Simple Green to clean motorcycle?

[speeder]

Sorry if this is rehashing old news, but I'm too lazy to use the search function. I have an old bike that has been sitting for ages, (the one in my signature line), and I want to give it a bath. I think that I am going to put it in the back of my truck and take it by a car wash w/ a steam gun, but I want to scrub it w/ a long-handled brush and some soapy mix at the same time. Then blow it off w/ compressed air and start working on it.

I like things clean before I even start wrenching on them, makes it a lot nicer. Will SG diluted in H2O harm my alloy wheels or any other parts? Seem to remember people saying not to ever use it on aluminum. What should I use? I want to cut any grease 100% w/o damaging any finishes.

TIA as always.

[Jeff Higgins]

I have heard the same thing about Simple Green and aluminum. I'm not sure if it's true or not. I was using it one time to do a quick spruce-up of the engine bay on the 911 and did discover it attacked either the paint or the wax on the rear fenders. I had to resort to rubbing compound to restore the paint finish; it looked as though it had hard water spots on it. I don't think I will use it like that again.

I have had better luck cleaning greasy stuff with Castrol Super Clean. I went to that after my trouble with Simple Green and painted surfaces. It rinses off with water just like Simple Green, but seems to do a much better job.

The other product that seems pretty popular for cleaning bikes is the S100 foam. All the bike shops have it; it's kind of the industry standard. It's not supposed to harm any finishes commonly found on bikes. I have used it, and it did work, but I thought the Super Clean did a better job. The S100 does specifically say, on its label, to rinse VERY thoroughly with lots of water, or risk damage to aluminum parts. That kind of worries me, but it doesn't seem to bother anyone else that uses it.

[Moses]

Fikse makes some of the finest forged aluminum wheels on the planet. This is how they recommend that you clean their wheels;

With proper care, your wheel finish can be maintained for years.
First, and most importantly, NEVER let heavy brake dust accumulate on the wheels for an extended period. Frequent cleaning is essential--much like a fine car finish. Most brake pad material becomes highly acidic when mixed with rain or water. This acidic mix of brake dust and water can damage any wheel if left on them too long.

Second, it is important to avoid using off-the-shelf "Wheel Cleaner" products which are typically designed for use on lower quality cast metals. These, too are usually far too acidic for high performance wheels. Fikse recommends a 50/50% mix of biodegradeable cleaner called Simple Green and cold water. Never use hot water on aluminum, and always let the wheels cool to room temperature before cleaning. Use a natural sable bristle paint brush (available in the paint department of most hardware stores) to clean the lug pockets and spoke corner areas.

Third, clean using this process:

Spray the wheel with the 50/50 Simple Green/water mix.
Let stand for 15-30 seconds, using the soft sable brush to loosen the dirt as mentioned,
Rinse with cold water.
Repeat this process as necessary to get the wheel fully clean.
To dry the wheel, drive the car around the block to fling off excess water, then pat the wheel gently with a soft, dry, cotton cloth.

[Jim Bremner]

simple green is very harsh. it etched my wheels on my truck

[Moses]

Originally posted by Jim Bremner
simple green is very harsh. it etched my wheels on my truck

What are your wheels made of?

[JavaBrewer]

I've cleaned wheels and more recently bikes with a 75/25 of H2O and SG for years. Spray on, scrub, rinse. No problems. My favorite for cleaning the bike is good ole WD40.

[Jandrews]

David,

When you say "cleaning the bike with WD-40", what exactly do you mean?

What kind of soap do you use on the paint, motor, forks, etc...?


Thanks,

JA

[speeder]

Thanks Moses, I thought that SG was alright as long as it is diluted properly and rinsed thoroughly. I have always used it on everything automotive w/ no problems, but cold water rinse and diluted. It certainly works well on greasy dirt.

My plan is to get most of the greasy dirt on the wheels and frame/motor off w/ steam, (no soap), and then a cold H2O wash w/ SG and quick rinse. FWIW, the anodised finish on the rims is already wacked, I am going to have to take some fine steel wool to them to sort of refinish them. This is a really low budget project. I'll post pics and results here when I do it.

[Joeaksa]

We are not allowed to even have a bottle of it inside an airplane, its that corrosive on aluminum.

'Nuff said...

[Tim Hancock]

Denis, I admit to using Westleys whitewall/tire cleaner on occasion in the past for tough OCCASIONAL cleaning jobs. Just don't leave it on too long. Car washes in this part of the country have a "degreaser" selection that may work if you let it soak for 5-10 minutes. You can also just buy a couple cans off engine degreaser from a Autozone and spray the whole thing down with one can, rinse respray the remaining bad spots and maybe work them with a brush, then rinse again and you are done.

An old college/army buddy just asked me last week if I would help him "ressurect" his '83 GPZ 550. It has sat for 15 years or so. That bike brings back great memories of college bike trips!

There is very little exposed aluminum on an '83 GPZ 550, so I wouldn't worry too much about damaging anything with a good baseline cleaning. I assume you will be waxing/detailing it up after you get it running anyhow.

[Tim Hancock]

Originally posted by Joeaksa
We are not allowed to even have a bottle of it inside an airplane, its that corrosive on aluminum.

'Nuff said...

Joe, I just received a sample at a fly-in this summer of a new "aviation" version of simple green. I guess that shows that even Simple Green knew their original version is bad for aluminum. Many of these type products will not do much if any damage to exposed aluminum if sprayed on and rinsed off, but on airplanes, the product seeps into lapped riveted joints and does not get fully rinsed out, which in turn can definitely cause damage to the relatively thin aluminum structures over time.

Enough about aircraft use, but for autos and bikes...

I would not risk damaging a highly polished finish on an expensive wheel, but I wouldnt think twice about spraying it on a cruddy greasy engine or weathered old wheel on a car or bike. A little common sense and maybe a quick test in a hidden location goes a long way.

[on2wheels52]

I guess I've been subscribing to the theory of not powerwashing motorcycles. Concerned about moisture in the exposed connections, instruments, etc.
Fond memories of the little GPz, had a year old '81, I think the last of the twin rear shocks. Should have stored it instead of selling when the baby came in '89.
Jim

[Bill Verburg]

It's been my experience that Simple Green is too harsh for polished aluminum or anodized alumium.

If you do use a dilute solution of it be sure to thoroughly rinse afterward.

[David]

There are two different Simple Green products. The original isn't too harsh but the stuff from the autoparts store is.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Simple Green works great on mine - same with the purple stuff (greased lightning I think it's called) but it's a bit harsher.

I've had great results with citrus cleaners too - although they take a little longer to break all the old crud off. Gunk makes a citrus-based cleaner or go to a bicycle shop - they typically have a nice assortment of citrus cleaners for cleaning bike parts like derailleurs and gears.

[Moses]

If the stuff is so nasty, why does Fikse recommend Simple Green specifically and exclusively on their wheel care literature? By the way, my Fikse FM10's look like new. I follow the Fikse recommendation exactly.

[Rot 911]

Moses are your Fikse wheels clear coated? If so I imagine Simple Green would be quite safe to use. From my own experience I have never seen any problems with using SG on engines, transmissions, etc.

[304065]

Moses, it's probably because they think the contact time will be limited.

See here: http://consumer.simplegreen.com/cons_faqs.php

Airplanes tend to be complex structures and you do NOT, for example, want SG getting down below rivet heads, etc. Hence the extreme concern over corrosion.

[motion]

I use WD40 on the engine grease & rear wheel, then a citrus-based cleaner on the rest of the bike. It does a great job with road grime, tar, etc. Rinse well. Not that any of my bikes need it... cause I don't ride them any more

[JavaBrewer]

Originally posted by Jandrews
David,

When you say "cleaning the bike with WD-40", what exactly do you mean?

What kind of soap do you use on the paint, motor, forks, etc...?


Thanks,

JA

Well along the lines of what Motion said I use WD-40 for greasy areas, chain, sprocket, swing arm, and even the aluminum Arrow exhaust. All plastics get Plexus, seat and carbon bits get a general purpose vinyl/plastic cleaner. My bike never see's foul weather so it stays pretty clean - enough that I never have to bust out water and soap. I've used the S100 spray on the engine of my Triumph S3. It worked really well and made the black cases new looking again.