Cleaning sidestand/Rear shock

[-Matt-]

Evening all

Not strictly a workshop question but as its parts related figured it as best here.

Just wondering what the best method to do a really good clean on the side stand and rear shock is - do you really need to remove both

My side stands absolutely fucking filthy to be honest, covered in black grime and road muck - was thinking to just give it a huge spray of degreaser/toothbrush it away, but would this remove the lubricants on the stand and therefore require it taking apart and regreasing etc.

And shock is similar - pretty mucky behind the spring as i can't really get to it easily to clean - is there any risk in putting a power-washer near it to try blast the muck out

Cheers

[Bezzer]

Power washing leaves you open to blasting out the linkage greases, if you want to do a proper job take the stand off, use degreaser, paraffin or whatever then reassemble regreasing the pivot. Same with the shock and linkages, always worth stripping it down now and again including the swingarm pivot to keep everything smooth and free.
Most of the shit on the stand comes from chain lube dripping from the front sprocket if you're doing a proper job it's worth taking the sprocket cover off and cleaning all the shit from there as well and there'll be loads.
____________________
I used to be indecisive but now I'm not quite so sure.

[-Matt-]

Cheers, feared that'd be the answer to be honest

Relatively new to working on the bike only doing basic-mid service sort of stuff so the rear shock removals a bit daunting but be a good experience to learn with i suppose

If i'm looking at cleaning the front sprocket area, is it maybe worth removing it and the rear sprocket and chain. I was pretty poor with chain maintenance for about a year - i'm still on the same stock chain at nearly 20k miles and the slacks barely needed adjusting which amazes me - perhaps worth replacing the chain if i go to all that trouble also before it develops any big problems considering the mileage

[stinkwheel]

I wouldn't be removing my shock unless there was a serious problem with it.

There has been recently. I had to lift it up and out through a hatch in the bottom of the battery box.

I do not intend to remove the new one unless it is broken.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[-Matt-]

Thanks for the warning

May leave that one be then as its not all that bad really, just a bit of external muck i think/hope, its just the side stand that looks like a pig sty