Waxing your chrome
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 525
Likes: 2
From: NĂśdinge, Sweden
RE: Waxing your chrome
I wrote a little about this in the thread Wax Crome or not ;
https://www.hdforums.com/m_89608/tm.htm
https://www.hdforums.com/m_89608/tm.htm
RE: Waxing your chrome
I have been using protect all cleaner for over 10 years and use nothing else. Wiper her down 3 to 4 times per week and have only washed the bike once in 10 months. If you keep it up you can get by without washing for quite some time.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 590
Likes: 1
From: DAGO
RE: Waxing your chrome
I've been using this particular product for a couple of years now, and have had excellent results...
http://www.master-formula.com/Metal%20Polish.htm I use the cleaner followed by the sealer maybe twice a year at the most. I actually broke it out last weekend, and man, what an amazing shine! [sm=icon_rock.gif]
http://www.master-formula.com/Metal%20Polish.htm I use the cleaner followed by the sealer maybe twice a year at the most. I actually broke it out last weekend, and man, what an amazing shine! [sm=icon_rock.gif]
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Waxing your chrome
I do one very good wash job followed with a good carnuba polish. A polish does not build up like wax does. During the summer unless i get into some really bad dirt roads, I clean with the wipe on wipe off produsts. The old guys never had what we do now. My dad always had me cleaning his bikes with windex on the chrome and Lemon pledge on the paint. Keeping the fairing polished each time before going makes the bugs come off allot easier when you get home.
But I may just be fussy, I even wash and wax my garden tractor.
But I may just be fussy, I even wash and wax my garden tractor.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,357
Likes: 1
From: Iwakuni, Japan
RE: Waxing your chrome
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but if I wax my chrome then spray windex on it won't the windex remove the wax? I use mother polish on chrome then touch up with windex then wax it.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 407
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Waxing your chrome
You are correct. Most over the counter window cleaners contain alcohol. That will cut through everything you applied and basically you wasted your time. We use a 50/50 water alcohol mix to check our work when buffing because it removes any polish and fillers that may be covering swirls or scratches.
ORIGINAL: geno3j
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but if I wax my chrome then spray windex on it won't the windex remove the wax? I use mother polish on chrome then touch up with windex then wax it.
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but if I wax my chrome then spray windex on it won't the windex remove the wax? I use mother polish on chrome then touch up with windex then wax it.
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 441
Likes: 6
From: Reading Pa
RE: Waxing your chrome
My question is if the pipes get that red hot, how come the wax doesn't just burn off. In that sense, 20 minutes of riding after you wax the chrome pipes and the wax should be gone. no? But it seems to still be protected. got me
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Waxing your chrome
Just want to make sure I got my point right, You do need to to put some type of protection on all parts of the bike. Your choice of polish for the paint, and Chrome polish for the chrome. Like I said, I prefer a Carnuba based polish as it does not build up layer after layer. Turtle wax Chrome cleaner for the chrome. For the quick detail / touch before or after the ride I like the Windex on the chrome and ( I went out and looked) Wizard or Meguiers spray on, wipe off for the paint.
I only do the full tear down Detail job in the spring and pay attention to detail through out the summer. If you use a "wax" product you'll find that after awhile when you apply the wax/cleaner all your removing is the previous wax job. So, your just waxing the wax and not shinning the paint.
I used to be a detailer and found on old cars when I was buffing them out that I was removing layers of old wax. Note the phrase "WAX BUILD UP"
I guess I keep my bike fairly clean all the time so I don't have to spend hours and hours each time.
I only do the full tear down Detail job in the spring and pay attention to detail through out the summer. If you use a "wax" product you'll find that after awhile when you apply the wax/cleaner all your removing is the previous wax job. So, your just waxing the wax and not shinning the paint.
I used to be a detailer and found on old cars when I was buffing them out that I was removing layers of old wax. Note the phrase "WAX BUILD UP"
I guess I keep my bike fairly clean all the time so I don't have to spend hours and hours each time.