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man i am really getting into this bike detail thing... so much diff from cars- a small car, like the s2000 would be most of a day to do this kinda detail, but the bike took about 5 hours (gotta admit, not much interior to worry about and the engine cleaning is just part of the deal!).
with a bike, the blower is a must. most of the drying of this two year old bike (mrs. wanabe's bike) was by blower. used a big blue just for touch up. for the washing, a mitt and several diff sized brushes are the main wash tools needed.
the other "must have tool" with bike detailiing is a place to sit. most of the work is down low. i used a creeper/ seat and the wash bucket with the lid on- one on each side of the bike.
sonus interior protectant used on the seats and all rubber (except wheels... used my own concoction there; and kept it off of the tread)- allowed to soak a while then buffed. then buffed. then buffed. dont want those seats to be slippery!!
bike has been washed, blow dried, polished by menzerna sip and then p83rd (very impressed with the sip- one try and 95% of the swirls were gone on this black beauty- it was very mistreated by its prior owner), and the first coat of zaino in on the bike here (the last of my z1... had been waiting for a chance to use it up cause such a small amount was left- the antique protectant!)-
some of you will recognize my assistant (after his mean summer hair cut) in the photo above- he has not mastered the pc, but he does a mean tail wag!!
after the z1, 2 coats of z2, and then the real treat- hand rubbed lusso oro!!
before feeling up the bike with the wax:
o.k.- feeling up the bike and rubbing in carnauba with my fingers and hands (yes, thats a chunk of wax on the tank):
all finished, and man this bike is glowing!!
in this detail, i finally found a good use for wheel wax. i have had that stuff for years and have tried it on several diff wheels, but have never really been that impressed. my conclusion has always been that a good synthetic does better, imo. however, i had a problem on this bike that i was not solving. the rear wheel had little black specs that were not coming off easily with anything that i tried until i got to the wheel wax. i am guessing that what i was seeing was something from the bike chain that was getting on the wheel. in any case, the wheel wax made easy work of it- removed it and shined up the chrome wheels nicely. it will now stay in my arsenal.
kind of on a side note, but since we're talking about waxes i guess it applies. how does the p21s 100% carnuba compare to the lusso oro? either one any better for the hand rub?
05-31-2008, 05:59 PM
my most complete bike detail
