Making your viffer shiny

Ok, so question:

Although it's -12 celsius here and with 20cm of snow presently falling, my viffer is on my mind.

What do you do to make your viffer sparkle? Honda spray, water/no water, wax (which)... I was a little lazy last year and want to up my game.

 

S-100 Cycle cleaner is pretty cool stuff. Really would cut the wheel grime and lube that would fly off the chaiin fast. And works great between full on washes and waxes. I like to start the year off with a coat of good wax and then do a weekly washing while I did my weekly nut and bolt.

 

A little lazy? I have had my 2007 for a year now and I have washed it twice! Too much time meditating under the Bodhi tree I guess! (Or is it that insanely gorgeous wife of mine, the crazy work weeks, and all those other hobbies?)
Anyway, I use soap and water and am very careful not to scratch the plastic (let the water soak in before scrubbing).

Om mani padme hummmmmm...
(Or is it: Wax on, wax off, wax on, wax off...)

 

i love that eagle one wheel and tire cleaner stuff. It seems to work great on the rims. I want something to make the plastics really shine. Mothers wax? Any suggestions?

 

Zaino Store

 

Plexus on all the plastics, carnuba wax for the tank.

 

Always let the paint cool before spraying stuff like S100 on. That means working in a shady spot or throughly rinsing the bike down with cool water first. I really like Simple Green cleaner it's much safer and less likely to damage your paint if left on too long. It works great on grease and bugs and is way cheaper to use than S100 because you dilute it before applying it. I always use a soapy sponge to get best results. Remember the soap acts as a lubricant when washing, water does not. This method has worked well for me and i've detailed bikes for several dealers over the years. After the bike is clean and dry add wax and then you can polish if you want. Wax protects. Polish shines.

 

I've had my vfr for cloes to 4 years and the only thing it has seen is pledge.It cleans the chain lube in a breeze and also good on the bugs.It also gives that just waxed look,my bike has never seen a garden hose.I've been using pledge for over 20 years on bikes,atv's and even my trucks ocasionally.

 

I like Turtle Wax "Ice". It goes on paint, vinyl, rubber and plastic and shines them all without leaving that white haze on plastic and rubber. It's not as durable as a wax, or one of those other high-tech finishes, but it's so easy to put on and buff off that it takes much less time to detail the bike. I should mention that my '04 is Honda's wonderful "asphalt black", so being spotless and shiny is not as critical as for some other colors. Think stealth fighter. Other bikes look shiny and fast; this one just looks plain menacing...

 

My bikes get a full wash&wax at least once a month. My "Pizza Wagon" gets a bath twice a month sometimes,lots of nooks and crannys on that little Ducati. I start with S100 Cycle Wash,it's good at removing grease,dirt,and road grime. Mello Dude's right though,rinse liberally,it can be a bit caustic if you don't get it all rinsed off completely. Next is soap and water and a soft wash mitt. I tried out a handheld Cycle Dry air dryer last summer,washing&waxing is quick and easy,it's the drying part that takes forever. I liked it so much that I'm going to invest in one of those larger "Air Force Blaster" warm air dryers. I finish with Turtle Wax Ice polish. Minimal effort to apply,very little buffing,no wax dust residue left behind. It makes the paintwork look wet,like it was just painted.

 

Best ive EVER used & Ive used a LOT of products in my years.

Bob