Harley Spokes

route66detail

route66detail

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Hello my friends.... So were doing lots of bikes too now. Mostly Harleys actually. My question for the seasoned bike detail guys is this:

We charge a set base amount for touring bikes. That's...washing, polishing chrome, paint, and overall making the bike look ready for BiketoberFest etc... We did a bike the other day and it had spoked wheeles. Oops.... I didn't ask the customer about that in the phone interview. (we will now) but... We did not "detail" the spokes. In my limited experience, spokes are more of a restoration than a usual detail gig. Am I way off? It seems like an hour AT LEAST per wheel with the correct tools. Yes there was oxidation and some rust on there. 2004 Road King Classic. 2004! Thoughts?
 
To me, the spokes have to be a part of the detailing. Shitty looking wheels can make an otherwise flawlessly detailed bike look bad. Kinda like streaked windows on a otherwise perfectly detailed car.

Spoked wheels can be a pain but they need to be done, and charged for accordingly.

When estimating what it will take do the spokes, you have to consider the material to. Factory Harley spokes are terrible - they are cad plated and once the plating begins to fail and/or tarnish they are impossible to clean up nicely. Don't ever promise a mirror finish if you are working with factory Harley spokes - It's not gonna happen. Other popular materials for spokes are chrome plated, and my favorite, stainless.

I've replaced my factory Harley spokes with stainless replacements and they were worth every bit of the cost and effort to replace them.
 
When I do bikes I like to drench spokes with a very foaming glass cleaner.Then use fine steel wool to clean every spoke and then wash bike.maybe a spritz of wheel acid with a brush to get the chrome wheel hub.Its a pain to do them have to keep moving bike forward then backwards to get the whole wheel other than that there cake.I had 6 of them from the same client.I charged a flat fee of 250 a day.
 
So WHEEL acid? Ok. What about a dremmel tool. Saw that somewhere. I figured about $225-$250 if detailing spokes.
 
GSKR said:
...Its a pain to do them have to keep moving bike forward then backwards to get the whole wheel...
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If you're doing a bunch of bikes investing in a bike jack is a wise move. Not only can you get the wheels off the ground so you can rotate them, you can also keep the bike upright which makes the entire left side much easier to get to.

Even a cheap Harbor Freight bike jack (<$100.00) is adequate for detailing work.
 
you have to be careful with wheel acids ,if you spray it can oxidize some parts like the fins on the motor etc.There is no need for dremmel ,do all of your prep work first stoners glass cleaner and fine steel wool will be your best friend ,use the product when washing the better and thorough washing process will cut your time in half.Make sure you know what real chrome is and not plated fake chrome.I don't do bikes to justify a stand and can't throw a nickel in my transit it's packed with detailing stuff.I hate doing bikes my client has 6 of them I rejected the offer to detail them it was raining all week so I did them indoors at 250 a day.
 
2black1s said:
If you're doing a bunch of bikes investing in a bike jack is a wise move. Not only can you get the wheels off the ground so you can rotate them, you can also keep the bike upright which makes the entire left side much easier to get to.

Even a cheap Harbor Freight bike jack (<$100.00) is adequate for detailing work.
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Great. Will do. We do a lot of Harleys. I'll hit Harbor Freight for the cheapie for now. Thanks man!!!!
 
GSKR said:
you have to be careful with wheel acids ,if you spray it can oxidize some parts like the fins on the motor etc.There is no need for dremmel ,do all of your prep work first stoners glass cleaner and fine steel wool will be your best friend ,use the product when washing the better and thorough washing process will cut your time in half.Make sure you know what real chrome is and not plated fake chrome.I don't do bikes to justify a stand and can't throw a nickel in my transit it's packed with detailing stuff.I hate doing bikes my client has 6 of them I rejected the offer to detail them it was raining all week so I did them indoors at 250 a day.
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Ok. So what I'm hearing is Stoners Glass Cleaner and 0000 steel wool? What type of prep work are you referring to? Thanks for your help man!
 
As you are washing use fine steel wool and stoners and scrub every inch of chrome then wash .After wash blow off water dry ,then go over everything with wax or spray wax.
 
So what do you guys charge doing baggers,sport bikes,sportys.Got all the lifts,jacks tools 24x30 shop,no room for cars.How soft is Harley paint.Not about to put a machine wax/polish on a 20 yr old HD or any metric bike for that matter just old fashion elbow grease.
 
snedexracing said:
So what do you guys charge doing baggers,sport bikes,sportys.Got all the lifts,jacks tools 24x30 shop,no room for cars.How soft is Harley paint.Not about to put a machine wax/polish on a 20 yr old HD or any metric bike for that matter just old fashion elbow grease.
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For now were doing 75 for sportsters, 100 dynas, 125 touring. 50 for each wheel if spokes. No machines. Hand polish all. Can use a polisher but were staying away from them for the bikes. Elbow grease through and through....
 
Oh by the way using most same products yall mentioned.just don't know if im charging enuff for the hours im putting into each bike.Feedback neg/pos always welcome wont hurt my feelings thanks again
 
rt66 thanx.yea 21 in front wheel can take a while.Here in my area of BAMA ton of bikes wont be rode til next spring.Just getting ready for I hope a busy fall/winter detailing bikes
 
DO NOT use 0000 steel wool on the chrome unless it's kinda thrashed already. If you use it on chrome that is in good condition it won't be that way for long and you might have some really pissed-off customers. You might even be buying some new chrome.

Steel wool on chrome is kinda like the equivalent of a scrub brush on paint. Only difference being that you can polish the scratches out of paint... Once the chrome is scratched it's scratched for life.
 
route66detail said:
For now were doing 75 for sportsters, 100 dynas, 125 touring. 50 for each wheel if spokes. No machines. Hand polish all. Can use a polisher but were staying away from them for the bikes. Elbow grease through and through....
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I don't know how you could do bikes so cheaply.

I just got home from a 8,000 mile trip and spent 30 hours detailing my bike (2011 Ultra Limited).

I will admit to being a bit anal about my bike(s). Attention-to-Detail takes time.
 
Steel wool will not scratch real chrome ,I don't know who told u that its used on Chrome bumpers on Classic cars bikes any thing real chrome it has to be fine steel wool,I use it on glass to decontaminate exhaust tips chrome wheels on a car etc.I didn't just start this business yesterday and would never steer anyone wrong.How ever when doing bikes or cars you have to distinguish what's real chrome and plastic plated chrome.I think as far as pricing there is a threshold when it comes to bikes,that why I particularly don't care to do them. thanks
 
GSKR said:
Steel wool will not scratch real chrome ,I don't know who told u that its used on Chrome bumpers on Classic cars bikes any thing real chrome it has to be fine steel wool,I use it on glass to decontaminate exhaust tips chrome wheels on a car etc.I didn't just start this business yesterday and would never steer anyone wrong.How ever when doing bikes or cars you have to distinguish what's real chrome and plastic plated chrome.I think as far as pricing there is a threshold when it comes to bikes,that why I particularly don't care to do them. thanks
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Do what you may but my experience with 0000 steel wool on chrome is that it leaves a slightly hazed and finely scratched finish.

As for "real" chrome, whether the part is metallic or plastic, the chrome plating on the surface is the same. It's all "real". For cleaning and polishing purposes there's no difference.
 
2black1s said:
Do what you may but my experience with 0000 steel wool on chrome is that it leaves a slightly hazed and finely scratched finish.

As for "real" chrome, whether the part is metallic or plastic, the chrome plating on the surface is the same. It's all "real". For cleaning and polishing purposes there's no difference.
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Try bronze wool, I use that on chrome exhaust tips with great success. and it doesn't rust up like steel wool
 
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I will never put steel wool on the chrome of my road glide, NEVER! For the OP, mine is vivid black and it is soft. The only spots I do by hand are the places the polisher won't fit. HD polish and Reflect work really well on my bike. Sell the customers on coating the bike, best move I did was to coat mine. Stays cleaner longer, less I have to touch it the better.
 
$125 for a bagger? What are you doing for that price? Sounds super cheap. Are you removing the bags and the dash on the tank? Cleaning the motor?
 
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