A Simple 6 Part Course On Detailing Motorcycles
The Basic Steps You Should Consider For Detailing Motorcycles:
You paid a lot of money for your motorcycle or custom chopper, and if you built it yourself, you put a lot of valuable time into it as well. Chances are, you are going to want to make it look that way, and want to show it off. Therefore, it's got to shine!
Here are some tips on how to detail you chopper so it looks brand new every ride.
Detailing Motorcycles Part 1:
The first step to detailing your chopper is to get it ready. This means that you will want to get it off the ground if possible. This allows for better detailing of the wheels. If you are using a bike lift, you may want to enlist the help of a second person as one can lift and one can steady the bike at the same time. If you do not have a lift, that's okay- you can still give your bike a good detail.
Detailing Motorcycles Part 2:
Next, you will want to remove parts that will just get in the way- windshield, sissy bar, saddlebags, side panels and any other accessory that prevents you from access to the main components you will want to be detailing.
Detailing Motorcycles Part 3:
Before you start the actual detailing, you will want to divide your chopper into sections. This will allow you to concentrate on a small portion of the bike at a time so that you are able to pay attention to detail. An easy way to do this is make a left and right side, then divide the bike into three: Front- front wheel, fender and fork; Middle- gas tank, engine, exhaust and seat and Rear- rear wheel, fender and suspension. So, in all, there will be six sections. You will work on each section separately, rinsing after each one. It is crucial not to let anything dry on the bike if you want that killer shine!
Detailing Motorcycles Part 4:
Now you are ready to go! You can start with the wheels. Choose a side to start with and work your way around the bike on each of the sections you set up in the beginning, rinsing after each one. You can start by spraying a tire cleaner on the tire and wheel. While that is soaking, you can scrub the sidewalls. Then, you can clean off the tire and wheel and clean the openings in the wheel. Repeat this process on the right side of the front tire, and then the right and left side of the rear tire.
Detailing Motorcycles Part 5:
After all the tires and wheels are clean, they can be polished one step further, by using a polishing soap on the aluminum or chrome. As you are scrubbing the wheels, you could also clean the brakes.
To clean the center section, spray the engine, battery, pipes and frame with the a degreaser or even a tire cleaner as well, and after it soaks for a few minutes, clean it with a detail brush. Get in every nook and cranny! Then, rinse very well. Do this same process on the rear section of the bike as well.
After the bike is scrubbed and rinsed, you can polish any and all of the chrome that your chopper boasts- even remove the license plate to polish the plate frame!
Detailing Motorcycles Part 6:
At this point, the bike is scrubbed and brightened up. The next step is to clean the body. You can just use a good soap and water from a bucket and wash with a soft cloth. Afterwards, make sure you give it a good rinse, perhaps using a special nozzle on your garden hose. You can also spray down the parts you removed before you get ready to put them back on your bike.
Finally, your bike should be dried off. As an optional step, you can add some final touches like wax, lacquer on your tire walls, tire shine, chrome polishers and other products that will make your chopper stand out from the rest. Also, here is a good article on cleaning your chopper motorcycle before you go about detaling motorcycles.
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