WTF!? To Myself...

Has anyone else ever done something so stupid that you have to go WTF!? to yourself?

It has been a while since I rode, but I have nearly 20 years under my belt and I have cleaned many, many cycles.

Today it was rainy and I had to have something to do with my new VFR so I gave her a thorough cleaning... ending with tire dressing on the tires.

Yes, you heard correctly. Tire dressing - and I know better. I have never had to consider how to remove tire dressing, but I used wheel cleaner first. Sides and tread. Next, acetone sides and tread. Finally, I used some sandpaper on the tread area. Yes, I know all of this will probably shorten the life of the tires, but I have never had a tire actually wear out from old age... I'll probably go through at least one set over the summer.

I am a little tentative still... the tires look fabulous! But I am wondering if all of the stuff was removed and if I made the tires "slick" with all of this shenanigans.

Any thoughts - short of berating me for being stupid

 

That pretty much covers it right there. I do my truck and car tires but have never done the bike.....ever.... If the tires have returned to their dull black sirface, I would "think" that they should be good to go. A very cautious ride in a parkinglot somewhere, where now one is watching, should give you an idea if your efforts to clean the tire worked.

 

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Dumb thing to do but you know that. I have to believe that riding like you have new tires until they have some miles on them will do the trick.

 

Just a lapse of judgment. The road will scrub those tires better than anything. Just take it easy and slowly increase your lean angles as you would with new tires. I once drove thru a puddle of what I thaught was a rain puddle as I was thinking it hasn't rained. I just touched the rear brake and the bike started fish tailing. Turns out it was a huge amount of oil on the road. Once I got stopped, collected myself and the rode off, I was surprised that the tires didn't slip once. Of course I took it easy the rest of the ride to work.

 

Just take it to your local ice skating facility, slip the guy a five-er, and practice riding there. Should sharpen your skills in the slick. Problem solved.

Seriously though, I saw a guy a few years younger than me putting Armor-All tire shine on his bike tires at the car wash (right after he got done power washing the chain!) and he looked green so I warned him against it. He just laughed and told me that people who don't ride "just don't understand." I was in my truck that day, so I let him go on thinking he was right as I chuckled and drove away.

 

That's a great story...

For the record, I went for a ride this morning with no issues... I just don't know what I was thinking. Bored I guess...

 

I do that stuff more often than I care to admit. Just get so into something that before I realize, I'm doing more than I need to. Glad it all worked out!

 

At least you did'nt catch your thumb in the rear sprocket and sever it! True story aboot an experienced motorcycle mechanic, he was trying to grease the chain while the motor was running and was hold a rag in his hand, well the chain/sprocket caught it and the rest is history/lawsuit.

 

I've always used tire dressing on bike's tires. I spray it on a rag instead of the tire, and just enough to clean the walls and not make them shiny. I use degreaser -also on a rag- to clean the excess that might go on the contact patch.

 

That would have worked... but I just sprayed and wiped and realized I got it all over the tread areas... even today I had enough that it spun out from the edge of the wheel!

I hate rainy days. I get bored and do stupid things

 

Go ride it down a dusty road?

 

I've been thinking about this and the last time I recall having a WTF moment with myself is when I woke up next tho the "chubby" girl down the street! Oh to be young and impetuous. Thanks alcohol for ruining a good streak!

 

Wow D.....so ya fucked the pooch on this one..dont mindfuck yourself to much...just go out and ride (in dry weather) and act like there brand new slimy tires....easy on the turns and NO hard stopping
That should do it.....I think

Sent from my SGH-T679 using Tapatalk 2

 

I witnessed someone do just this in my garage as we prepared to leave here for R3 a month or so ago. Wasn't me though. He did not catch his had in the chain/sprocket but it really did look like a very stupid way of lubing your chain.