Bike cleaning

[Rollingskies]

Ok, tomorrow I want to make a special expendition to the shops to get some bike cleaning magic. Since owning my bike, a year next week, I have only given it a good scrub with fairy liquid and warm water before a cold rinse with the hosepipe. I then rub it try with rag and oil the chain.

Now though, I've got rust spots on my exhaust that are getting bigger and my chrome (think it's chrome) on the forks and the radiator shield things are looking awful. I haven't a clue what to get or what to buy. What do you use to make your bike all nice and glistening?

[Big Stu]

New to bikes myself, so someone will no doubt correct me, but assuming the paint finishes are the same as cars. Never ever use fairy liquid or any other washing up liquids on your paintwork - the chemicals in them will ruin the finish.

Hose down with cold water, use a good quality car shampoo and rinse with cold water again - cold water will neutralise any road salt. Hot water will disolve the salt and drive it deeper into those nooks n crannies.

After its been washed down spray / wipe everything down with something like ACF-50 which should keep the corrosion at bay. Chain should be cleaned and lubed regularly too.

Stewart

[Stuno1]

Am in to my cars and wondered if the process for the farings is the same?

So... rinse, wash with shampoo, dry, wax, etc etc

Main difference being using ACF - 50 on exposed metal? Can you put this on farings?

Stu

[Big Stu]

the instructor who had me out said he used it everywhere (avoiding the brakes obviously) and meant he could just rinse the bike off after a ride

[Rollingskies]

So will ACF 50 get rid of rust and put the shine back into chrome?

Is it really necessary to use a car/bike shampoo?

[bullet5]

So will ACF 50 get rid of rust and put the shine back into chrome?

Is it really necessary to use a car/bike shampoo?

 

It doesn't get rid of rust 100% you never can, but it will reduce it dramaticaly and it will bring shine back into chrome if you use a lot of elbow grease and a few other tricks of the trade.

I've never used car/bike shampoo as such. I've always stuck to using MuckOff, some Dry Wax, AFC and a lot of old rags.

[Susieque]

Moved to Pitstop

[Nogin]

I have never used ACF50 on any of my bikes, I tend to just use a decent car wash or specific bike cleaner, then chamois everything down, even take her for a short spin to dry off. I then will polish with car polish, lube all the bits that need lubing.

It seem to work for me.

To be fair I know very little about ACF50 other then people spray it on almost everything bar the brakes for obvious reasons!

Oh before I forget, for rust on chrome, I use Autosol, but to be fair I ride a 10 year old Honda and there is just no rust on any of the chrome or metsl.