Keeping the pipes shiny.

[EssexDave]

Well, I just picked up my new SV (yesterday) and was just thinking about looking after it.

I know the downpipes especially, but also other metal areas on bikes fade and have that horrible crap on them as they get older.

Is there anyway to stop this? Like, clean regulary? or is there some corrision inhibiting stuff I can use? (I assume it is corrosion?)

:confused:

Any other tips for keeping a bike looking showroom mint? :P

Cheers!

Dave

[dizzyblonde]

Autosol is your friend. If they get especially stained get a sponge with the scour pad on top, slap some autosol on the pad, place sponge on a duster then cushion the scourer against the pipe and pull the duster back and forth....amazing shine!

oh yeah and ACF50 for fasteners and other things that may rot.

Wash in baby shampoo and polish with Autoglym super resin polish for the sunglasses shine :-)

[Endellion]

A lot of people swear by this stuff, just coated my new bandit with it, slightly greasy I willjust have to wait to see how good it is

http://www.acf-50.co.uk/

[EssexDave]

I bought some ACF-50 but havn't applied it yet.

I've heard two trains of thought. First is clean it after every ride and bike will be fine.

Second is, cover whole bike in ACF-50, leave for winter and then wash off for summer.

I think I'm going to go for the ACF route, purely because I think my bike will be standing for a whiel, and obviously because I won't be using it, chances of me cleaning it in the cold are pretty low.

[fizzwheel]

Meh, dont bother, they never stay that way for long and I decided I could not be bothered fighting a loosing battle trying to keep my exhaust shiney, so it was a nice manky brown colour in the end and stayed that way.

If you ride your bike at some point its gonna get dirty, regular cleaning is the only way.

ACF-50 is good for keeping the winter salt at bay, however it attracts dirt, so you'll end up with manky dirty bike, that is all shiney underneath, personally in the winter, spary with ACF-50 and then dont wash it till spring.

A Fenda extenda for the front mudguard is also useful for stopping mud and much getting chucked all over it.

[dizzyblonde]

The more it shines the easier it is to keep it that way, Mine are that shiny I only have to rub over with an autosol soaked rag most of the year, with a bit of elbow grease and the scourer every now and again. AND yes it is ridden in some horrid conditions.

Suppose it depends on how nitty picky you are about your bike. Mines verging on the OCD most of the year. Don't bother so much during the winter, cleaning either of my bikes. In fact they've been stood in the last clean muck of the year, and won't be out now until there is less salt on the road and I can be bothered cleaning them. They'll be fine, as they got a coat of AC50 sometime in the Autumn, and once that stuff is stuck on it ain't coming off in a hurry!

[rictus01]

Lou....Lou.....110 mile this morning....;)

[dizzyblonde]

Rub it in, rub it in Mark :-(
Can't get any of the bikes out, the backs frozen solid. The bus will be impossible to move, and its in the way.

BOOOOOOOO, suppose the south has its good points!

[Ploppy]

im with dizzy on this one, Autosol for the win :)

[instigator]

Get 'em chromed, which I would imagine is a bit easier to keep shiny.

[dizzyblonde]

nah, corrodes just as much, SV front wheel throws so much off. Fender extender helps a little.

[Dicky Ticker]

Polished pipes make the bike go better------------------Fact

[kwak zzr]

do i need to pull polished pipes pics from the archive?

[dizzyblonde]

oohhh go on then, oh king of bling ;-)

[kwak zzr]

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k120/kwak-zzr/dscf0030Copy1.jpg
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k120/kwak-zzr/DSCF0014Copy2.jpg

there ya go :) bike now belongs to pookie who has informed me that they are not this shiney anymore :(

[rictus01]

all I see is a bike on stands and not out on the road :smt102, each to their own I guess.

[wattyfred89]

all I see is a bike on stands and not out on the road :smt102, each to their own I guess.

yep well said mark. but if you were to say you got the kind of usage/ winter milage that ive got the impression mark does and kept it that clean! then those pics would be amazing

[kwak zzr]

i did use it honest, its been on many a org rideout :) it also got wrote off on one too :(

[wattyfred89]

i did use it honest, its been on many a org rideout :) it also got wrote off on one too :(
=D>