[Candice]

I am going to cruise night tonight with some peeps and so I thought I should wash my bike last night which I did, but there sure a lot of spots I don’t know how to get to. Should I worry about that? I used a tooth brush on my spokes and for some other greasy spots I couldn’t get at with the sponge. Should I be using some kind of polish also to protect from rust or anything? What do you all do?

[zeppelinfromled]

I tend to use a rag and a finger to get at the hard to reach spots (both on my car and my bike). Anything that’s painted or made of stainless steel (so basically everything), you don’t have to worry about rusting – unless the paint chips or something like that. I always dry it after washing it, just with a couple dry towels/rags, but that’s just to avoid water spots. You can definitely polish it if you want, but I don’t think it’s necessary for rust protection.

[Clay Dowling]

The actual machines are kind of expensive, but the car washes where you drive into the bay and wash your bike with a high pressure wand are power washers too. They work really well for getting into those awkward places. Kind of spendy, but worth it if you’re trying to make your bike look nice.

I also use a rubbed on chrome polish to shine the bike up, since I have an abundance of chrome. I swear Honda just wanted to show up HD in a chrome-based dick measuring contest. So far, Honda wins.

Here’s an inexpensive power washer, BTW: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=99741

But I suspect that as usual with Harbor Freight, you get what you pay for. Some of their stuff is decent though. Sanders from there are good, so far I like the motorcycle jack I bought, and their pneumatic equipment seems decent for budget priced tools.

[bigguybbr]

There are some youtube How-to’s that are pretty good. I saw a guy on there that used a wash mitt, but rather than slide it over his hand he would just kinda jam it in the crevices. Looked like it would work pretty well.

[Sangria7]

The best way believe it or not is Original Lemon Pledge….SO SHINY and leaves a nice finish! A lot of antique car owners use it – I started using it two weeks ago and couldnt believe the difference!

Also a cheap $20 black and deck leaf blower from walmart does wonders to dry hard to reach places.

[Sangria7]

Riding the buffer was always very hard, but once in a while someone would ride it like a champ LOL….most of time they would fall on their ass as well lol. Try it once…just dont get caught or get hurt LOL….

It is funny as heck though once someone is able to stay on….

[Clay Dowling]

Are, at least at the moment, behind me. I haven’t done janitorial work in years, and the wife nixes my idea for a terrazzo floor every time I bring it up. Something about it being both unfriendly in a cold climate, and expensive as all hell. Oh, yeah, and they have an institutional look that is kind of out of place in a ranch in a working class neighborhood.

[Candice]

Cool about the Pledge but do I use it on the paint, chrome, and aluminum or just the painted parts? I like nice and shiny!

[Sangria7]

I use it on just about everything..paint, chrome, alum….except the seat and tires..

[gsmurfette]

totally OT, but I just had flashbacks to boot reading about the buffer…..oh the stuff we pulled……..

[Author]

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