Hardcore Cleaning

[Wabby]

Anybody any tips for giving the ZXR a REAL good clean?

Will have a brand new garage in the next few weeks, so will have somewhere warm, and that has lights when it gets dark - to work on the bike.

I want to strip all fairings / bolt on parts off the bike, and give her a thorough cleaning throughout.

Any tips on the best stuff to use on different parts? (Wheels / under seat / front screen brace etc etc)?

Cheers

[CarneyUK]

Have a search on the forums, there are a few threads about cleaning. I always wash with proper car wash stuff ( don't use washing up liquid as it has crap chemicals in it for bikes) give the bike a mega rinse then dry off. I will then mainly use WD40 and a rag to clean the bike. I find this is good to get the shitty oil and stuff of the wheels. Use brake cleaner on the brakes and disks (not the WD40 ) Then glass cleaner to do the wingmirros, lights and screen etc.

I also use a tooth brush, or a small paint brushh with a bit of WD40 on it to get into all the nooks and crannys. Just make sure you use a clean cloth to wipe down completely after the WD40.

[Jeppo]

Depending on what exhaust you have,(i.e. not carbon) I use metal polish all the way down the pipe, really finishes the bike nicely. Easier if you take the exhaust off though.

Also a good quality wax, autoglym or zymol, will give good protection and a gorgeous shine...I sometimes wait till night to fill up just to see it under the petrol station lights lol.

Also see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HREqf4wIukA

Theres series of about 5 videos by this bloke, really useful stuff.

[arkell]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HREqf4wIukA

That's awesome, im gna make my bike spotless!

[zxr_oli]

Take the wheels off (or atleast the rear), makes it a dam site easier lol.
I soaked my rear wheel in god knows how much WD40 then use a pressure washer lol. If using a pressure washer just make sure you keep away from the chain, bearings etc. and flaking paint.

[Gemini]

( don't use washing up liquid as it has crap chemicals in it for bikes)

i dunno about crap chemicals, but it is full of salt - thats the main reason not to use it

gem

[MillaMeter]

Hi,

Buy yourself some wheel and chain cleaner from the Kleeneze catalogue. It can be used on pretty much anything that contains grease grit and grime. Use it on engines, chain, sprockets, exhaust, calipers etc...

It's brilliant stuff and it contains no solvents that will attack body work. non toxic non adicic. Just finished using some my calipers today as they were covered in so much toad. I'll let the picture do the talking



Regards

Rich

[kwackkev22]

rich dont mean to be funny but those bolts you have holding your calipers on arent up to the job they look stainless and are no way near strong enough id get some proper bolts in there pls dont take this the wrong way

[raynaldo03]

when i was mine the best polish ive found is autoglym's aqua wax, u spray it on when its WET then work it in with 1 microfibre cloth then rub it off with a clean one.

gets a really good shine and you have'nt got to chammy the bike.

also when cleaning the really grimey bits use brake & clutch cleaner, it gets the oil and grime and alsorts off

[saka_ZXR]

I start with the pressure washer to get rid of surface dirt that can be quickly blasted off, then I spray the whole bike with high performance muck off and leave it on for a few minutes, spray it again with the pressure washer, give the full bike a drying off with a leather, give the full bike a polishing with meguirs tech wax, wipe all the wax off with a clean cloth. I then finish off by spraying all the fairings, screen, mirrors and wheels with cock pit shine (the stuff u use on car dashboards) wipe it off with a clean cloth, I then autosol my exhaust and I'm done

I also oil the chain after cleaning the bike.

I do that once a week, here's a great tip for u guys, get a large can of cock pit shine as u'll go through it like there's no tomorrow but it's only a couple of quid and it's worth it's weight in gold, spray your bike with it and then remove with a clean cloth b4 every ride, only takes 5 minutes and makes ur bike gleam!

[Jeppo]

[quote]spray your bike with it and then remove with a clean cloth b4 every ride, only takes 5 minutes and makes ur bike gleam!

I do that, awesome stuff!! Just the cheap tesco stuff does it. Or theres the expensive autoglym instant shine but the difference between the two isn't really noticeable!!

[saka_ZXR]

Well autocraze up the road from me sells massive cans of carplan original black spray for about £2/3 so i just pick up one of them every few weeks