Your motorcycle endures extreme environmental conditions throughout its life. Snow, rain, dust, dirt, mud, salt, bugs...we all want our rides to look great and be protected, but with so many products out there, which do you choose?
The best product that I have found that cleans the body of your motorcycle is Pro Honda Spray Cleaner & Polish.
Pro Honda acts as a cleaner and a protector. You don't have to use it heavily, either. Just a quick spritz on your bike and buff it with a clean, soft rag. It is great for removing bugs, water stains, mud, and anything else your environment can throw at you. Your ride will have a beautiful shine, and will also be protected from UV rays that can fade your paint over time! It's perfect for daily riders who leave their bikes in parking lots during the day. You can use it to clean your windscreen and mirrors as well! Works perfectly and doesn't leave streaks.
Okay, well what about the rest of your bike? How do you clean your engine, chain guard, rims, frame, forks, (or even the chain itself!)? The best thing is WD-40. Spray WD on a clean rag and wipe down your surfaces. Your bike will look showroom quality, and will cost next to nothing! It's great at cutting through built up gunk, especially after a long trip, or if you've been slacking on maintenance. If you take your front sprocket guard off, you'd be amazed at the amount of road debris, dirt, and grease that accumulates inside that guard. Spray it with WD-40 and wipe it clean. Your equipment will thank you for it!
Cleaning your chain is a great way to extend the life of your chain and sprockets. I put the bike on a lift, and spray WD on a clean rag. As I spin the rear tire, I run the chain through the rag and clean the face plates on the chain. For in depth cleaning (especially around the rear sprocket), I use an old toothbrush and WD. Constantly lubricating your chain without routinely cleaning it will result in heavy build up around your sprockets and engine.
For chain lubrication, my dad turned me on to a product called Chain Wax. It lubricates and protects your chain from rain and dirt, and it also bonds to your chain so it doesn't sling everywhere when you start riding. It is basically a wax, but it's loose enough to provide good lubrication and freedom of movement in your chain. If you ride daily, it's good to lubricate your chain at least once a week. Of course if you hit foul weather, go ahead and re-apply to protect your chain. If you do that, it's also best to clean your chain once every couple of weeks. I see motorcycles every where and they have dry, rusty chains and sprockets. It blows my mind that people don't think to do BASIC maintenance. Didn't we all lube our bicycle chains as kids? It's the same principle, except your motorcycle chain is everything to your machine. Don't be stupid, people. Lubricate your chain, it's incredibly dangerous not to.
You can find Pro Honda at any motorcycle shop, WD-40 pretty much anywhere, but Chain Wax I'm starting to have difficulty tracking down. You can order it online through Amazon, or if you find a local store that carries it, go ahead and stock up. I did, so hopefully I won't have to worry about it for a while.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and if you liked it or have your own tips & tricks that you'd like to share, leave a comment and let me know!
-J
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