Bike Valeting

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

Hi, after some help please. I haven't really looked after the chrome and shiny bits on my bike over the winter months and the salt has played havoc even though i have washed it regularly. Anyone know of a good bike valet in south wales?

cheers

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

I dont know any but why not try & have a go yourself
I will be hard work but worth it at the end of the day


Pope will be along soon & he knows his cleaning kits & I'm sure will give you some advice on what products to use

[Pope]

That may be a market for someone as I know of TONNES of car valeting places, but none at all for bikes! 

If you're looking to keep salt at bay I can recommend a few products.

If you're riding through the entire winter and don't get much chance to rinse off the salt, the WaxOyl is the hardcore product.
Paint it on at the start of winter and it forms a barrier that can be washed off when summer arrives again.  Thick black stuff that won't let the salt in.

If you get chance to rinse the bike off then use the same stuff I do . ACF50.
They use it on aircraft carriers to protect the planes from the salt water 

and WD40 is similar and cheaper

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

I dont know any but why not try & have a go yourself
I will be hard work but worth it at the end of the day


Pope will be along soon & he knows his cleaning kits & I'm sure will give you some advice on what products to use

  Have a go yourself. Mug of tea, radio2 on and away to go. 

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

i sit and clean,polish and shine mine and hubbys bikes on the drive radio on cuppa too and 6 hours later all done what a sense of satisfaction have  a go   

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

Acf 50 good before crud build up, Muc off, Fuchs off excellent for shifting dirt.
Assortment of brushes down to toothbrush for fiddly bits.
Sorry but there is no real substitute for elbow grease & time.
This way you see any jobs that need doing as well.

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

i sit and clean,polish and shine mine and hubbys bikes on the drive radio on cuppa too and 6 hours later all done what a sense of satisfaction have  a go   

I'll drop mine around later for more satisfaction
but could not agree more great to do it yourself as you wont leave it to rot next time will you 

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

well looks like its going to be a boring weekend with the polish instead of riding the bike! thanks for the help

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

Hi, after some help please. I haven't really looked after the chrome and shiny bits on my bike over the winter months and the salt has played havoc even though i have washed it regularly. Anyone know of a good bike valet in south wales?

cheers

Well it looks like I arrived just in time to save you all from the corrosion worm then  step into my workshop pull up a seat and sit yourself down on the couch and tell me all about it you have a  and I'll get the  out while I listen to all your worries. And I will see what I can do to help  of course you could have a look here http:// barry : but that would be giving you far too much information and I would get told off from the very kind forum boss.

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

Hi, after some help please. I haven't really looked after the chrome and shiny bits on my bike over the winter months and the salt has played havoc even though i have washed it regularly. Anyone know of a good bike valet in south wales?

cheers

First of all if you can take some pic's and get them up for me to have a look, if you have a lot of chrome to do go to ASDA a get yourself a roll of tin foil (this is NOT for a tin foil hat btw) but rip of enough to make a hat "just in case" now scrunch it up into a very loose ball, and start rubbing it up and down your chrome this "should remove 90% of the pit's, give the chrome a good solvo autosoliving which will bring up your chrome to a shine finish. Now get yourself some ACF50, "DON'T BOTHER WITH AN AEROSOL TIN" they are a wast of time and money, a hand pump bottle is all you need, take the spray handle off and pour a small amount into a clean rag and go over your chrome with the rag, this will leave you with a nice film and still keep your chrome shining.
Now when you come to re clean you bike get yourself a spray bottle of SDOC100 this is a German bike degrease which is acid free and  contains anti corrosion chemicals, I use a radiator angle headed paint brush from B&Q clean your bike and clean water hose or gentle jet wash re apply ACF50 to all your chrome, as above.

I hope this helps
Baz
 

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

Hi, after some help please. I haven't really looked after the chrome and shiny bits on my bike over the winter months and the salt has played havoc even though i have washed it regularly. Anyone know of a good bike valet in south wales?

cheers

First of all if you can take some pic's and get them up for me to have a look, if you have a lot of chrome to do go to ASDA a get yourself a roll of tin foil (this is NOT for a tin foil hat btw) but rip of enough to make a hat "just in case" now scrunch it up into a very loose ball, and start rubbing it up and down your chrome this "should remove 90% of the pit's, give the chrome a good solvo autosoliving which will bring up your chrome to a shine finish. Now get yourself some ACF50, "DON'T BOTHER WITH AN AEROSOL TIN" they are a wast of time and money, a hand pump bottle is all you need, take the spray handle off and pour a small amount into a clean rag and go over your chrome with the rag, this will leave you with a nice film and still keep your chrome shining.
Now when you come to re clean you bike get yourself a spray bottle of SDOC100 this is a German bike degrease which is acid free and  contains anti corrosion chemicals, I use a radiator angle headed paint brush from B&Q clean your bike and clean water hose or gentle jet wash re apply ACF50 to all your chrome, as above.

I hope this helps
Baz

This is one of my customers bikes an 02 R1 after I had finished with it.

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

This Guzzi was in a similar state with its chrome before I attacked it, from start to finish 2 hours work and I can get a dirty bike looking like this.





But I do have the equipment to do the job, too get the perfect finish and coverage of the ACF50 I use 80psi to mist it. ACF50 as said is used on aircraft to protect them from salt damage and it is electrical neutral which is great for keeping water out of all the electrical connectors, ACF50 is a thin film "once applied via mist" that will creep and displace water in all the hard to reach places.

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

    some good cleaning tips there,        I especially like the tin foil idea for cleaning pitted chrome, will give it a try this weekend.   

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

   Really good info 

[UK Motorcycle Forum Member]

Hi baz & welcome to the madhouse

Thanks for posting advice I'm sure all of our members will find it useful