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| Motorcycle Home > Engine Detailing > Proper Engine Detailing Guide |  | Proper Engine Detailing Guide |
|   The engine is the heart of your motorcycle. Allow it to get dirty and the whole bike suffers. Detailing and cleaning the motorcycle engine need not be difficult and can actually be an enjoyable process. There are several steps to properly cleaning the engine so allow a bit of time. Work in the shade or your garage, listen to your favorite music, keep a cold beverage nearby and get ready to really know your bike.
Start the engine for a few minutes before beginning. This allows the components to warm up a bit. You don’t want to run it too hot – just a few minutes to get it in the warm zone. Once warm, you can start removing the covers, faring components, panels and possibly the gas tank so you can reach the interior of the engine. If you’re not familiar with these components, enlist a friend who is, to hang out and help you until you feel comfortable. Don’t be intimidated; it isn’t that hard... and, hey once you’ve learned it, it’s just like riding a bike – you’ll never forget.
***Important tip: never saturate the carburetor or electronic components with water. Use towels or plastic bags to cover these sensitive areas prior to cleaning the motorcycle engine.
Cleaning & Degreasing
Break down the grease and grime by applying a quality degreaser/cleaner such as S100 Total Cycle Cleaner Aerosol or Gel – it’s strong enough to cut through the worst grease and grime using modern detergent technology. You can use it all over the motorcycle; it works wonders for detailing the engine. XENIT – a citrus-based cleaner gets at all the sticky grime and greasy sludge. Containing a blend of five different powerful cleaners, it is formulated to break down the molecules that compose sticky materials. The result is a fast-acting, easy-to-use formula that removes all contaminants from your motorcycle.
The degreaser/cleaner can sit on the components for a few minutes to soften and loosen the grime. Use a brush to break up areas of major contamination. Then rinse off the cleaner thoroughly. There’s no need to blast the motorcycle with water. Free-flowing water will work just fine.
Drying the Motorcycle
Once the bike engine is clean, waste no time drying to avoid the settling of water spots. If possible, use a compressed air blower such as Metro Motorcycle Air Force Blaster – designed specifically for drying motorcycles. This item is a truly invaluable investment in your bike. You’ll use this powerful 4.0 peak horsepower blower over and over again – whenever you wash your bike. It’s also perfect for quick drying after riding in rainy conditions. If a blower is not an option, the next best drying tool is a quality Microfiber towel such as Cobra Supreme Guzzler Waffle Weave Microfiber Towel – incredibly absorbent; it’s enough towel to dry off an entire motorcycle. This lint free 80/20 polyester/polyamide blend is completely lint free and can be washed and reused, sure to survive over 500 washings.
Engine Protection
After drying, let the engine run for a few minutes to dry up any remaining moisture. Once the engine has cooled, start applying protection to plastic shields, wires and hoses. 303 Aerospace Protectant works great on all these surfaces.
S100 Engine Brightener is formulated specifically for black components and will restore a like-new appearance to all black plastic, paint and rubber.
Add shimmer and a layer of protection to your chrome and painted surfaces with Pinnacle Souverän™ Liquid Spray Wax – it contains Brazilian Ivory Carnauba wax to ensure longwearing protection. The shine will turn heads – a deep liquid shimmer consistent with the best hard carnauba paste wax shines.
Keep in mind that detailing a motorcycle engine is a process. Several products come into play due to the complexity of varying components. As with anything worth doing, the first time you thoroughly detail a motorcycle engine may pose some challenges – but the results will be well worth it.
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