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What you'll need to
do the job:
general spray polish, plenty of rags, aluminium or chrome polish,
wet-look polishes and liquid buffers or a bucket of water, car wash
detergent and a low-pressured hose, WD-40, and engine de-greaser.
Part of the fun of having a bike is showing it off. How best to do
that but by keeping it clean? Cleaning is a weekly event for a bike
that is on the road every day. If ridden occasionally, cleaning should
occur at least every other ride and, of course, before and after winter
storage. Here's why: cleaning and going over every part of the bike
will point up potential problems and areas to service before finding
yourself sitting along side the road next to your broken-down bike.
While polishing, do a thorough maintenance check looking for things
like loose bolts or levers, excessive or uneven tire wear, cables
fraying, and broken kickstand springs.
For general bike washing there are two schools of thought - those
that actually like to soap up the bike and rinse with a hose and those
who prefer to just use general polishers (that come in spray cans
or squeeze-top bottles) and some solvents like WD-40.
Hosing a bike down with water is OK, but just OK. The engine can handle
getting wet, but watch out for high-pressured hoses like those found
at DIY car washes. The force of the water can lodge dirt in some unwelcome
places like the chain (which can shorten its life), can remove paint
and stickers, and can damage bearings, carburettors, and electrical
connections. Plus, with water there's always the risk of rust.
WD-40 makes a great cleaner for wheel rims - getting rid of dirt,
grease, and chain lube that has spit off the chain all in one go.
Here, too, general polish or soap and water can be used for removing
excessive dirt and mud. Spoke wheels require aluminium polish and
a lot of cleaning time.
A regular cleaning is really important for bikes ridden in coastal
towns, or towns with snowy winters that use salt on the roads. Both
of these conditions leave salt on the ground and in the air, which
can be corrosive. It's best to wipe down the bike regularly to prevent
any corrosion.
During the detail process, test levers and bolts. Look at the tyre
tread (for unusual wear or nails). Some of this observation is the
same as a "pre-ride check" but now is a good time to look
at that stuff again. Check the oil, check the mileage, and check when
the oil and filter were last changed. If it has been more than 3,000
miles, it's time to do it again. Also look at the colour of the brake
fluid, if it's getting dark (i.e. dirty), it's time to bleed the brakes
- flush out the brake system and replace with new fluid. Check for
wear on the rear sprocket, for tight spots in the chain - basically
all those little things that could easily be a problem if not attended
to regularly. |
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