc off for the hard to get areas
Car shampoo (auto gym) for the rest
Got fed up with 3 different chain degreasers not work properly (motrax (sp) one from hein gerrek (sp) and a castrol one) so I went to B&Q (cheers Toby, month or 2 ago) and got some parrafin (outside usually in the garden bit, labled heater fuel) ant that works a treat with a soft brissled brush.
Gets the lube off the wheel/tyre easily as well.
The Meguars Caranuba wax to finish (every 4-6 months)
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Prev CBR600RR (06) Orange/Black
CBR1000RR (09) Repsol
Now Ducati 1199 Panigale

[_Will_]

Out of curiosity, as well as materials - how long do you devote to cleaning it
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Past -Honda qr50 | 2004 Peugeot Tkr s 50| | 1996 Yamaha XJ600s Diversion|

[phantomtek]

I clean my bike every Sunday nowadays, rinse, Triplewax, wait till it dries, polish.

Then it rains.

[DAF]

Here's another vote for Muc Off. No need to rub or scrub, the dirt just seems to fall off, or at least rinse off Got a couple of five litre containers of it last year at the NEC on a BOGOF offer for something like 18 quid
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2005 Yam Fazer (FZ6-S)

[Whitey]

What is good to use on chromey bits?

My YBR's exhaust and levers are looking a tad tarnished and I was wondering what people use for their chromey areas?

One of my friends suggested Silvo but I'm unsure
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She's a monster. No, that's not right, she isn't a monster, she's, she's...... she's a twat!!

[Whitey]

What is good to use on chromey bits?

My YBR's exhaust and levers are looking a tad tarnished and I was wondering what people use for their chromey areas?

One of my friends suggested Silvo but I'm unsure
____________________
She's a monster. No, that's not right, she isn't a monster, she's, she's...... she's a twat!!

[el saxo]

I use autosol on all the shiny metal bits, works a treat.

Another vote for Muc-off from me too, I used to use it on my mountain bikes before I had the SV and i've always found it to be great at shifting all kinds of crap.
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2005 SV650S & No sense of direction!

[nrml76]

Paraffin and a paint brush all over the bike, followed by any bike cleaner I have on hand (fuchs off, shell or just tesco value car shampoo) and lots off water. FS365 before it dries up. I do this every 3 months or so. My bike looks the same as it did 1 year and 15,000 miles ago. I used to jet was my bike before, but I dont have a commercial jet wash place nearby anymore, so it is the garden hose. I've never cleaned the wheels luckily for me, they are black .
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Everyone who lives dies, yet not everyone who dies has lived. We take these risks not to escape life, but to prevent life from escaping us.

[quik_d]

muc -off is ok, but not as good as the castrol bike cleaner IMO £6.99 in halfords, works a treat.
Also came out best buy in ride magazine when they tested them a few months back
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LOOK AT DAT M8 WELL LUSH A PARROT INT IT

[Method]

Wow, ever thought about riding the thing?

On a side note: Fuch Off
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CBT Aug '03 ... Gilera GSM 50 ... Honda NSR 125 Aug '04 ...
Full Test Dec 04... Suzuki GS500 Jan 05... Suzuki SV650 Mar 07... Gixxer 6 K5 May 08... Oh and my 'Rado
My Bikepics.com - No Brakes, No Gears... No Fear.

[irving]

[veeeffarr]

[trevoriv]

clean my bike b!tch