Motorcycle Detailing Thread

[mayank.travadi]

Looks like Some one is going to make his Week-End Count!!
All d best

Buddy already done...saturday morning 1 hour well spent...

[Prith]

AFTER WAX

My review of WAXPOL SCOOTER POLISH/AUTO POLISH

Price :48 INR for 50 gms and i have 90% still left after waxing 1 bike and 1 scooter

Didint post pics for pulsar as it was already under cover and as its new its still shining...but found out 2-3 scratches on it which i hadn't seen before :/

BUT THE WAX IS SIMPLY AWESOME....the pics may look a bit bad because of my terrible mobile camera but when u look at it in real...it speaks a lot more...water beading is fantastic....shine is superb...i'd say every rupee and every minute put in this waxing is well spent...and come on guys..its not so hard to buff...yes u need to apply pressure and rub it hard but then....i am no competition to Arnold or Silvester Stallone yet....bt yes its not for the weak...

Great pics mayank.. ... don't worry about the clarity, its the satisfaction after all that hard work that is worth it. I like the last pic especially because it reminds me of my scooter which is lying collecting dust at my home in Chennai.

[mayank.travadi]

Great pics mayank.. ... don't worry about the clarity, its the satisfaction after all that hard work that is worth it. I like the last pic especially because it reminds me of my scooter which is lying collecting dust at my home in Chennai.

Yes very satisfied...the scooter was gathering dust and i never cared to take it out..used to go by my bike everywhere but now the scooter is clean and so shiny i ignored my bike and took the scooter for a spin...the paint feels smooth..even got my mom's approval that i am not wasting time using all these products...they do make a difference

well when u do go back to chennai give it he proper care...

the only thing i hate about this wx is...as most people said it lasts for long...i shouldnt complain but if the wax lasts long...i get to spend less time tending to the bike and scooter... :P

will get the silicone polish next...

planning to do the following from now on

wash with plain water every alternate week and wash with a shampoo in between and after every shampoo use the silicone polish for shine...so effectively shining it every fortnight...and check for wter beading during wash if if i find n water beading...wax it with scooter polish..

[Pinaki]

If you are going to use the wax , don't use the silicone liquid polish on top of it . The liquid polish effectively removes the wax layer .
If you like the wax and don't mind the bit extra buffing effort needed for it - just wash with plain water after that(when necessary) untill you re-wax . The wax is good for 1-2 months even during monsoon .
If you want quick & easy shine and don't mind repeating every fortnight , then only buy the silicone liquid polish . I have both and am sticking with the liquid now because of advancing age , but the wax is the best .

[mayank.travadi]

If you are going to use the wax , don't use the silicone liquid polish on top of it . The liquid polish effectively removes the wax layer .
If you like the wax and don't mind the bit extra buffing effort needed for it - just wash with plain water after that(when necessary) untill you re-wax . The wax is good for 1-2 months even during monsoon .
If you want quick & easy shine and don't mind repeating every fortnight , then only buy the silicone liquid polish . I have both and am sticking with the liquid now because of advancing age , but the wax is the best .

Oh...prith said silicone liquid wont have any effect on the wax layer....so i thought for the extra shine would use the silicone polish....if it removes the wax layer as u say i wont use it...

i sure want quick and easy shine but protection for paint too...and i dont mind hard buffing..its not too much...people just exaggerate it...just use of little strength and hard rubbing...but the result is worth it...

thanks for telling me about how the silicone polish removes the wax layer...was about to buy it and use it....i guess wont use it now...the orange waxpol and any car shampoo is all the motorcycle detailing i need and probably i dont think any one would need anything else...just clean and wax...what more?

[Prith]

If you are going to use the wax , don't use the silicone liquid polish on top of it . The liquid polish effectively removes the wax layer .
If you like the wax and don't mind the bit extra buffing effort needed for it - just wash with plain water after that(when necessary) untill you re-wax . The wax is good for 1-2 months even during monsoon .
If you want quick & easy shine and don't mind repeating every fortnight , then only buy the silicone liquid polish . I have both and am sticking with the liquid now because of advancing age , but the wax is the best .

Pinaki ji, how would silicone wax remove the hard wax ? My understanding is the silicone is solution and Silicone Liquid Polish does not contain any abrasive material in it which can cause any harm to hard wax. I have always followed the "Waxpol Routine" and have not got any side effect till date. .

This is what I do,

1. Wash
2. When wet add Waxpol hard wax.
3. Buff with old cotton banian.
4. Add a layer of silicone liquid polish
5. Buff with old cotton banian.

The extra bling that I get is from the places where I have missed to buff harder.. This essentially helped me keep that beading effect more than the usual time because silicone bound with the hard wax much better and never gave me any issue like chapping or flaking. I'm little surprised to hear that silicone polish lifting off hard wax thought.

[mayank.travadi]

Pinaki ji, how would silicone wax remove the hard wax ? My understanding is the silicone is solution and Silicone Liquid Polish does not contain any abrasive material in it which can cause any harm to hard wax. I have always followed the "Waxpol Routine" and have not got any side effect till date. .

This is what I do,

1. Wash
2. When wet add Waxpol hard wax.
3. Buff with old cotton banian.
4. Add a layer of silicone liquid polish
5. Buff with old cotton banian.

The extra bling that I get is from the places where I have missed to buff harder.. This essentially helped me keep that beading effect more than the usual time because silicone bound with the hard wax much better and never gave me any issue like chapping or flaking. I'm little surprised to hear that silicone polish lifting off hard wax thought.

Have u tried only wax and seen how long it lasts?
how is that compared to wax+silicone polish?

well i rear somewhere...most probably by pinaki ji that if the wax turns har adding silicone polish helps in easy buffing..by that logic...silicone polish losens up the hard wax..so it might remove the wax layer...but by your practical experience....it gives better protection and more shine....hmm....waiting to hear more from both of you

[Prith]

Have u tried only wax and seen how long it lasts?
how is that compared to wax+silicone polish?

well i rear somewhere...most probably by pinaki ji that if the wax turns har adding silicone polish helps in easy buffing..by that logic...silicone polish losens up the hard wax..so it might remove the wax layer...but by your practical experience....it gives better protection and more shine....hmm....waiting to hear more from both of you

Mayank dude... Pinaki ji's advise and my practices are two different schools of thoughts. . You can try doing one thing... take a "small" portion on your scooter where you already have hard wax, apply silicone polish on it and allow it to haze. Go ahead and buff with soft cotton cloth. Decide for yourself from how things turn out. . Its basically to bring that extra shine factor just like what I suggested earlier.

As Pinaki ji suggested earlier, Silicone Polish is a great time saver and provides you with amazing results in very short time and efforts. It gives great protection, but stands little chance of surviving couple of soap washes.

Pinaki ji please don't mind the first line about school of thoughts... . I'm no way a match to your vast experience..

[mayank.travadi]

yea both of you have different advises and school of thought but the fact remains the product under discussion is same and chemistry and science doesnt change for person to person...so either 1 specific thing to do is correct or wrong...no 2 ways about it. and does silicone polish give shine and protection both or only shine?? didnt know such product gives protection too.

[Prith]

yea both of you have different advises and school of thought but the fact remains the product under discussion is same and chemistry and science doesnt change for person to person...so either 1 specific thing to do is correct or wrong...no 2 ways about it. and does silicone polish give shine and protection both or only shine?? didnt know such product gives protection too.

It gives great protection, but stands little chance of surviving couple of soap washes.

Read this statement with a pinch of salt. It gives protection to surface (Not as much as a hard wax, because it literally becomes a coating over the base (paint or wax)) but "limited". Water beading for this will last for say couple of wash sessions and not more and scrubbing effect removes it off. Recently I came to know that paint shops avoid this and professionals dont like silicones. They prefer the hard wax over silicone based products. check my previous posts in this thread, yet the shine factor is really great.

[Prith]

Mayank : Check this insightful article I stumbled upon recently which changed my thoughts about Silicone towards positive end.

http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/80590-role-silicone-plays-car-care-products.html

[Pinaki]

@ Mayank & Prith - The slilicone makes the surface very slippery like a lubricant , which is it's natural property (silicone is also used as a lubbricant) . This makes it hard for anything else to stick to the surface it's used on . Moreover the silicone is suspended in a kerosene-like solvent , to make the polish liquid . This additionally removes anything previously on the paint surface . Basically the liquid polish also cleans . It shall clean off any previous wax or polishes (or dirt too) . If you apply it after waxing , you're getting the gloss from silicone polish alone and by begining with a already very clean surface . You can get that extra gloss just as well by doing the liquid silicone polish itself twice . Thats what professional detailers do - they build up the shine with repeated applications .

Try this - on a small patch apply a bit of the solid wax and let it dry up (don't buff) . Now apply a few drops of silicone liquid polish on it and rub with cloth . You'll see . You'll be left with a very glossy patch nonetheless . But but it'll last as long as the silicone polish itself , i.e a wash or about a week . Whereas the wax when used alone lasts a month at least, even thru rains .
This additional cleaning property of the silicone liquid is handy sometimes though , you can directly use it on a bit dirty or unwashed surface , or a surface which is uneven and cannot be thoroughly cleaned previously(matty plastic) or a surface with a film of oil or grease on it (chain cover) . Let the liquid dissolve the dirt and let it dry to a haze as usual and buff it to the same glossy shine . You can as well clean dirty screw threads with it too . On the whole it's a quick and easy overall (use all over the bike - metal, paint, chrome handlebar, headlamp glass, plastic sidepanels, cable casings, wheels, engine case etc etc ) high-gloss that's short lived and gives little protection . No wonder all the HeroHonda ASC's use it after servicing the bikes . I kinda like it , wax protection is useful on painted metal surface and genuine leather only and how much painted metal is there on a bike anyway nowdays ? Tank, frame and wheel hubs - thats it .
My humble advice - save the effort and use any one .

[mayank.travadi]

very well explained pinaki ji...and thanks for the link prith

Now i understand that silicone isnt harmful as prith suggested but the solvent base is harmful for the wax...or infact everything over the painted surface except the pint...so is a good cleaner and good for shining stuff...but i'd rather put in more effort ad get longer protection with hard wax...

the hard wax is bad for plastics and stickers right?

i guess i'll stick with hard wax....now one last thing...u said silicone polish is good for everything..an all rounder...but now that i have decided to use hard wax...what would u suggest for plastics,side panels wheels chain covers which always have oily stains how much so ever i scrub with car shampoo,tyre huggers,rims,etc?

and indeed u said is true...there is hardly painted surfaces on bkes these days...and hence my decision...small painted surface....so why not get longer protection with a little bit of hard work...its not going to take so long...

PS i have seen many tyre foam products...necessary?if yes which do u recommend

PPS just a thought...how about using silicone polish getting an extra shine...and now since u wipe it i suppose there is no kerosene like solvent material and then we can use wax on it to give protection...so there we have..shine and wax both...can that routine work?

so simply putting it if applying polish over wax removes the wax can we apply polish which after drying and buffing essentially just is the shiny layer on ur bike u can use wax then to protect the shiny silicone shine?

[RohIIT]

Hello guys ..I regularly clean and wax my CBZ Xtreme (sept 2012) using Waxpol Scooter polish....

Bt the problem arises that under sunlight the black tank appears to be faded into color of grey...Although it is little bit and patchy..
What can be done to ensure complete protection of paint..
( PS : I am a student so money is a big issue here )

Also is this original wax..??

[BloggingWheels]

Yes, this is the original wax. For getting a tin full of smooth wax:
1. Boil some water
2. Put the tin in the hot water.
3. Take care not to spill water 'in' the tin.
4. You will see the wax melt and 'set' as it cools!

This way you'll have a tin looking as new and fresh as the new one! It is wax after all!
@To All (esp Prith and Mayank): Guys save yourself some energy - use any one of the products. No point in spending extra time in 'over' buffing and keeping your ride glossy.
Some riders:
> Most effort -- Best 'Protection' -- Great gloss -- Orange Waxpol Tin
> Medium Effort -- Great Gloss-- Medium Protection -- Waxpol Silicone polish
> Least effort (just wipe off, no need to buff) -- good gloss -- Least Protection -- 3M liquid wax.