Best way to clean a fully faired sports bike

[Jon-W]

Hi, As per title really..What is the best way to clean a fully faired sports bike and what products would you reccomend doing it with (Muc off for example) ?
Bought some Holts Bug shift and tbh ive found it useless...

would appreciate your ideas

Cheers

[MarJay]

Start with Auto Glym motorcycle degreaser and agitate any dirt with a soft ish brush. Rinse.

Then use Auto Glym motorcycle cleaner, and again agitate any dirt with a soft brush. Rinse.

Then use Auto Glym motorcycle polish and buff.


To be honest it doesn't really matter what you do as long as you put the effort in and get in all the nooks and crannies. There is nothing that I am aware of that will clean a bike without any effort. Although the Auto Glym motorcycle degreaser is about as close as you're going to get.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[D O G]

Clean chain with paraffin, rinse chain with hose.

Leave to dry.

Lube with your preferred lube.

The rain will take care of everything else.

[Jon-W]

[Tristan.]

supercheap and awesome degreaser

squirty bottle 50p
5L of paraffin £4
2 bottles of Asda smart price 'cream cleaner' 60p

mix together at a ratio of 1:5ish. Cream cleaner is amazing stuff, cuts straight through thick dirt and grease, the paraffin's quite good too, but you could probably dilute with something else, can usually be sprayed on, left for a minute or so, then hosed off. Stubborn bits may need a brush.

[craigs23]

Here's something I typed up earlier:

I hope this may help some fellow forum folks.

There's no denying it - I like to clean. I take pride in keeping my bikes tidy and it also gives me a chance to carry out, or identify any servicing when scruitising one of my bikes so closely. I've written a few guides in the past, but I'm always finding out new tips and tricks along the way.

Rather than go into too much depth (like I have done in the past), I thought it easier to write, and to read, if I just pointed out the sort of products I find useful, and how I use them. So then, with out further ado, let's start:

Degreasing:

There's not much point on cleaning a bike properly if you don't get the basics right in the first place. It's easier to get rid of all that built up grime before attempting to wash the bike.

For light degreasing, I'll use something like Muc Off's Motorcycle Cleaner. Saturate the whole of the bike before a wash, allow to eat into the grime, agitate with a brush for more soiled areas. Wash this off as you wash the rest of the bike. Remember lube everything else up after.

For heavier degreasing, I'd tend to use something cheap but powerful like paraffin, but only on areas such as the engine, wheels, swingarm, frame, etc. Brush on, rinse off completely with water before washing. Gunk aerosol is also very good for using on the engine (but I tend to keep it away from plastics) as is oven cleaner for baked on grime (exhaust pipes for instance). These will require rinsing off before washing and also remember to lube everything else up after.

Washing:

Quite a simple process, I'm sure people would agree, but I like to keep my paintwork looking fresh in this stage as well. After degreasing (or during, if only Muc Off needs to be used) get yourself two buckets. One filled with hot water and a quality shampoo (I use Meguairs Gold Class), one with a grit guard in the bottom and with just ordinary, cold water. Using a lamb's wool mitt, I'd wash the bike's bodywork, starting from the top and working down - and after each panel or so, rinsing the mitt in the bucket of cold water.

Once the bodywork's washed, I use a regular sponge in the same manner to wash the bike's frame, wheels, swingarm, forks, etc.

Rinse the suds off the bike before drying with microfibre cloths.

Waxing:

Done properly, this needn't be a regular chore. Making sure that the paintwork's as clean as possible (as you wouldn't want to trap in, or spread around, contaniments not properly washed away), I tend to use a Zymol wax, applied by hand and out of direct sunlight, to a panel at a time. Buff away once a smooth, even coat's been applied to with a soft microfibre cloth.

For 'topping up' waxed paintwork and removing water marks after a wash, I'd recommend Zymol's field spray or maybe even a helping of Mr Sheene - once again applied with a microfibre.

The other areas of the bike are treated to a mixture of the following products, depending on where on the bike I'm working: Rock Oil Silicone Spray and WD40, Mr Sheene. I'd tend to use a lower grade of carnuba wax (Meguairs Stage 3 for example) on wheels, huggers, etc, using the same wax on, wax off technique).

I'd also like to take the time to recommend a corrosion inhibitor - I used generous amounts of ACF50 this year, but my R6 last year survived quite well with WD40.

Metalwork:

Not part of my regular clean, but I have used techniques in previous restorations.

Brushed alloy can be retained using a brillo pad with a dab of Brasso. I'd then apply either Belgom Alu or WD40 as a sealant and buff to a satin finish. Patience is needed to retain a uniform finish, but I'm quite happy with the results these simple measures can give. Can be used for areas such as exhaust systems, rearsets, hangers, etc.

Mirrored alloy is a little more difficult to achieve, and I wouldn't recommend it. I prefer a more hands on approch so tend to use wet and dry paper (working up the grades from about a 240 grit to a 1500) with washing up liquid - using a similar method when preparing bodywork for spraying. This takes a long time and ultimately leaves your alloy without a protective surface, so would need constant polishing to keep the shine. Finished off with Autosol and then finally Belgom Alu.

Happy polishing.

[rc211v]

liquid dishwashing soap. works the nuts!
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VFR400 (NC30)

[Polo]

[ajb]

the only 'paintwork' on my bike is the fuel tank, do you mean plastic panels aswell ?
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CBR125R '05 > CB500 '00 > CBR600F '99

[swiftb]

[MinhDinh]

Where you get parafin from?
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Hit the G spot.

[Tristan.]

Paraffin shops.

[swiftb]

[Carl_steveo]

What you mean we actually have to clean them?
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Current: Honda Nsr 125
Live: Sunderland
Luke "cant be arsed to read your post, but suck my balls anyway."

[craigs23]

[giarc]

I've got a foam gun (bought for the car) but its a lifesaver for cleening the bike when it doesn get a bit filthy!

[trevoriv]

You're supposed to clean sports bikes?
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Past: '96 Thundercat, '02 ZX636R (A1P), '58 KTM 690 SM LC4 Current: '06 ZX636R (C6F)
Mudskipper wrote: Someone just has to sig that...

[mooserx]

[D O G]

[colin1]

its almost as if jon w is craigs creation, so he can advise on bike cleaning

sounds very good advice though
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Carlos NSR125]

"ICE" Wash...
"ICE" Polish its a dream
Use it on anything except glass
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CBT Passed 11-04-09 Honda NSR 125 3-04-09
New Tyres 30-6-09

[G]

https://www.mychemicaltoilet.com/heavy_downpour-thumb-340x336.jpg

HTH.

[TheFoxyDuke]

[TheFoxyDuke]

[Pie-Roe]

My routine.

Spray bike all over with cillit bang, make a brew, have a rollup, pressure wash off.

Relube chain, footpegs.

Done

Pyro
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