i want my bike to bling
 

afternoon people

so the sun is out, there is no wind, or snow..... for the first time in months i have put my leather jacket on :mbounce:

So during lunch time, i got my cleaning kit that i keep at work out. set about it with some muck off, a bucket of warm water, and a hose.

i'm really disappointed (i've only have the bike since december, got it second hand for a steal) this is the first time i have had chance to give it a quick clean. all of the other bikes i've had have been fared sports bikes, and when you have them clean (even the old ones) they have a certian bling effect. my xt still looks drab. little scuffs here and there, the panels are swirled, the covers are faded, and the metal work looks life less.

I know there have been some real anal fanatics on here who have spent hours on their rides. unfortunately i do not have that time.....

So. If you were me, with limted time resource, how do you get your bike to go bling?

paying me :)

TBH mate, if you've used the bike over winter and not cleaned it since Dec, then i'm afraid you're going to struggle given your restriction on time etc.

WD40 on the black paint
Wax (not polish) on the plastics
Polish on the silver stuff.

and the spokes never look good and bling.

This is why i want MArchesinis :)

I THINK it would be worth going for what you really want, as the Talons will be just as much work, and prob the same price, if not more.

get it professionally cleaned followed by an acf50 treatment. I've done mine before and after winter for �39 each and my bike is gleaming.

Simplest solution - stop caring ;)

dont clean it and make it look rustic (should be rusty!), like mine!

I'm with Keith - ACF50 is the key.

But,,,,,,

When the salt goes (and there is still lots of it around, even though you can't see it) you want to get the bike looking a little, spring like...

MuckOff, TechWash, or the like (steer clear of domestic cleaning stuff like washing up liquid) will clean the ACF50 away. People have different methods, but esentially you need to soak the bike, wash it, soak it and wash it (repeat as needed) until all the grease has gone.

I would steer clear of WD40, this is a degreaser and will wash out any lubrication it comes in contact with (head bearings etc ) if not used very carefully. MuckOff do an after wash spray that is basically a light oil. Spray on, the water gets displaced and you can polish it up with a cloth to get a good shine. Whilst not suggesting you do this, I've oversprayed my brake disks on occasion and it cleaned off easily (after about 20 meters actually !)

On the other hand, Uberthumper has the right attitude, they are after all for riding...

That said, I am going to wash mine (and re-ACF it) when I come back from the Dragon. Mostly because I need to put it in for a service and am embarrassed to do so in the state it's in :D

I've found nothing on the market that brings the plastics up to looking like new like acf50....plus it smells really nice

cheers chaps, all very worldly wise.

i've booked her in for a professional clean, and then i am going to make sure i stay on top of it. i guess i'm not a crotch rocket ponce anymore, so should adopt the more "mad max" look.

def going to acf50 it though, agree that prevention is better than cure.

if someone is in the sheffield area, and wants a project of fettling her back to some previous beauty, i'm willing to listen.

love my bike, and just wanted to show her off a tad.

i have been eyeing up the carbon repalcement panels, and i guess a set of cans wouldn't go amiss

http://www.therevcounter.com/uk-moto...y-ride-10.html

One of the lads here just finishing a job on some XR650 plastics.

I shall be interested to compare and contrast yours and mine. The waxoyl is looking particularly ****ty on mine, but is doing it's job. I think this year, after 3 winters I will be getting some parts powder coated and treating the Princess to some SS fasteners.

Just a quick one tho guys ACF50 isnt developed or tested in salty conditions, therefore on grit ridden roads in winter its not as effective as other products.

Its tested at high altitude, for planes ect. against constant moisture (wich does have salt content but no were near as much as the harsh stuff on the roads)

I kno this because i contacted them after it wasnt having much of an affect on our demo bikes last december, so we now sell S100 products which are proven to work well in said conditions.

Yep, it was developed for the aviation industry, but like most things it has found other uses. Unless the manufacturers have carried out specific testing then they cannot make claims as to it's suitability - Most motorcyclists are as crytical and cynical as they come, so it's a testiment that they like this product.

I've used it for nearly 7 years, through winters on the bike and on the fishing boat. Even on an old Kawasaki KLE500, and they fade away in front of your eyes if you show them a salty chip!!

My TTR is covered in it, and I've been practising on the beach most of the winter, it realy doesn't get much more wet & salty than that:love5:

I've not seen any feedback from anyone using S100 (to be honest this is the first I've seen of it), but I'm always interested in improvements, if it does what the manufacturers website says it does then that's great, but they stop short of actually naming ACF50, and that makes me suspicious that they maybe cannot substantiate thier claims sufficiently. Doesn't mean it's not as good, just that they can't prove it's better - Of course this is just supposition on my part and it could be wrong.

I thought ACF50 was also put on planes on aircraft carriers to prevent rust...??

i must have brought my bike same timee as you in the same conditions, and i used acf50 to start with until my work scrapped it

another believer for the ACF50 here..

top tip : spray a shot or two into the lid and use a paint brush to apply - its go's a LOT further and more accurately than a spray.
thers's a guy Manchester way i believe that will give your bike a 100% ACF coverage..
Basically he shrouds the brake disc's,removes the seat unit and then puts the bike (whole) into a plastic bag and introduces ACF50 under a high pressure 'mist' that penetrates EVERYWHERE and gives the bike a TOTAL coverage