BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

mogu83 wrote:Car cleaning threads are worse than oil threads everyone has an opinion.

Did you think I was kidding. Just keep doing what you've been doing.

bluebeemerII wrote:Another never, never, never use dish washing detergent or shampoo to wash cars or bikes. Both those products are formulated to remove oils and grease. Paint is a petroleum based product so you are sucking essential components out of the finish on your bike. Regular goat skin chamois remove wax from the paint surface. I only use microfiber towels to dry the bike (wish I had a blower, maybe Santa will bring one). Not all microfiber is created equal look for the softest. Walmart has a large microfiber (2' x 4') that is very soft and Sam's Club and Costco have soft smaller ones. S100 is also a dangerous substance. On the "Airhead" BMWs if you spray S100 on the Model designation plate on the sides of the motor it will remove the black paint lowering the value of the bike.

John L.

Actually - I'd disagree on several points:

1 - there hasn't been oil based paint used on cars or motorcycles in several decades. EPA and the green faction in German don't like it. Water based paint is all the rage and has gotten so good it looks and wears like oil based paint. Some vehicles still use a modified lacquer - but again, that's not oil based.

2 - Dawn, and other dishwashing detergents are a detailers choice for really cleaning the paint before claying it or otherwise polishing it. It will remove wax very effectively since wax is generally fat based. It isn't quite as good at removing polymer finishes - but it will at least make a dent in them.

If you want to leave the wax on the surface - then use a car wash liquid - it is not detergent based and doesn't remove wax.

I've never found microfiber to be that good for drying any painted finish. I prefer to use a synthetic chamois - the yellow things that come in a plastic tube. They can absorb an amazing amount of water, and pulled over a waxed surface they remove the water leaving no droplets behind.

I'll agree on S100 - it's much too harsh for most bike finishes. There are several German products made that are spray ons that work really well.. (if I went to the garage I'd remember what they are.) Pricey, but very good. Simple-Green works, but not as effective as a product made for this use.

YMMV, but I've been making my vehicles shiny for about 50 years now, and I think I've learned (finally) what works. Cheap doesn't work. Good stuff does.