Motorcycle detailing is one of the best ways to restore your bike to its showroom condition and extend its life. Keeping your bike clean and free of corrosive contaminants also helps protect it from damage while riding or transporting. Begin by spraying a small section of the bike with a mild detailing spray as a lubricant. Rub the clay bar gently over this lubricated area, folding it over frequently.
Your motorcycle’s engine is exposed to more grime and oil than other areas, so it requires extra attention when detailing. Using a degreaser product specifically intended for motorcycles and a brush to remove stubborn dirt and oil buildup is an excellent place to start. After you’ve removed all the visible contaminants, a good spray of engine brightener can bring your motorcycle back to life. Visit Website for more information.
It’s important to keep your bike completely cool when you’re rinsing it and cleaning it, as some cleaners can damage or crack the engine block if they’re sprayed on while the bike is hot. After a thorough rinse, it’s time to dry everything off. Rather than a single towel, pro detailers use an air blaster to blow warm, filtered air over the entire motorcycle, removing all the water from the most difficult to reach spots.
Using a special chrome polish is essential for bringing your motorcycle’s chrome parts back to a bright, shiny finish. This helps remove fingerprints, smudges and bugs from all the chrome surfaces on your motorcycle. To make sure you don’t scratch your bike while polishing, it is also a good idea to use a special rag designed for this purpose.
There are a variety of tools available for removing scratches and buffing paint to a mirror-like finish, but the best way to achieve this is by hiring a professional who has years of experience in doing it. They’ll know exactly how to clean and prepare your motorcycle for the polishing and waxing stages so it looks brand-new once it comes out of the shop. They’ll also be able to advise you on the right products and techniques for achieving your ideal results.
Paint
As any motorcycle enthusiast knows, paint can be the most beautiful part of a bike. It’s what draws the crowds at bike nights and helps a well-maintained motorcycle draw top dollar if sold.
Polishing removes blemishes, swirls and abrasions from the painted surface of the vehicle. This step should always be done with a product that is safe for your specific paint type, and should be completed using a microfiber towel with moderate pressure and circular motions. It’s important to switch out towels often, so you don’t mar the finish with dirt or contaminants from a dirty towel.
After polishing, your paint should be clean and gleaming. The next step is protecting it with a good coat of wax or sealant. This will help prevent damage from the elements, and protect your hard work to keep it looking showroom new.
The amount of time it takes to do all the steps described above varies based on the type of bike, its level of cleanliness and how it’s used. For example, a chopper may have more chrome than a streetbike, and a bike that’s never been used on the trails might need more work than one that has been driven every day.
Chrome
Even after a good wash, dirt, grease and more can still remain on the chrome of your motorcycle. Typically, the best way to remove this is to polish the chrome with a fine metal polish. During this process, it’s a good idea to polish in a shaded area and a cool non-humid environment. It’s also a good idea to polish twice, with a break in between to finish another component of the detailing process (such as the dashboard or controls). Once polished, it’s a good idea to apply a coat of wax to help protect your work and extend the life of the shine.
Your wheels and spokes should be washed separately from the rest of your bike, using a mild tire cleaner or soap to remove oils and road film. Once they are clean, the chrome should be polished and then waxed to protect it. Uncoated aluminum can be polished with aluminum polish, and coated aluminum can be treated the same as the paint on your bike, lightly polished and then waxed.
Since there are many electrical components in the dash, it is important not to get these wet. However, they do need to be cleaned, so use a cleaner that provides UV protection for plastic components and plexiglass windshields. Depending on the size and type of your bike, and the level of cleanliness, this can take up to a few hours to complete. After this, your bike is ready to ride.
Leather
Leather is a durable, strong and flexible material that can be fashioned into various products like shoes and boots, outer apparel, handbags, furniture, tools, sports equipment, and so on. It is produced by tanning or chemically treating animal skins and hides to make them rotproof. The most common types of leather are from cows, sheep, goats, pigs, buffalo and aquatic animals like alligators and seals.
Once the leather is tanned, it can be conditioned to give it added durability and resistance against cracking, peeling, abrasion, water, heat, and cold. During the conditioning process, leather is soaked in oils of animal, vegetable, mineral or synthetic origin to increase its strength, softness and water repellency. Then the greased leather is dried, staking and winding to further reduce its moisture content.
Depending on the type of leather used in your motorcycle and how often you use it, you may need to apply leather protectors from time to time to keep it looking good and protect it against water damage. There are several different types of leather on motorcycles, from smooth black to high-quality vinyl that looks and feels like leather, all of which require special care.
To start detailing your leather, first rinse it thoroughly with a hose, ensuring all the dirt has been removed from the surface. If you have a suede or nubuck leather seat, use a cleaner with gentle cleaning ingredients. Once the seat is clean, apply a non-slick protectant like Fortador’s LeatherVinylTrim to help it retain its new look for as long as possible.
Tires
The tires are the connection between the motorcycle and the road. They have a tremendous impact on ride, handling and safety. Motorcycle tire sizes and construction vary greatly, based on what kind of riding the motorcycle is designed for. From racing slicks to aggressive tread for off-road conditions, there is a tire for every rider and terrain.
The rubber in the tire is shaped to provide the rider with the best possible traction. A tire’s tread pattern is engineered to disperse water and maintain traction on wet pavement, or bite into an unpaved surface. It’s important to maintain a properly inflated tire. If the air pressure is off by just a few percent, it could cause a sudden loss of control.
While washing the bike, you should be sure to thoroughly wash the tires and rims. If there’s any tar, bug splatter or other sticky substances stuck to the tires, use a tar and bug remover to get it off. Once the tires are clean, you can polish and wax them just like you would the painted parts of the bike.
It’s a good idea to avoid spraying tire dressing on the tire surfaces. It will saturate the tread and make it slippery, potentially reducing braking ability. Spraying the tires also leaves a messy residue that can contaminate brake pads. If you want to apply a tire shine, do so by wiping it on with a rag or sponge.
The leather upholstery on a motorcycle requires special care. Whether it’s natural or synthetic leather, or a high-quality vinyl, it needs proper cleaning and a non-slick protectant. Fortador’s LeatherVinylTrim protector is a great product to keep your leather seats looking great and protected from the sun.