What is bare minimum to decently take care of a motorcycle?

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QuietCropDuster

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Title says it all. I'd rather not spend $200, no offense to anybody who does. I own a 2007 Suzuki GSXR 750. I'd like to just simply keep the bike clean, and the paint job at a decent shine. I spent about a solid 3-3 hours browsing around & there seem to be several thousand products you can use and it gets confusing. I currently use Mother's brand named exterior detainter after a good wash. And I use their interior detailer in the plastics. What all is a "must have" for the budget minded? View attachment 25077

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Welcome to AGO. Nice bike.

If you are not looking to spend a ton of money you will do just fine with OTC products such as Meguiar's or Mothers.

Meguiar's has a line specifically for motorcycle care. You may also want to pick up a few other products such as a clay bar and maybe a polish. It's up to you how far you want to go.

Be careful though, you may just end up detailing other vehicles. :)
 
Here are the basics to keeping a motorcycle clean. Wash the whole bike with S100 total motorcycle cleaner or a good car wash soap with a microfiber towel if you do not have the S100. You can clean the grease off your wheels and under the fender with Simple green. If the wheels are covered with lots of chain lube, you can use Kerosene. If the front fairing and windscreen has lots of bugs, lay a warm soapy towel over the windscreen to soften the bugs before removing. Rinse the bike, then dry the bike and engine with a leaf blower. If the bike does not have any scratches, just take Meguiars Quick Detailer and wipe the whole bike down. If the bike has light scratches you will need to purchase a cleaner wax to remove any blemishes. Then just oil the chain with WD-40 and you are done. Things not to do. Don't spray the bike with a pressure washer --- Don't Armor All the tires or seat ---- Don't wax the stickers with paste wax .
 
Real Riders said:
Here are the basics to keeping a motorcycle clean. Wash the whole bike with S100 total motorcycle cleaner or a good car wash soap with a microfiber towel if you do not have the S100. You can clean the grease off your wheels and under the fender with Simple green. If the wheels are covered with lots of chain lube, you can use Kerosene. If the front fairing and windscreen has lots of bugs, lay a warm soapy towel over the windscreen to soften the bugs before removing. Rinse the bike, then dry the bike and engine with a leaf blower. If the bike does not have any scratches, just take Meguiars Quick Detailer and wipe the whole bike down. If the bike has light scratches you will need to purchase a cleaner wax to remove any blemishes. Then just oil the chain with WD-40 and you are done. Things not to do. Don't spray the bike with a pressure washer --- Don't Armor All the tires or seat ---- Don't wax the stickers with paste wax .
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That's some pretty solid advice!
 
Real Riders said:
Here are the basics to keeping a motorcycle clean. Wash the whole bike with S100 total motorcycle cleaner or a good car wash soap with a microfiber towel if you do not have the S100. You can clean the grease off your wheels and under the fender with Simple green. If the wheels are covered with lots of chain lube, you can use Kerosene. If the front fairing and windscreen has lots of bugs, lay a warm soapy towel over the windscreen to soften the bugs before removing. Rinse the bike, then dry the bike and engine with a leaf blower. If the bike does not have any scratches, just take Meguiars Quick Detailer and wipe the whole bike down. If the bike has light scratches you will need to purchase a cleaner wax to remove any blemishes. Then just oil the chain with WD-40 and you are done. Things not to do. Don't spray the bike with a pressure washer --- Don't Armor All the tires or seat ---- Don't wax the stickers with paste wax .
Click to expand...

One thing I forgot to mention was that my paint is a flat matte white :confused: It's not OEM previous owner did it - he had it done professionally. Also for chain cleaner I use Motul and PJ1 blue label lube. Never thought to try WD-40 lol.
 
QuietCropDuster said:
One thing I forgot to mention was that my paint is a flat matte white :confused: It's not OEM previous owner did it - he had it done professionally. Also for chain cleaner I use Motul and PJ1 blue label lube. Never thought to try WD-40 lol.
Click to expand...

Don't use anything abrasive on it, it will make it glossy and ruin the paint. A nice paint sealant and QD spray will maintain it fine.
 
The reason I use WD-40 on an o ring chain is that if you use thick chain lube it will attract dirt and grit that will eventually wear out the O rings and then the chain will stretch out and will need replaced. The WD-40 does not attract dirt and grit and does not fly off all over the back wheel. I have used WD-40 on all my bikes for 20 yrs and some chains still look new after 10,000 miles. The only time WD-40 does not work is if you travel in the rain which you will need a chain wax that will not wash off in the water
 
If you are looking for bare minimum go get yourself a can of plexus and some microfiber towels. Clean your bike and your helmets with plexus.

I always used plexus on my bike because it wasnt a show bike so I didnt care about swirl marks, just a nice clean look. Used it on everything and it worked great for any surface really.

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Just keep in mind that with matte paint, polishing out imperfections is out of the question. So use good microfiber towels on the paint and resist the urge to wipe it down when it gets dusty unless you're using a good QD spray, waterless wash, or otherwise. Swirls and scratches will build up and won't go away without a repaint in the case of a matte finish.

I love waterless washes for my motorcycles.
 
For the painted surfaces I use the same Meguiar's professional products that I already have for my cars.

After every day ride, I wipe down the surfaces of my motorcycle with a damp cloth and re-apply Pledge. The bugs come off so much easier. And for the nay sayers, my paint is now in its 24th year and perfect.

As for the engine and chassis, I use Swish Facto AT30 water based degreaser. I've been using it since 1986. It is especially useful for messy chain drive motorcycles.
 
I foam mine down about once a month, with Meguiars Wash & Wax, hose that off with pressure washer, re-foam, and then grab my bucket and mitt with the same solution and wash it down.

In between the month, after every ride, I wipe down with UWW+. You'd be surprised how easy the bugs come off once you keep some protection on it!
 
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