What do I need to know about motorcycle detailing?

Motorcycles have lots of crevices that hold water. I do maybe three or four bikes a month and can't remember the last time I used water on one. I use my steam machine. A basic steam machine you can buy for 80 to 100 bucks will work great. Just steam and wipe. Nothing upsets a bike owner more than getting on a detailed bike and after driving down the street a bunch of water starts shooting out of places and streaks everything. Plus the steam has pressure behind it which blows dirt out of areas you will never get a towel in. Other than that just be careful when taking bags and seats off. I dropped a saddle bag on a 50 thousand dollar Street Glide once it cost me about $700 to order one from Harley.
 
put the bike up an a stand so you can move the wheels and turn the handle bars. As you move around the bike, look forward and backward to see what needs to be touched in addition to what's in front of you. Move only a foot or two at a time - look all the way from the front to the back and up and down - move your head up and down - bikes get seen from every angle - so you have to clean from every angle - the same as you would if you were show car detailing an engine compartment. Get a headlamp and use it. Also, a nice set of hemostats is good to have and some detail sticks, chop sticks and the like for reaching into places you can't get your fingers. Put your product - polish - wax - etc. onto the cloth or pad and work it in really well so you don't leave lots of residue in places it'll be hard to get out of. Don't treat anything where it might compromise traction - either between the rider and the bike or the bike and the ground - keep fling in mind on that score.



Robert
 
WhyteWizard said:
Don't treat anything where it might compromise traction - either between the rider and the bike or the bike and the ground - keep fling in mind on that score.



Robert
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best advice, particularly the bit about rider safety. your work will be for naught if the rider throws it down the road the first corner they try to negotiate
 
Thank you everyone! The customer scheduled for a detail in about a month so hopefully I will let you know how it goes.



What do you guys recommend putting on the seat that won't make it slick?
 
Leather Master Leather Vital will condition the seat without making it slick.



If you don't have a steamer, S100 Total Cycle Cleaner is a great product. You will need something to blow out all the crevices after you wash though.
 
Scottwax said:
Leather Master Leather Vital will condition the seat without making it slick.



If you don't have a steamer, S100 Total Cycle Cleaner is a great product. You will need something to blow out all the crevices after you wash though.
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Thanks for the recommendation.



Standard 160 mph leaf blower would work I assume?
 
Make sure to charge accordingly if this is a paying gig. Bikes seem to take more time than I usually think they will. That was before I did a few; My starting fee is $300 and goes up from there. So that's my advice, charge enough so you're happy with the deal.
 
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