I washed my bike yesterday and the engine was still warm enough that I ended up with water spots all over most of the chrome around the engine. Tried several different cleaners, windex, harley gloss, etc...nothing touched 'em. Asked the wife what she would use and she popped into the kitchen for a bottle of vinegar. The vinegar instantly erased every water spot it touched. No scrubbing necessary. Took me many years of scrubbing these things only to have my wife hand me the vinegar and give me that "Duhhh" look. Try it next time, you'll see! Now I'm wondering if it would be safe on the paint, gloss black is a bitch.

 

Before you try it on your paint, give Lemon Pledge a try...stuff works awesome and is safe on the paint!

 

I use pledge often also. It cleans, gives a little protection, but most importantly, it doesn't leave alot of residue.

 

Pledge does works great. I have used Windex window cleaner on my chrome.

 

I have used windex on my chrome for years works great.

 

Would you like fries with that?

 

Hey stro1965! How was the smell when the chrome heated up on the engine and pipes with that vinegar?

 

Another Windex user here...At least with it your hands don't smell like you've been playing in douche water.

 

I will have to try that; vinegar. I use either simichrome or Flitz to polish my chrome. Both products remove my water spots, but vinegar in comparison is cheaper.

 

Careful with that vinegar! It works because it's acidic. If you let it sit on a surface too long, it will etch it. Be sure to do a follow-up wipe-down with detailing spray or something similar.

BTW, vinegar is also good for loosening/removing surface rust.