How To Detail a Motorcycle – You Can Do This Yourself
Most people have no idea what they are paying for when it comes to the protection and maintenance of their motorcycle. Even if you don’t think that your bike is costly, you should consider its value before buying or selling it.
The more you ride your motorcycle, the more you’ll need to protect it. That’s why it’s essential to make sure that your bike is kept in good shape, which will also help it to perform better.
Regularly detailing your motorcycle will help preserve the high resale value. Most dealers recommend detailing your bike right before trying to sell it. However, keep up with it throughout the time you own it. It’ll stay in excellent condition and make preserving the high resale value even easier.
Regular motorcycle detailing makes it easy to catch problems early, lowering repair costs and preventing irreparable damages. Professional motorcycle detailing services look at your bike regularly and can catch potential problems early.
Regular detailing extends the life of your motorcycle. Maintaining your bike regularly with all dust, dirt, and debris off of it will prevent any potential damage. Keeping these particles away from your motor will keep them from entering your engine or damaging your paint. This can keep your motorcycle in good condition for longer, so it doesn’t need as much maintenance. Keeping your bike in good shape by maintaining it well lets experts check any problems.
Mobile detailing versus traditional detailing
Mobile detailing provides a lot of benefits over traditional detailing. They are far more convenient than conventional detailing and are usually more affordable.
Mobile detailing tends to service a larger variety of vehicles because they don’t have the same building limitations as traditional detailing services.
In most cases, traditional detailing offers a way to get your car to a garage more conveniently than just using the side door of your house and you can also use motorcycle garage door openers for your own garage for your vehicle. Most of these shops that offer detailing services are swamped, but they’ll do their best to help you if you have a busy schedule. Just make sure to call them ahead.
What is detailing?
Detailing is the process of cleaning and repairing minor flaws on a vehicle’s interior and exterior. If you decide to take the services of a detailer, the following are some of the services they provide:
washing and degreasing
waxing and making all metals (including the rim) shine
dress and UV protection on all vinyl and plastic
clean and condition all leather
hand wax painted and chrome surfaces
Preparation is the Key
Any job that requires excellent output has one thing in common – preparation. You will need a shaded area, a hose attached to a faucet, and a way to dry your bike quickly. If you rode your bike to this location, you would need to cool your engine down. Also, make sure you cover anything susceptible to water damage, including your exhaust and the dashboard.
Part of this preparation is to gather everything you need: a bucket, microfiber towels and applicators, scratch-resistant mitt, car shampoo, bug and tar remover, tire and wheel cleaner, leather cleaner, degreaser and kevlar coating, steamer, and a bucket of water for rinsing your dirty rugs.
How do you detail a motorcycle?
A trip to the professional bike detailer can cost you anywhere between $200 to $600 for complete work (with a protectant package). Considering this cost range, it makes sense to learn detailing yourself. It’s not just about saving money. Detailing has a lot of benefits, including making their bike look spotless, maintenance, and eventually exposing whatever mechanical problems the motorcycle has. And the last use? Doing the detailing yourself is very therapeutic, a way to relax after a long week of work.
Detailing a motorcycle isn’t that difficult to do. Even though it’s a lot of work, you don’t need to spend a fortune on expensive tools to give your motorcycle the shine it deserves.
Also, you’re going to need running water through a hose and a place where you can wash your motorcycle. If you don’t have both, a bucket of water and a driveway will suffice.
The steps are pretty straightforward:
1. Dunk the mitt into soapy water, wring it out. Then, wipe the entire bike with a damp glove. Make sure you don’t soak the gauges, buttons, and switches.
2. Spray the wheels and spokes with a wheel cleaner. Let it sit for 30 seconds. Use a boar-bristle brush on the rim and spokes. Then rinse it off with water. Use a blower and towel to dry it.
3. Microfiber cloths can be used to apply polish to things. Rub it on the dash using a random circular motion. Keep rubbing until the haze is gone. Clean the residue with a towel.
4. Spray the cleaner on the engine and drivetrain parts. Let it soak for 60 seconds. Use the brush to clear the greasy areas with a boar-bristle brush. Rinse it off. Use a blower to dry it. If necessary, repeat the process.
5. Pay attention to the chrome parts this time. Grab a cotton rag and apply a small amount of polish. Then, polish the chrome part using a random circular motion until the haze is almost gone. Take a clean rag and use it to remove the residue.
6. Next, pay attention to the leather. Use a sponge to work the leather cleaner into it gently. Put the conditioner on with a different sponge after wiping dry. Let it dry and wipe with a rag. These leather repair tips will help you repair the leather.
8. Wax makes your bike look great for a short time. A longer-lasting effect is to use Fortador’s Kevlar Coating Kit. Kevlar is a protective coating made by DuPont in 1965. This product gives you protection beyond what an ordinary car wax provides, ensuring future washing and detailing is much easier. Your bike is also protected from stains and etchings and gives you that glass finish you’ve always wanted.
9. Although not a part of detailing, don’t forget to re-lube your bike chain. Washing your bike can remove the lubrication from your bike chain, so it’s essential to make this a part of the process.
Conclusion
To maintain the appearance of your motorcycle and make it easier to clean when a more thorough cleaning is carried out, we recommend cleaning it at least once weekly. It also helps to reduce the number of times you have to wash it, thus saving time and money.
Developing good habits such as cleaning the windshield and lights after every ride or removing tree sap and tar from the road will help keep your car looking its best between detailing appointments.
Generally, the appearance of your motorcycle gives a good indication of when it’s time to have it detailed professionally. A professional bike detailing service is the way for those who want to keep their prized possessions in peak condition.
