There are many ways to get a bike clean, but what's the correct way to detail? The answer is easy when you ask the right people, such as the guys and girls at Meguiar's. With their love of custom motorcycles and cars, they were our first choice because of our common interests. They take cleaning very seriously and think the most important step when detailing is the evaluation of your detailing goals. What level of detailing do you want to achieve, and how much work and time are you willing to spend? There's no miracle product that will do it all in minutes. You'll get as much out of a detailing job as the work you're willing to put into it.
We were lucky enough to work with Mike, one of Meguiar's top employees and detailing experts, to show us the correct procedure for producing shine, restoring paint, cleaning metal finishes, and protecting everything once you're done. In a blur of soapy water and a terry-cloth mitt, Mike jumped right in, cleaning our filthy bike while at the same time answering our questions and revealing great detailing tips.
To prevent dirt particles...
To prevent dirt particles from damaging your paint, rinse your rag/mitt/ sponge in a separate bucket before dipping it back into the soap when removing loose contaminants.
Remember to wash from the...
Remember to wash from the top of the bike down, and use a washing fabric with large naps to trap dirt and remove it from the surface. Never use anything like a T-shirt; it acts like sandpaper on dirty surfaces.
Remember to wash from the...
Remember to wash from the top of the bike down, and use a washing fabric with large naps to trap dirt and remove it from the surface. Never use anything like a T-shirt; it acts like sandpaper on dirty surfaces.
Once the loose contaminants...
Once the loose contaminants are removed, use something stronger than soap and water, such as a multiple-surface cleaner that can be used on polished or anodized aluminum, powdercoating, or chrome. Let the cleaner react to the soiled surfaces for a minute, then...
...thoroughly rinse off the...
...thoroughly rinse off the grime and multi-surface cleaner.
Use a brush to get between...
Use a brush to get between the fins and other hard-to-reach places. It works great on black wrinkle-finish and natural-finish cast aluminum.
A smaller brush will get into...
A smaller brush will get into the harder-to-reach places.
Use an air hose to speed up...
Use an air hose to speed up the drying time.
With a clean microfiber towel,...
With a clean microfiber towel, finish drying the surface. Cotton diapers don't work well because they don't have the material depth to trap particles. They will drag the particles across the surface and potentially create scratches.
Washing alone can't remove...
Washing alone can't remove all surface contamination; some is bonded to the finish and might need persuasion. Using a one-step detailer and a clay bar, get the surface as smooth as possible.
After smoothing out the surface,...
After smoothing out the surface, the next step is removing fine scratches. Meguire's Scratch X will make fine swirls and clouding disappear, but don't expect it to fix deep scratches that pass through the paint into the primer coat.