(06-03-13, 09:45 AM)Slaninar link Wrote: On those rare occasions I do wash the bike (spring and perhaps summer) I use water, Fairy dish washing liquid and sponges.
Since I use scottoiler, no need for washing the chain. I have one sponge for dirtier part of the bike (near the chain, greasy, wheels etc) and a cleaner one for all the shiny bits, windscreen etc.
I read somewhere that the properties in Fairy Dish Washing Liquid is not great for paintwork and dulls it over time. I'm guilty myself of using it if I run out of all in one Car Shampoo and Wax, but I try not to use it as a rule. I bought a 5lt of Car Shampoo and Wax for about €30 that's dedicated to cleaning/protecting paintwork and you only use a capful at a time, so needless to say it will last a lifetime!! It's a small outlay to keep your paintwork pristine to help minimize the sunlight fading your paintwork over time.
I have a Scottoiler on my Bandit 1200 and I still clean that chain periodically...but not as much as a sprayed waxed/greased chain, but I should. That's because it a lot easier and less messy to do so. Even the thin oil of a Scottoiler will still attract road dirt that will act as an abrasive between chain and sprocket and IMO it will wear down a chain a lot quicker than a regularly maintained chain that doesn't use a Scotoiler. Scottoilers are great, but they are not miracle workers or the be all and end all.
Btw..... if you are only using a single injector, the far side of the chain might not be getting as lubed in equal proportion to the near side, especially the O rings and inner plates. So after a periodic chain clean, I lightly lube the chain with a 1/2 inch paintbrush and a little dip of engine oil.
My basic cleaning goodies are...........
* Autosol for all metals and alloys...can't beat it really. I keep my downpipes and exhaust in gleaming condition even on my Fazer that I use as a work horse.
* For showing off!!!.... Tyre Foam for sparkling tyres and rims and also it's great for getting rid of that dirty look on a black engine and making it look like new.....but be very careful on the tyres when "giving it a bit" as this stuff is not recommended because it makes your tyres a bit greasy. But I can't help but use it from time to time!!
* For quick polishing, I use Castrol Spray Polish...excellent stuff. Sun of a Gun is not bad for a quick buff up too. Every once in a while I treat the paintwork with Autoglym or Turtle Wax Polish.
* For plastics like inside black panels, dashboard, rear mudguards, indicators, sidecovers ect....I use Turtlewax Cockpit Shine which also leaves the bike with a nice fragerence...mmmmmm!!
* Servicing chain....I have no Scotoiler on the Fazer yet, but I find Castrol Chain Racing Lube to be excellent and not messy if yu take care to put it on right, regula,r and sparingly. I tend to use a marked starting point on the chain and I spray link to link with the minimal of lube both between the inner plates and on the centre links. It takes all of an extra 10 mins work than to those guys that I see just spinning the wheel and giving it holly with lube on the chain. Not alone do I find this method messy and lazy, but you will also have a lot of fling off...something I could do without on my white rimmed wheels on the Fazer. It is also quite possible to still miss certain areas of your links and get tight spots afterwards.
* I give the ignition, switches, pedals, rear brake linkages ect a going over with ACF50 before and during the winter.
* I touch up and fix most rust spots with whatever color paint or with whatever product that needs to be used. I can't stand a tardy bike. even if it's my work horse. I like to show people that I care about the machine that I use, and I give the bike a least an hour a week to maintain it and to keep on top of things.
If you look after your machine, it will look after you. It is obvious that you will find it easier and will get more money when you trade or sell your cared for bike, than with a neglegted bike. So there is a reward at the end of the day. I'd go for a higher mileage cared for bike, than a lower mileage neglected bike. It just says a lot about it's owner. If they neglected the outside, it a high probability that they neglected the inside of the bike too. I'd rather beg, steal or borrow and go for a cleaner bike. In the long run, you will pay more and put more into a bucket of sh!te anyway than if you originally bought a decent motor.