When my Father passed away last year, he left me an 88 Sportster which was his first Harley (he had 2 others along the way and built his last bike from scratch). Anyway, I now have his old Sporty and need to get it cleaned up.

The engine isn't polished, but instead a flat metal finish (brushed aluminum look) and I'd like to get her looking as new as possible again.

Any recommendations for engine cleaner specifically, and any other recommendations on detailing the rest of the bike?

Thanks gents......and ladies.

 

Super Clean (purple jug) is a great cleaner/degreaser. For chrome Mothers Chrome Polish for aluminum Mothers Power Metal. For the paint Meguires makes good products. Start off with a cleaner followed by a polish and finish with a good coat of wax.

 

For a degreaser, try Wizards Crud Release, and then use their other products to detail your 'new' bike. Enjoy.

 

Back in the day many moons ago had a sporty and with what sounds like the same cases. Used a lot of elbow grease cant buy that and some Never Dull.The cases and Rocker Boxes polished out like some fine chrome..
Good Luck

 

Super clean and purple power are pretty much the same stuff. The purple power is cheaper at Home stores. Be careful on paint though, it will ruin it. I would also test it on aluminum first, might dull it. It contains sodium hydroxide which is a very strong base. I use it on my Case 430 tractor and it melts the grease and oil right off. I use it to clean the tile floor too. Great stuff!!!!

Joe

 

+1 on the Purple Power and Mother's products. McGuiers is what I use on my paint.

 

Ok fella's, took your advice and got the Purple Power which works.........but, it's not strong enough to break through the grease/guck.

There is no way that stuff is going to cut through the grease/guck that has accumulated on this bike for the last 10 yrs. I spent an hour alone cleaning the area around the oil cooler alone (there was 1/4th inch thick of grease/guck). It was so bad, I had to remove the 2 bolts that hold the cooler in place just to get behind it and it still isn't even close to looking/being clean. Of note, the chrome accessories, rims, etc.......everything shiny in other words is in good shape. It's the frame of the bike and under the oil canister that are heavily gucked up.

So here is my thought.......experts, please chime in.

I have three options:

Option 1: Take the bike to a car wash that has heat water pressure and pressure wash the $H!T out of it to try to break up some of the guck (let me know if this is an option, and if so, what to cover up to prevent the bike from not restarting after the pressure washing)

Option 2: Disassemble the bike piece by piece to be able to get into all the crevices and then reassemble the bike.

Option 3: Pay someone some BANK to detail the bike for me?

Please let me know your thoughts......it's an 88 Sportster by the way, not that it matters, just thought you be interested to know what bike it was.

 

If its that bad it will take a lot of cleaner and elbow grease. Personaly I'd hire a steam cleaner from a tool hire company, their quite cheep to hire in the UK, probably the same in the USA. I used to work as a plant fitter and we had to strip the engines and gear box'es out of crawlers, lotsof grease, but the steam cleaners did it every time. Just be mindfull of bearings etc.

Reddog UK.

 

Depends ont he amount of work you want to put into it. You could dissamble for cleaning and fix anything that may need it while reassembling. Or use a rented steam cleaner, better than the carwash, I think everything would be fine after it dried out. Keep the pressure away from the electrical housings, bearings, and probably fuel connections. Good luck. I am sure you will get more advice to help you decide also.

 

Ended up having a guy come over and do it.....he did a pretty good job with exception of anything aluminum (its all hazy now). Any ideas to shine her up? I bought a Mother's Power Ball and Aluminum cleaner and will be giving that a shot but does anyone else have any secrets on aluminum polishing?