In this series meant to make our readers learn everything about Lubes and motorcycle care, we have covered a whole gamut of topics. A complete list of these insightful articles is provided below.
In this final installment of the series, we will talk about how to clean and maintain your motorcycle and the most important accessory that goes with it, the helmet. We will also talk about a foolproof and compact tyre repair kit which will get you going in a matter of minutes when disaster strikes, without even disassembling the wheel. Let’s get going.
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Motorcycle Cleaning and Polish
As bikers we love to keep our rides clean. Motorcyclists of the more passionate variety are often spotted washing the motorcycle, applying polish, or cleaning and lubing the drive chain every weekend.
Now while a motorcycle polish gives your motorcycle a sparkling new look, it requires a squeaky clean surface to offer best results. You’d first have to get your ride properly washed, wiped and dried before applying the polish.
Now you have two options to get the motorcycle washed – either take it to your friendly neighbourhood washing centre or do it yourself at home. We prefer the latter as by the time you take your motorcycle to the washing centre, it gets fairly warm and you’d probably have to wait for a few minutes, probably even an hour to let things cool down a bit. Back home you can pull out your washing tools and get going with the wash.
Park the motorcycle on the centre or a paddock stand as it gives you better access to the wheel and deeper corners. A bucket wash may save a small amount of water but you’d have trouble reaching the tighter corners of the motorcycle. We’d recommend using a garden hose which can be bought at a hardware store near you or from an e-commerce website. It’d probably set you back by merely couple of hundred bucks but it’d last for a fair amount of time and you’d have better results. Moreover, the garden hoses offer a variety of outlets, some of which push out less water and better access to tighter gaps.
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Tip: Apply drive chain cleaner before washing your motorcycle. It’d help you clean out more dust and grease.
Clean the motorcycle with plain water to wash away dust and loose dirt. Once done, mix a good quality car wash shampoo in a bucket and create lather. Using a soft cloth or sponge, spread the lather on the body panels, metal parts, engine and lastly on wheels and drive chain. Clean the drive chain last as it’d spoil the cloth/sponge. Use a high-quality automotive shampoo to ensure that your motorcycle’s paint doesn’t get damaged in the process of cleaning. Once you have washed the bike at all areas, wipe it clean and let it dry for some time before applying polish.
Now, there are quite a few varieties of polishes available in the market including wax and spray polishes. Of the two, spray polishes are less messy, and easier and quicker to apply when compared to the wax polish. Spray the liquid across body panels, fairing, fenders, and mirrors and let it dry for a few moments. Wipe the motorcycle with a micro-fibre cloth and watch your motorcycle shine as new.
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DO NOT USE the spray on saddle, disc brakes, levers or brand end grips as things may get slippery and may turn into a hazard for your safety. Make sure to apply the polish in shade, away from direct sunlight.
Now there are quite a few brands of polish and shampoo available in the market, but as we always advice, go for a quality brand which minimizes the effort, protects the paint and other surfaces and cleans and shines in an effective manner.
In that context, our series sponsors Motul, known world over for their definitive MC Care products offer their Shine & Go which shines and brightens the colours of motorcycle fairing and other panels. The product is also designed to leave a non-sticky protective layer on your ride.
Helmet Interior Clean
Face it, the helmet becomes smelly after every few weeks, especially during summers and typically the most common way to have it clean is to remove all the internal liners and wash them to get the odour away. Washing the liner, however, makes it wet, and sometimes it doesn’t dry out overnight, hampering your ride plans.
There’s an alternative too. You get a spray solution that’s quick to apply, and easy to use without removing the inner pads. A helmet interior clean can save you precious time and effort while cleaning your lid. Good quality cleaners are clinically tested so that the rider would not suffer any side effects from the spray.
All you have to do is spray the liquid evenly inside the helmet and leave it to completely dry before using. Most of the liquids are ready to use and do not need to be diluted. The cleaner cleans and neutralises odour inside the helmet and gives a fresh fragrance.
But the helmet should also look as good as new from the outside, right? For that you’ve got a range of exterior cleaners which are aimed to keep the outer shell of the helmet neat and shiny. Lastly, you wouldn’t want to leave the helmet visor out from the process. Luckily, the same cleaning agent can be used on the visor too. Just spray it across the outer shell and leave it for a few moments before wiping it using a soft, non-fluffy cloth. The formula is designed to remove greasy or dry dirt off with damaging the surface. The cleaner also leaves an anti-insect film on your lid.
Motul Helmet Interior Clean is one of the most known products in the market. A quarter-litre bottle will cost you INR 415 and should last for several uses before you need to buy a new one. The spray is dermatologically tested.
For cleaning the helmet visor you can use the Motul Helmet and Visor Clean. A 250 ml bottle costs just INR 375 and should last for quite some time before you need to buy another one.
Tyre Repair
Gone are the days when you’d need expert skills to repair a tyre puncture. Instant tyre repair kits are here to the rescue and they have a foolproof mechanism. Screw the pipe on the air filling valve, place the bottle upside down and press the actuator to release the compressed air and sealant into the tyre. Keep the actuator pressed until sufficient tyre pressure is achieved. Drive the vehicle for about 10-20 km at moderate speed to allow the product to be well distributed. It repairs and refills both tube and tubeless tyres without any disassembly or tools. It’s not a permanent solution but you can drive for over several hundred kilometers before it needs a definitive repair.
You can pick up a 300ml of Motul Tyre Repair for INR 525. The bottle is sufficient for tyres upto 16-inch and it’d come handy during emergency situations where help may not be around.
Our motorcycles need tender love and care. Motul, the series sponsor for this informative initiative, and a global leader in lubes and MC Care has a wide range of quality motorcycle care products which would come handy for making your motorcycle look the part. In case you have any queries about the MC Care products, shoot away, and we will have your question answered by the lube experts at Motul.
