A love/hate relationship
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 377
Likes: 1
Please don't try Kerosene, cause I know someone will see this and try it. That is a trick used by "old school' dudes to make their cars look good long enough for a car show. And that is how long it lasts. Long enough for a car or bike show.... OMG .. so sorry about that comment.The Pledge thing just had me going.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,755
Likes: 12
From: Commerce, Mich.
I used to have a Black FatBoy, I used nothing but Microfiber cloths, Harley Scratch and Swirl (when needed) and Wizards polish, followed by a good carnuba wax.
Alot of people will tell you to use this product, or that product, but I have to ask...WHY would you spend 20K on a bike, and NOT use products speciffically made for BIKES?
First and foremost...Microfiber cloths are your best friend..I buy them in multiple colors, and use them as color coded for different uses..(white for windshield, orange for paint, blue for chrome..etc..this avoids alot of problems with cross contamination of your cloths) once they look dirty after a washing, replace them..
Washing your bike is where most swirl marks come from. Use a sheepskin mitt, or microfiber mitt. get your bike wet with the hose (GENTLE SPRAY ONLY!!) Wash a section of the bike with the mitt ( I use 3 mitts. 1 for paint, one for the engine area, and one for wheels, I do paint first, then enmgine, and wheels last, and change water in the bucket as needed) Lightly rinse each section as you go so you don't get soap buildup drying on the bike.
Once you are done washing, re-rinse the entire bike and dry with air (blower, NEVER USE A COMPRESSOR!)
If you have swirls, use the HD scratch and swirl, it WILL remove them easily, just follow directions and remove with a clean microfiber.
Follow with the wizards polish, (normally 2 coats, as the more coats you aply, the deeper the shine) then a good wax.
Another tip...Apply all polises, waxes, and swirl and scratch out of the sun..inside the garage is best as you get more even lighting and can actually SEE the finish better. You would be surprised at how much more you can see under flourescent lighting than you can see in the sun. If it looks great inside, it will be AWESOME in the sun.
Alot of people will tell you to use this product, or that product, but I have to ask...WHY would you spend 20K on a bike, and NOT use products speciffically made for BIKES?
First and foremost...Microfiber cloths are your best friend..I buy them in multiple colors, and use them as color coded for different uses..(white for windshield, orange for paint, blue for chrome..etc..this avoids alot of problems with cross contamination of your cloths) once they look dirty after a washing, replace them..
Washing your bike is where most swirl marks come from. Use a sheepskin mitt, or microfiber mitt. get your bike wet with the hose (GENTLE SPRAY ONLY!!) Wash a section of the bike with the mitt ( I use 3 mitts. 1 for paint, one for the engine area, and one for wheels, I do paint first, then enmgine, and wheels last, and change water in the bucket as needed) Lightly rinse each section as you go so you don't get soap buildup drying on the bike.
Once you are done washing, re-rinse the entire bike and dry with air (blower, NEVER USE A COMPRESSOR!)
If you have swirls, use the HD scratch and swirl, it WILL remove them easily, just follow directions and remove with a clean microfiber.
Follow with the wizards polish, (normally 2 coats, as the more coats you aply, the deeper the shine) then a good wax.
Another tip...Apply all polises, waxes, and swirl and scratch out of the sun..inside the garage is best as you get more even lighting and can actually SEE the finish better. You would be surprised at how much more you can see under flourescent lighting than you can see in the sun. If it looks great inside, it will be AWESOME in the sun.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 377
Likes: 1
Thank you Trailfndr for injecting some common sense and sort of agreeing with what I said about using sheepskin mitts and multiple buckets.
There was a detailing savvy guy who came on here and all but washed these guys bikes for them.... had a detailing course and all that. It didn't work....Too far back to read.
Just nice too see someone who knows how to wash a bike.
Most of it's in the washing guys. It really is. Don't create problems, and you won't have to fix them.
NTGIRL
There was a detailing savvy guy who came on here and all but washed these guys bikes for them.... had a detailing course and all that. It didn't work....Too far back to read.
Just nice too see someone who knows how to wash a bike.
Most of it's in the washing guys. It really is. Don't create problems, and you won't have to fix them.
NTGIRL
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Apr 4, 2011 07:02 AM
