Triumphrat

jquattro

Hi all - just picked up a new t100 - my first bike. Any suggestions on what to use to clean/polish the chrome and paint?

Also, whats the proper way to fill the tank? The attendent splattered gas on my first fill-up - any suggestions?

Copper

I suggest road grime and dust to improve the finish, lots of it applied over many miles...

I lived in Jersey for a while, forgot about not being able to gas up your own machine. Oregon is like that too, I think...All I can say is that when I first got there, I didn't know you weren't supposed to do it yourself, so I just did it. Thought the attendants were just very service oriented when they always asked if I needed help. But for minimum wage, none of them ever argued with me. So if you just do it, you will probably be fine....

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My Baby

toocaffeinated

Welcome to te forum and congrats on your new bike (what color?).

I used to wash with dishwasher detergent, but comments on this forum turned me on to Automotive Simple Green. This stuff is awesome and it only costs about $4-5. It is concentrated so you can mix it water and put it in a spray bottle. So basically, you spray it on, let it soak in for a minute and then wash/spray it off. If there is heavy dirt, rub gently with a sponge. For polish I use Meguiar's yellow, works well for me -- although others may have more recommendations.

Simple Green is sort of mediocre as a wheel cleaner, but you can always find wheel cleaners at automotive stores. I have a Black Bonnie so I can't really recommend a chrome polish, but I am sure there are tons products out there.

Again, welcome to the forum and beware of "mod-fever"

:-D :-D

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collie

I find window cleaner works good on chrome, and of course........windows!

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jquattro

Thanks, folks. (and its black w/red trim).

Liontari

Honda makes a spray cleaner that works great on all surfaces.

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pabonne

I second the Simple Green tip. I have limited time for cleaning/polishing. Simply spray on the Green (full strength) then hose (lightly) off.

If I have a few extra minutes I'll spray cables, wheels (not brakes), instrument cluster & anything else that looks like it might rust or have problems with water (like carbs) with WD40 then wipe down.

Every other month or so I'll go the distance and wax the paint.

As for fill-ups, as copper says, best bet is to do it yourself. Don't even give them the option. Light pressure on the lever works best... don't try to fill it up in 10 seconds flat. I leave about 2" of the nozzle in the tank and have had no problems with the auto shutoff not working. Don't look at the pump, watch what's happening in the tank.

[ This message was edited by: pabonne on 2006-10-29 10:40 ]

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Why? Too many H-D's.

Nate13

Hey there,

Congrats ont he bike, I also have a Red?Black T100, with lots of chrome and I found a Mothers brand chrome polish that is superb. They also make a gloss shine for your tank, but the chrome is what sets it off in the sun.

Wish we had some sun here , but all I can do is look at my bike in the garage for a while.

Later

LandRover

If you're just doing a light weekly cleaning,spray it down with some S100 or Simplegreen and lightly hose it off(try not to blast anything with water and keep the bloody powerwashers away from the bike).For the heavier dirt and grime use a good carwash soap,warm water and a microfibre wash mitt.Spray your hubs,rims and spokes with a good citrus cleaner but dilute it 50/50 with water first,then hose off. I like to use an electric leaf blower to dry a motorcycle after a wash,it works well at getting rid of the water in and around the engine area and its totally safe.Shamois off whatever water is remaining.I find using a good quality instant detailer spray and a microfibre cloth works well at keeping the paint and chrome looking sharp between washings.If you want to use something on your tire sidewalls,and black plastic and rubber parts,use Mothers Preserves or Maquires conditioner( they're silicone free).Don't even think about using Armor All on a motorcycle.

Hogdad

Hi All,

I have used Simple Green for most of my motorcycle and auto degreasing needs for several years.

I work in the aviation field, and most recently saw one of our aircraft mechanics with a spray bottle of "Extreme Simple Green Aircraft & Precision Cleaner. I meets Boeing Spec D6-17487P (whatever that means) for aircraft exterior & general cleaning and is listed as non-corrosive and non-hazardous.

It was $14.00 for a 32oz. bottle, but should last me about two years, as I degrease the vehicles no more than twice a year.

Like "LandRover", I use lots of water to rinse, but not high pressure, and I finish the drying process with a leaf blower and a short ride.

Good maintenance and regular cleaning on all vehicles, keep them looking showroom new for years.

Best to all,

Barry

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