I pulled up in my automobile to a stop sign recently and looked at the motorcycle next to me. The chrome was polished; the paint just waxed, every thing looked great except for the wheels. They were cast aluminum and had black brake dust residue covering them, this took away from the overall appearance.
The first thing I noticed was the dirty wheels not how great the rest of the motorcycle looked. Being a detailer, I always look at the attention the owner of a vehicle or Bike has paid to the small details, especially regarding the wheels. The wheels take time and patience to detail them really correctly and clean, right down to every spoke and into every nook and cranny. Let’s face it, this is probably everyone’s least favorite part on the motorcycle to clean (it sure is mine). When you think about it, the personality of a motorcycle is found in its wheels, the size and style of the rims make a statement about the bike and its owner.
Before we can talk about cleaning and/or polishing, we need to understand the types of motorcycle wheels. There are two main types of motorcycle rims:
1) solid wheels, in which case the wheel and spokes are all cast as one unit, usually made of aluminum, and…
2) spoke wheels, in which the motorcycle wheel is “laced” with spokes.
Other materials used are magnesium alloy and even carbon fiber. The reason for motorcycle wheels made of such exotic material is to save weight, so these wheels are generally used on motorcycles meant for show or for racing.
Cast motorcycle wheels are made from cast aluminum; they are normally custom wheels on a large number of motorcycles. They typically come with a chrome or polished finish. These motorcycle wheels are carved from a block of solid aluminum using a CNC machine, Computer Numerical Control, which reads G-code instructions and drives the machine tool, to fabricate metal components. This machine has the ability to carve incredibly intricate designs out of an ordinary block of aluminum. You can even design your own wheels using this technology.
Laced motorcycle wheels are the traditional wheels. The wheel is usually made of steel (there are some aluminum rims and hubs), with the structural strength supplied by the spokes which are laced between hub and rim. Laced motorcycle wheels, are a real thing of beauty when they are clean and polished. Chromed steel spokes look the best, but stainless polished spokes are the most resilient.
Maintaining fully polished wheels is a major challenge of ownership. Whether you ride a Harley or Yamaha, it doesn’t matter; all motorcycle enthusiasts have the same frustrations when it comes to wheel detailing. Wheels come in so many different materials and designs. You have to consider the types of metals and alloys, including chrome, and stainless steel. Is it anodized? Polished? Or painted? The variety of details involved in the design of motorcycle wheels today is astonishing: front wheels that have 120 spokes and rear wheels with 240 spokes. They look incredible! But they are the most difficult to clean. No matter what design your wheels are, you must contend with brake dust, road grime, and road tar that literally bond to and contaminate the wheel finish. Bikes were meant to be ridden, so there lies the problem.
Maintaining Your Wheels–You take a shower daily to keep your body clean, comb your hair, and put on clean clothes before heading out to work or out for a club ride. The wheels on your motorcycle are often overlooked. However, they require cleaning on a regular basis to help prevent spoke failure from corrosion, especially if you live near the ocean.
You can suffer flats if a spoke fails on your motorcycle wheel. This can happen under ordinary everyday conditions. The broken spoke pushes into the tire and punctures the tube. So always keep your spokes clean and check them for signs of corrosion or other damage.
The aluminum motorcycle rims are usually coated. Some chemicals used for cleaning wheels, like acid-based cleaners can damage that coating. Once the bare aluminum on the motorcycle rim is exposed to air it can begin to oxidize and corrode.
Before you begin the process of cleaning the wheels, it’s essential to understand accurately what you’re up against. Brake dust is every wheel’s worst enemy. Consider that your enemy “brake pads” are designed for high friction with brake-pad materials embedded in the disc. Although it is commonly thought that the pad material contacts the metal of the rotor to stop the car, the pads work with a very thin layer of their own material and generate a semiliquid friction boundary that creates the actual braking force. They are manufactured from a range of materials including polymatrix, monocarbon fibers, and hardened metallic bound together with pressure and temperature.
Polymer-based adhesives and metal filings all factored into the cleaning.
Repolymerized brake-pad adhesives gather as tiny droplets that settle on the wheels. It virtually cements itself to the surface. These particles become superheated during braking and can punch tiny holes into the wheel finish.
The second enemy is road tar, a much easier obstacle to combat than the primary enemy repolymerized adhesive; tar can be easily defeated with a solvent-based cleaner.
All this from the simply applying the brakes, and, since you must to brake to avoid running into someone or something, there is no avoiding it, unless you park your bike and just look at it. For some reason I don’t think that’s an option.
The next-best thing is proper weekly cleaning, and it should be done every time you wash your bike. This helps prevent the build-up of the above-mentioned enemies.
The approach to cleaning a laced wheel or an unpainted aluminum rim is almost the same, but some of the tools are different. For laced wheels that are oxidized, use a soft-bristled brush, or a sponge sprinkled with Comet.
If the enemy hasn’t taken hold, simply clean the spokes, hub, and rim. If the grime is heavily caked on, a toothbrush used in conjunction with a citrus-based cleaner, or a wheel-specific cleaner, like Eagle One, is very effective. A thorough washing with soap and water should follow the cleaning immediately.
The best way to keep laced wheels looking good is just to keep on top of them. Every time you wash your motorcycle, spend the extra five to ten minutes on the wheels. I always like to use glass cleaner after every wash to clean chrome. Spray a light mist onto a microfiber towel and wipe all chrome to a brilliant shine. Doing this after every wash will keep your bike looking as if it just came off the showroom floor. And you won’t have to fight the enemy with high-powered chemicals.
You don’t have to use a chrome polish unless it’s your goal to make the bike really shine for a special event such as a club ride or show. Polish is an abrasive, and the wheels have to be absolutely spotless before using it, or you will risk scratching the finish.
CNC aluminum rims are easier since they do not have as many “spokes.” The same cleaners can be used, citrus-based cleaner or nonacid-based wheel-specific cleaners. These cleaners will rapidly remove the heavy grime, and I prefer a medium bristle brush and toothbrush when cleaning the recesses and cavities on the wheel. Use a solvent-based cleaner for removing tar, grease, or dirt left after using normal wheel cleaners. The solvent is needed to cut the oil.
When using solvent cleaners, use caution by spraying them on a brush first, and then agitating. Any overspray onto the tires could make them slippery, and therefore, potentially dangerous, when you head out on your ride. Also never use silicone-oil-based tire dressings; they leave an oily film and are dangerous. Besides, tires were not made to shine; they should be clean and have a matte finish.
Painted wheels: you should not use harsh detergent cleaners; they will stain and cause fading when used for any length of time. Use soap and water.
Cleaning•
Make sure wheels are cool to the touch. Spray nonacidic cleaner, like citrus, Eagle-One, or S100 wheel cleaner, evenly on cool, dry wheel and tire. These cleaners do a good job at attacking enemies like brake dust, grease, and oil. These cleaners are safe for all wheel surfaces.•
Soak for 2 to 3 minutes. This will allow the cleaner to break up the contamination. For extremely dirty wheels and tires, of course, when you have a wheel with a lot of spokes and details, you’ll probably need to do a bit of gentle manipulation with a soft brush, tooth brush, or sponge. Repeat if necessary. •
Rinse wheel thoroughly with strong water spray. •
Dry wheel immediately with a leaf blower or soft towel to prevent water spots.
Polishing
OK, you want your wheels to look their best for the weekend club ride!
If you apply polish to aluminum and fail to see a black residue forming, stop polishing immediately. The surface is coated and damage can occur from the abrasive materials in the polish if you continue. If you choose to remove this coating, please seek advice from a qualified motorcycle-shop professional prior to attempting to strip it.
Use a gentle polish (always check the label of the product to make sure it’s safe for your wheel’s surface) such as Flitz Liquid Polish or Eagle One Nano Polish; both are safe for polished aluminum and chrome. This will give you that bright flashy finish. If the enemy has taken hold in the form of corrosion, you will need to use a paste polish, which has more abrasive material to remove infection. As always, try the least aggressive polish first.
While attending a detailing expo in Florida in January, I got to see the new Flitz ball designed for laced wheels. This ball is very small and has hundreds of little fingers to polish those hard to get into locations of spokes. The ball attaches to your cordless drill for easy use. They will be available this spring. As soon as I get one to test, I will share my findings.
I have been using the larger ball on my car wheels and have achieved fantastic results. I have tried polishing strips and find them to be very time-consuming. They work well if you have all afternoon to spend polishing instead of riding.
Using fine foam applicator or your hands, apply liquid polish. I personally like to use my bare hands, for the best control of the amount of polish applied.•
Using a microfiber towel rub to a brilliant shine.•
I always finish off my polishing by lightly spraying glass cleaner (nonammonia) onto a clean microfiber towel and wiping all the metal. This will remove any residue.
Wheel detailing should be a fundamental part of your motorcycle care schedule. The right products and tools will make the job easier, quicker, and a lot more fun. The process demands a time commitment, but the results are always rewarding. When someone pulls up next to you, look him or her in the eye. They will smile and say “great-looking motorcycle!”
Editor’s Note: For years I’ve used Pledge on chrome and even painted surfaces for a non-abrasive protected finish. I believe many of the spray detailing products today are Pledge knock-offs. Some Pledge has that lemon film. Just hit it again with a soft cloth and it’s gone. There’s never white polish in cracks and or scratches.
The best bare metal polish I’ve discovered for aluminum or brass is Bright Boy from Marine stores. Again, it’s an non-abrasive chemical and does a killer job.
