Looking for tips to clean grease and stuff of my engine to make her look nice and pretty. I have an 85 Honda Nighthawk that I want to beautify.
Motorcycle Cleaning Suggestions
- Thread starter prophetic_joe
- Start date
I've had some success with a couple of the spray foams available in auto parts sores. I can't think of brand names at the moment, but they're mostly the same. The bottles say you can just spray them on and rinse off later, but I find that a little scrubbing with a nylon bristled hand brush never hurts
Probably not the most eco-friendly choice, so if that's a big concern for you, I might look into something else
Speaking of cleaning bikes, start saving your used dryer sheets. They are unbeatable in removing bug guts from any surface, including the soft plastics of windshields on bikes and helmets! Just wet down one of the sheets with some water, rub the sheet around until it starts to bubble a bit, then little more than a couple of wipes across those gleeming guts and they come right off! Works with almost any crud that gets onto your bike, or car for that matter. Safe for paint as well.
Probably not the most eco-friendly choice, so if that's a big concern for you, I might look into something else
Speaking of cleaning bikes, start saving your used dryer sheets. They are unbeatable in removing bug guts from any surface, including the soft plastics of windshields on bikes and helmets! Just wet down one of the sheets with some water, rub the sheet around until it starts to bubble a bit, then little more than a couple of wipes across those gleeming guts and they come right off! Works with almost any crud that gets onto your bike, or car for that matter. Safe for paint as well.
Tried allot of products and the one I liked best was S100.
Spray on then rinse off with low pressure water.
As for a great shine, believe it or not but Lemon Pledge furniture polish. It works great!!!
David
Spray on then rinse off with low pressure water.
As for a great shine, believe it or not but Lemon Pledge furniture polish. It works great!!!
David
I got identical advice to this one time from an old codger at a classic Mustang show in L.A. At the time, I blew him off, but seeing it here makes me think I may have been too hasty. I'll give this a try later and let you know.
Dave
I'm also a big fan of S100. Great cleaner.
If your bike is really dirty, you might need to get a good degreaser. I've got some simple green that I use every now and then.
For general motorcycle cleaning when I don't want to get out the hose I use a product made by Honda called "spray cleaner and polish". Works really well, but your bike needs to be fairly clean before it does a really good job.
If your bike is really dirty, you might need to get a good degreaser. I've got some simple green that I use every now and then.
For general motorcycle cleaning when I don't want to get out the hose I use a product made by Honda called "spray cleaner and polish". Works really well, but your bike needs to be fairly clean before it does a really good job.
Simple Green for many applications.
As I do not know anything about you, please do not take offense at this next bit:
Do NOT use Armor-All or similar products on the seat or handgrips! A few years ago, my best riding buddy was left sitting on the street, watching in horror as his brand new Concours went sailing down the street and into a car.
As I do not know anything about you, please do not take offense at this next bit:
Do NOT use Armor-All or similar products on the seat or handgrips! A few years ago, my best riding buddy was left sitting on the street, watching in horror as his brand new Concours went sailing down the street and into a car.
Agree on the Honda product but after doing my research about Lemon Pledge I gave it a try. I could not believe the great results that so-called furniture polish gave to my Kawi W650.
Also another great product was Plexus:
http://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/frames.html
David
I used to warm it up (not too hot) spray it with Gunk engine degreaser, let it cool, hose it off, repeat as required, then finish it off by spraying the whole thing with silicone spray.
I'm also a fan of S100. Then I dry my motorcycle with a leaf blower, works great.
Well I don't have a nice motorcycle like you do, but I do own a scooter (see avatar) but I am a God fearing man, so I leave the condition up to Him, who am I do out guess Him?
He wants it shiny then He makes it rain.
He wants it to have that slightly mysterious low visibility look, He blows pollen and dust all over it.
Sometimes He chooses to go for that rugged tough guy look, and makes sure that every bug in the county commits suicide on the thing while I am riding (personally I think He goes a little overboard with that one, as one night I actually thought it was raining for a few miles)
Like I said, I leave it up to Him.
YMMV
Bob.
He wants it shiny then He makes it rain.
He wants it to have that slightly mysterious low visibility look, He blows pollen and dust all over it.
Sometimes He chooses to go for that rugged tough guy look, and makes sure that every bug in the county commits suicide on the thing while I am riding (personally I think He goes a little overboard with that one, as one night I actually thought it was raining for a few miles)
Like I said, I leave it up to Him.
YMMV
Bob.
All of the afformentioned products work pretty well. Gunk spray cans, simple green, etc. My personal favorite for removing grime, oil, and general engine funk is Greased Lightening. I've gone through more than a couple gallons when I first bought my Packard, and I was amazed by the results every time.
As an added bonus, it also removes oil stains from concrete... even if the engine oil in question is the thickness of molasses, and has been sitting in a crankcase for 30+ years. Trust me...
As an added bonus, it also removes oil stains from concrete... even if the engine oil in question is the thickness of molasses, and has been sitting in a crankcase for 30+ years. Trust me...
I use a degreaser for engine parts. For the rest of the bike like the plastics or the tank, I use plexus spray. Spray some on, wipe it off, and super shiny.
