It might seem the most simple part of owning a bike, but it’s important it’s done right
Time to shine!
2018 KTM 1290 GT
It’s true. You can keep your pride and joy clean with a bucket of soapy water made up of dishwashing liquid and a garden hose – the results will be just dandy. But if you want your motorcycle to really sparkle, and you’re interested in preserving its longevity, then specialist cleaning products developed specifically for motorcycles are a must.
And the beaut thing about specialist products like the stuff IPONE makes, is that once you’ve given it a really thorough going over with the French-made goodness, then the next time you roll into your driveway covered in 500 kays or more of sloppy road grime, then getting it back to that sparkling heart-warming state is quicker and easier than it ought to be from then on.
IPONE has been providing the winner’s prize for our Mental Twisties competitions for over a year now, so we thought it was well and truly time to show you the best way to clean a motorcycle with the kit you can win or, of course, purchase from your local motorcycle dealer. And, it should be said, we’ve been using IPONE products on the bikes at Gassit HQ for many years now, so I’m happy to endorse products that I know work.
I’ve washed more bikes during my years at AMCN than I care to remember and have lost plenty of knuckle skin in doing so, but there’s nothing better than standing back and looking at bike that’s been returned to showroom condition. And there’s not many people more experienced to show you how.
2018 KTM 1290 GT
- Our KTM 1290 GT test bike returned from its trip along the Snowy Mountains Highway covered in dried-on road grime – wash time! If you’re parked on the grass, stop it sinking with a decent sized object under the stand
- he challenge for the IPONE cleaning kit was to leave the big Kato looking as good as new without scratching or degrading any surfaces.
- Before you even hose the bike down, spray the Wheel Cleaner directly onto the wheels. While you’re starting where you’d normally start, it’s already working on significantly reducing the required elbow grease.
- Using decent water pressure, give the whole bike a good hose down before concentrating on the wheels to remove the Wheel Cleaner which will strip the caked-on dirt away.
- While the bike is still wet, spray a liberal amount of Moto Wash all over the bike, paying particular attention to the nooks and crannies where grime likes to congregate, then whip inside and grab a drink while it gets to work.
- Give the bike a good rinse with the hose and then reapply a layer of Moto Wash to any stubborn areas. You can run over it with a sponge, but if you use good quality products regularly, you shouldn’t need to. 41
- An essential piece of everyone’s bike cleaning kit should be a quality chamois that will leave surfaces clean and free of spots and runs. Continually turn the chamois as it’s wiped across wet surfaces in one motion, then wring dry. Always clean your chamois in clean, warm water after each use, wring it out and store it damp.
- Spray the Cleaner Polish directly onto the painted surfaces with an even amount of coverage. Using a clean, dry cloth, polish the bike removing any residue water or cleaner. A good cloth is an old sock – a clean old sock, of course.
- Spray all the plastic surfaces with the Plastic Shine, then using a second clean sock, polish the screen and mirrors, ensuring to remove any residue from the spray. As there is no right and left socks, don’t be too concerned about which sock you use for what purpose.
- The Chrome Alu is excellent renovating shiny metal parts Apply a fingernail-sized amount to a clean cloth and apply it using small, circular motions. Polish the area with the dry side of the cloth
- Once all of the hard work is done, stand back and enjoy the results of your work, there’s nothing like the look of a motorcycle glistening in the sun. Take it for a ride to get rid of the last of the water that pools when it’s on its sidestand, but most importantly, so others can see the glistening fruits of your labour!
