What’s In My Motorcycle Cleaning Kit

Riding a clean, shining motorbike makes a lot of heads turn. It also makes you and your pillion feel comfortable on the ride. The process of cleaning the bike, however, consists of several products. For beginners, it can be frustrating. So I am sharing what’s in my motorcycle cleaning kit to help you get started on your motorcycle cosmetic maintenance, It is also the same products that I use to get my bike from this to the image on the right.

Detailing Process

I wouldn’t want to discourage you but the whole detailing process for my bike took slightly more than 5 hours. From washing to drying and finally to waxing.

It would be shorter if you had maintained your bike from the beginning. Or you simply wash your motorcycle and skip the waxing part.

Motorcycle Cleaning Kit

1. Cleaning Sponge

Like any cleaning process, you would need a sponge. You can choose to purchase a sponge meant for car wash OR you can use a used dishwashing sponge. DO NOT use a scouring pad. Scouring pads will only damage the surface of your cover set.

I use a used dishwashing sponge. It is readily available and soft enough to reach those hard-to-reach areas. Just the sponge will do. Don’t use the scrubbing part of it.

2. Shampoo

You can use any shampoo that’s meant for car wash sold at any petrol station. It can be just a normal shampoo or the wash-n-wax. I personally recommend getting a shampoo that produces soap suds. While washing, the soap suds will help indicate the areas that you have covered. So that you don’t waste time cleaning that area twice.

I had some balance shampoo from my previous wash, And I used just that. Bear in mind that the shampoo comes in a big bottle. So for a motorcycle, that big bottle could last you for quite a number of washes. A little goes a long way.

3. Water Buckets

Although most estates come with a water point, it is always best to have water buckets ready. These water taps will discharge water at SGD$0.20 for 1 minute(I think…). That’s a lot of water and could fill 2 large buckets. plus a small one. You could use the water from the small bucket for shampoo. The water collected in the 2 large buckets can be used for rinsing later on.

The washing area in my estate also comes with a water jet. However, I still prefer to use the water tap as I can control my water usage. Before applying the soap to the motorcycle, rinse the bike first to remove any loose dirt.

4. Chamois

Chamois is a multi-purpose item. On a normal day, you can use a chamois to wipe off the dew on your motorcycle in the morning. On a rainy day, you can use the chamois to dry your motorcycle. Alternatively, after rinsing the shampoo foam, you can use the chamois to wipe your motorcycle dry. A very handy cloth that absorbs a lot of water. Better than normal cloth.

I usually get my chamois from any of the petrol stations available. However, if you prefer to shop online, you can get it here.

5. Cleaning Agents

Cleaning agents here refer to degreasers or any form of cleaners. Sometimes dirt and grime may be too difficult to scrub by hand. That’s where these cleaners come in.

The most commonly used are rim and chain cleaners. I usually use the cleaning agent from Liqui Moly. I have one for my rims and another for chain, and chain guard. These are the common areas where there are stubborn dirt, grease, and grime. Scrubbing will definitely be time-consuming.

Apply the cleaners first. Allow a few minutes. Then start your washing process.

6. Polishing Agents

There are several types of polishing agents. One is for glossy surfaces mainly your motorcycle cover set, headlight, and tail light cover Another is for your miscellaneous parts mainly the chain guard, mudguard, battery cover, seat, etc. In short, anything that is black. The last one is for chrome surfaces.

Polishing or waxing helps to prolong the cosmetic beauty of your motorcycle.

7. Microfibre Cloth

The microfibre cloth is a MUST to bring out the shine in the areas where you have applied polish. The common practice for waxing is to do it in a circular motion. If you have a buffering machine, it would help speed things up. I use the manual method, by hand.

Apply the wax first. Once you have completed waxing the whole bike, use a new microfibre cloth and start polishing. By then the applied wax would have already set. Wax off in a circular motion as well.

8. Lubrication

After waxing, lubrication is the next step. This will help to prevent rust and also help prolong the lifespan of your motorcycle parts. I use my chain lube on all my moving parts. Again, the chain lube is also from Liqui Moly.

All the above are so far the main things that I have in my motorcycle cleaning kit. I would highly recommend polishing or waxing your vehicle after each wash. This will help retain its original color. And when it retains its original color, you can ask for a better value when you intend to sell off your vehicle.

Hope you get tons of value from this post and video.