I wrote this a year or two ago for a mate getting into Classic Bikes.
Aplologies to Tyga for the "soup" bit.
I really do all this to every bike in the garage.
Jeez I'm sad.
Have fun at my expense
Cleaning /restoring Motorbikes – or “get a life you muppet”
By David Clarke
YOU WILL NEED
Muc-Off, or at a push, Autoglym motorcycle degreaser.
A good selection of brushes – muc-off do a pack with a gallon off de-greaser,
Clean lint-free rags – Halfords
Solvol Autosol
Maas metal polish
Autoglym super resin polish or Turtle wax
Autoglym extra gloss protection
SAE 90 gear oil
WD40 or “bike spray” - Halfords
Tack polishing cloths – Halfords / Tescos
Wonder wheel
Grades of wire brush, small to large, Steel, NOT brass – leave that for your spark plugs!
Armour-all plastic polish
A pressure washer
Halfords cationic car shampoo
Sponges
Top quality Chammys
Ok. You need to strip off any bodywork, and the bike has to be freewheeling at both ends. I use a stand and a block of wood under the fork leg with the SP, the centre stand and the wood with the Viffer and bespoke stands with the Gasser and NSR. If your chain is rusty, bin it and start again.
The idea here is that you get the bike immaculately clean once. Thereafter, you clean it pretty much every time you use it but even if you got caught out in the rain, it should only take half a day to get in mint again. Getting it really mint the first time can take weeks – it depends how fussy you are. Personally, I want them better than when they left the factory, and I don’t care if the bike is 12 years old when I start. You will basically have to strip off every bit and clean and restore it. Badly tarnished bolts, hangers and the like get the wire brush, then Solvol. If the engine and cases are neglected, you CAN recover them as follows…..
You need to make "Soup"!!
Measure equal quantities of diesel and water into a suitable container, and add a generous helping of manual washing powder to the mix until it's of the consistency its name would suggest!! Don't use an ecologically correct expensive powder safe enough to sprinkle on your Cornflakes, but use the nastiest, cheapest washing powder available... preferably something with the word BLEACH in the ingredients somewhere!!!
The diesel acts as a solvent, while lime and oxidants in the washing powder act as a caustic agent, getting right down into the surface of the alloy.
Now, the nature of this last statement alone should be enough for you to realise that you don't need to leave the solution in contact with the casings for very long! The solution isn't too good for rubber seals either if left exposed for extended periods, but is safe enough to splash around virtually all over the bike anywhere you'd use a commercial cleaner/degreaser.
Although "Soup" consists of common every-day ingredients, care must be taken in the disposal of the waste solution as not only is the diesel harmful, but the oils and dirt suspended in the used liquid make it extremely hazardous, so don't just go pouring it down the drain!
The use of rubber gloves is also highly recommended when handling any solvent, be it commercial or "Soup"!
Brush the Soup on liberally, working it into all the crevices and corners and allow it to stand for 15-20 minutes. The use of both an old toothbrush and/or a Scotchbrite pad to agitate the mixture will help bring the alloy up to an impressive finish. Simply rinse the casings off with fresh cold water, and repeat the operation on any further persistent deposits.
With the casings cleaned, dry of any excess water with a suitable cloth, and closely inspect all the exterior surfaces for any signs of damage. If all looks well, the motor is ready for disassembly.[What, you’re not cleaning the INSIDE too?]
Of course you can do all this with the engine insitu – your call.
If the bike is relatively new, Muc-off can be used the same way as the Soup. With Wonder wheel on the … wheels! You can cover the whole bike with Muc-off, but leave it for no more than 15 mins. Tough bits need to be agitated or done twice, even thrice, [use your brush set now] then the whole lot blasted off with the pressure washer. Avoid the bearings at wheel and steering head. Remember to get “underneath” the bike – I use a swivel head attachment to the washer. If the chain is mingin, paraffin and a toothbrush will work – but it’s as well to junk it and never let it get so crap again.
Pay close attention to wheels, calipers, under yolks, suspension linkages etc. About now you will wish you had a pro-arm rear wheel that pops off in 15seconds like your flash mate Clarkie.
Now then, with the bike thoroughly de-greased, you can easily see which bits need restoring. Take them off at the end of this process and sit watching the box, polishing them with the Missus best tea towels. For bad Ali – use the soup method and polish with solvol. Or, replace the soup with Ali-Brite on furred up Ali. You will just have to learn which is best.
Back to your wet – de-greased bike. Several buckets of hot shampoo washes later – she should be looking pretty good.
Rinse off with the jet at low pressure [what do you mean you bought a cheap one with no pressure adjustment?!] and ……
Repeat as many times as it takes to get down to bare metal.
Now, Chammy her off, and get some WD40 EVERYWHERE. Switchgear, fastenings, electrics, chain and sprockets, cables, bearings – everywhere. The idea is to drive out every drop of water. Half a large can on a Superbike. Get a clean cloth, and wipe down all the excess moisture and WD. Try to keep it off the paintwork and disks but cover everything else. During this process, really work the rag into the chain turning the wheel and get the WD well into the side plates and rollers.
Now I prefer to spray on the Muc-off, set up the washer and hoses and START THE ENGINE BEFORE GETTING THE JET ON AND BLASTING IT OFF. It is usually then ok to shampoo, and WD up with the engine off. Then start her up again and get the exhausts good and hot – but keep spraying them with WD – this evaporates off and leaves a thin film all around the bike – weather protection. It is this thin film that makes it easier to clean from here on in as it takes all the grime with it next time you de-grease!
It is straightforward from here.
Use the resin polish on the paintwork – keep it OFF any plastic – especially the screen. Use a clean cloth and throw it away when you finish. Let it dry and clean it off with another clean cloth. As it dries, get the Solvol on any bare metal – levers, hangers etc. If you have tar spots that won’t budge, a little Solvol USED WET AND DILUTED will bring them off. I prefer WD and lots of elbow grease on paintwork.
As the Solvol dries you can apply the extra gloss.
As that dries… polish off the Solvol!
Now, apply the Armour-all to any black plastic or rubber you need to restore, cables, switchgear, yolks, huggers, fluid reservoirs etc, BUT DO NOT GET IT ON THE PAINTWORK. [You have left the extra gloss on to dry just in case you spill a bit but try to avoid this if possible] Polish off as almost straight away with a clean cloth. This will have anything black looking like new, including tyre sidewalls..[Ahem!]
Now you can use that flash washable tack cloth that really grips the paint to polish off the extra gloss, these cloths are indispensable and last for ages – wash them every week. Always finish off any metal parts with a MAAS polish which leaves a protective film –unlike the abrasive Solvol. And polish off the whole bike with a fresh tack cloth, leaving only the Armour-all alone.
Use SAE90 to lube the chain. NEVER use a chain wax. It sticks and attracts crap. The idea is that your bike now has a protective film. When you come to clean it next time, the film takes all the crap with it making the whole job much easier – PROVIDING you keep on top of it.
I prefer a Motrax chain oilier to constantly lube the chain. Any mileage over 3k a year and it will pay for itself.
Hours of fun.
Sit back in the garage and admire your baby and send your mate Clarkie a crate of Bud. _________________
I'm no bike mechanic but is it really a good idea to spray the chain with WD40 - it is very penetrative and will wash away chain lubricant. On an O-ring type chain it might even penetrate the O-rings. It might then be difficult for newly applied lubricant to penetrate the O-rings as lubricant isn't as penetrative as WD40, and some WD40 might remain inside O-rings further reducing the effectiveness of new lubricant.
Colin
Do you get £20k+ miles out of your chains including 10 track days?
[On an SP1 mind you]
It works - trust me.
Castrol
Not much point in pics - you never see the detail.
I've lost count of the times I've been to see "immaculate" kit that looked great in the pics but are really only average in the flesh. _________________
Hi Clarkie - I haven't replaced a chain in years actually. Though admittedly I am a fairweather rider these days (I wasn't always) and I am too embarrased to admit how many years it has taken me to cover the last 20K miles! Therefore my chains stay fairly clean and I just lube them as required.
If it works for you though I am sure it is fine - just sounded a bit odd as WD40 is so good at removing any trace of a lubricant.
I used to have a SP1 and 20K miles from a chain sounds mental .
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