From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Tue May 20 16:56:56 1997 From: "Pat Roddy" To: "Chuck DeSantis" , Subject: BMW: Re: Wheel Cleaner Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 16:03:47 -0400 X-Priority: 3 Reply-To: "Pat Roddy" Chuck, et al: Why spend big bucks for goo when either 409 cleaner or Simple Green work really well? Neither one requires more than a light scrub with a sponge, hose off, and watch all the crud go down the driveway? It takes less than 5 minutes per wheel to make them appear factory clean. pr My 0.02 worth From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Wed May 21 10:26:12 1997 From: JosephVmanNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 09:39:42 -0400 (EDT) To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Subject: Re: BMW: Wheel Cleaner Reply-To: JosephVmanNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com In a message dated 97-05-21 05:57:32 EDT, you write: >So...does anyone know what was in the BMW Wheel Cleaning Gel bottle? I >doubt that is was a proprietary product; more likely a custom pack of some >commercially available potion. But what is it? > >Anybody know? > >TIA > >Chuck > >Chuck DeSantis >Crystal Lake, Illinois >USA > > > Chuck, the BMW Gel Cleaner is made by a company called P21S, also sold under their name as P21S Gel Wheel Cleaner (duh!)......My local dealer told me that P21S Gel is getting hard to get (imported from Germany) but I found it at Bavarian Autosport 800-535-2002, plus they have it in the large refill size. It's by far the best stuff I've ever used, and I plan on buying a bunch of it since availability looks spotty. Hope this helps guys! Joe Maniaci 96 R1100GSA 96 Dinan M3 From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Wed May 21 10:56:23 1997 From: Harris_Gary/ny_technologyNoSpam@NoSpamexplorer.siny.com X-Openmail-Hops: 1 Date: Wed, 21 May 97 10:31:10 -0400 Subject: BMW: S100 Cleaners To: BMWMCNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Reply-To: Harris_Gary/ny_technologyNoSpam@NoSpamexplorer.siny.com >The S100 cleaner and the Castrol Super cleaner will take the coated >finish off your wheels and strip paint if left on very long, or worse >yet, allowed to dry. I won't use either product on any type of painted >or coated surface. >Buddy Burnett >Nashville, Tennessee I guess this is truly a case of YMMV, as I've used S100 on *every* motorcycle I've owned over the years and have *never* had a problem with damage to the finish. I wet the machine down using a waterhose or a soaked sponge, spray S100 over every inch of the machine, go over it again with a wet sponge (or toothbrush on the wheels), and rinse. What's left is a sparkling, clean machine. I then I "Can-Do" the plastic parts, and go for a ride! Gary - NYC From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Wed May 21 11:40:41 1997 Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 11:03:56 -0400 (EDT) From: Art Campbell To: Beemer List Subject: BMW: Helmet cleaning in the dishwasher Reply-To: Art Campbell Well, I finally tried the net-recommended method of removing old sweat, micro-beasts, and smell from a helmet by running it through a dishwasher cycle (pots&pans). With Cascade dishwasher soap (I really wanted to use the lemon scented, but . . . ). I'm pleasently and happily surprised to report that this isn't an urban myth. Worked like a charm. Turned the drying cycle off, and the fresh-smelling helmet is outside drying in the sun. Cheers, Art Art Campbell artcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com ArtCampbellNoSpam@NoSpamcompuserve.com "... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52 Vincent and a redheaded girl." -- Richard Thompson No disclaimers apply. DoD 358 From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Sun May 25 17:01:49 1997 Date: Sun, 25 May 1997 13:43:09 -0700 From: Jim Larsen Organization: Larsen Aviation Services To: "David A. Badger" Cc: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com, bmw-techNoSpam@NoSpamroadkill.com Subject: BMW: Covers scratching wind screen Reply-To: Jim Larsen David A. Badger wrote: >Has anyone out there had a problem with their bike cover causing dirt >and grime to scratch the wind screen? If so, does anyone have ideas on >how to prevent the scratches? David, Contemplate having a mini-cover made up that of thin soft flannel like a pillow case that custom fits your windshield. Do not install it over a dirty windshield. Make up a couple so that when one gets dirty you turn it inside out and wash it in a "clean" washing machine. There are many smooth fabrics like satin that won't easily hold sand (grit) that could also be used. Then cover your whole bike with your regular cover. Keep the cover in a clean zip-lock bag when riding. To get what I consider a better windshield cleaner buy an 8 fluid ounce plastic atomizer bottle of Kleenmaster "Brillianize" which is a new Anti-Static Cleaner and Polish for Plastics. I use it on my visors, bikes, airplanes, helicopters, computer monitors and TV screens, etc. I've also used it for years on the coated Display Units ($90,000 each x 6) and FMS Screens without harm on the Gulfstream IV that I used to operate. It doesn't build like Mirror Glaze and allows easy cleaning of bugs and dust. A little goes a long ways and isn't expensive. It will clean and polish your painted surfaces, chrome, ect. Good stuff! I buy it in bulk locally from TAP Plastics. Disclaimer: I'm not connected with this cleaner in any way except as a satisfied user. I've thrown out all my bottles of Mirror Glaze. Regarding scratches; we jut had a thread on how to remove them. Feel free to email me and I'll tell you what has worked for me. Take care, Jim Larsen K100RT & K100RS SF Bay Area From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Mon May 26 14:05:49 1997 Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 13:31:00 -0400 From: David & Mariana Syrotiak To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Subject: BMW: Helmet Cleaning Reply-To: David & Mariana Syrotiak > > Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 00:20:21 -0500 > From: Sheryl Myrick > Subject: BMW: Helmet Cleaning > > Just read the caution about NOT running the helmet through the > dishwasher (I'm a "prez" of two whole days, now)..Anybody out there who > can tell me just how one does a good cleaning on a $$ helmet? I'm a bt > wary of something as radical as the dishwasher > Cissie (oh, yeah, I'm a girl BMW rider!) > Cissie, I find that if you but a container of "SIMPLE GREEN" at your local walmart and use this on your helmet, it will come out looking like you just bought it! I have a friend who has been riding for 12 years and he never used the stuff. After washing his windshield and helmet with some of mine, He went out and bought a bottle for himself! Gets rid of bug guts in a hurry and it's boidegradable too! Use it on your bike too as it dissolves grease and oil as well as brake dust and left over balancing weight goop from previous tire installations. It also cleans upholstery, so I assume that it will clean the INSIDE of your helmet as well. Happy riding to you! Regards, David J. Syrotiak Brattleboro, VT '95 R1100R (Brenda) From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Thu Jun 5 23:04:10 1997 Date: Thu, 05 Jun 1997 21:20:53 -0500 From: klefler To: "David R. Norton" Cc: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Subject: Re: BMW: What's wrong with PLEDGE? X-Priority: 3 (Normal) Reply-To: klefler A better produat for cleaning and polishing your ride is a product called "Bike Polish" you can get it at your local Schwinn Bicycle dealer. It is a Schwinn product designed for bicycle frames. It works great and doesn't leave the nasty build up. I've used it for years on my 1978 R80/7 and my bike really does look like new after 105,000 miles. I use it on every thing. The frame, tank, bags, seat, tires, everything. It's cheap too. I sell it for $4.00 a can at the bicycle shop I run. -- Ken Lefler Iowa City, Ia. From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Fri Jun 6 11:03:15 1997 Date: Wed, 04 Jun 1997 07:29:58 -0700 From: Mark Gensman Organization: Business Resource Group, Inc. To: Clarence Dold Cc: BMW Mailing List , "David B. Dold" Subject: Re: BMW: What's wrong with PLEDGE? Reply-To: Mark Gensman Clarence Dold wrote: > > ----------SNIPADOODLE------- > So, what's wrong with Pledge? > Does it go away in a week? Does the plastic crack if I don't continue to > use it, like that Armorall junk? > > -- > --- > Clarence A Dold - doldNoSpam@NoSpamnetwork.rahul.net > - Pope Valley & Napa CA. It turns a lovely milky white in the rain. -- Mark Gensman MgensmanNoSpam@NoSpamix.netcom.com 95 K1100LT "You're never too old to rock and roll" K-Whiner #51 "The Green Hornet" From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Fri Jun 6 10:04:12 1997 From: "John Outlan" To: "klefler" , "David R. Norton" Cc: Subject: Re: BMW: What's wrong with PLEDGE? Date: Fri, 6 Jun 1997 09:13:36 -0400 X-Priority: 3 Reply-To: "John Outlan" ---------- > From: klefler > > > A better produat for cleaning and polishing your ride is a product > called "Bike Polish" you can get it at your local Schwinn Bicycle > dealer. It is a Schwinn product designed for bicycle frames. It works > great and doesn't leave the nasty build up. I've used it for years on my > 1978 R80/7 and my bike really does look like new after 105,000 miles. I > use it on every thing. The frame, tank, bags, seat, tires, everything. > It's cheap too. I sell it for $4.00 a can at the bicycle shop I run. > -- > Ken Lefler > Iowa City, Ia. I have a can of Pledge on my bike, but the best thing I have used and still use is Maguires Quick Detailer...great stuff! ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ John H. Outlan - Lake Mary, FL (Orlando) joutlanNoSpam@NoSpamiag.net 1995 BMW R1100GS "El Buey" (Black) Windows NT4.0! Prez, Village Idiot, FOG #3, RA, MOA, AMA... Associate Member - Central Florida Beeline Beemers ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Sat Jun 7 01:47:55 1997 Date: Fri, 6 Jun 1997 23:15:47 -0600 To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com From: Steven Huber Subject: BMW: A Pledge to old threads Reply-To: Steven Huber This is something I pulled off of my thin archive, and thanks to Don E who posted it > >Pledge? What motorcycle uses are there for that product? (I really don't >know!) > Chris Chorney > >Can we please move the treads onto things about riding, fixing, >>oils, uses of Pledge[tm]<<<<.... Several: 1. Windshields and face shields - removes those tiny scratches that are so annoying at night. Lasts for a while also. 2. Quick clean'em up. Will remove bugs. Will leave a nice shine behind For us anal rententive types who like clean bikes. Also good for cleaning up chrome stuff - leaves a bitta wax behind to help protect it. 3. Black plastic stuff - looks better for a short while after Pledging! on an RT there is lots of black plastic stuff - which after 12 years starts showing it's age without a coating of Pledge[tm] 4. Outta deodorant? (Haven't really TRIED this - it may be harmful to your health). It's good enough for item numba 1 that there is a can in my tank bag at all times - consider it a necessity - I won't clean my faceshield without it. Best, (and thank God - we've got a new topic going!) ======================================= Don Eilenberger Spring Lk Hts, NJ, USA deilenbergerNoSpam@NoSpammonmouth.com ======================================= ************************************************************************ Steven Huber '88 R100RX '90 K75S IBMWR, BMWRA, BMW MOA, AMA, G.O.B #17, IBMC, UMCI Madison, WI shuberNoSpam@NoSpamitis.com From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Sat Jun 7 12:23:29 1997 From: Sherry White To: "'BMW Digest'" Subject: BMW: Whats wrong with Pledge Date: Sat, 7 Jun 1997 12:08:36 -0400 Reply-To: Sherry White Actually nothing, I've used it on cars and most of my bikes for over 20 years. Never had any bad side effects. Let logic and common sense prevail. If it works, use it. From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Wed Jun 11 09:13:16 1997 From: steve.aikensNoSpam@NoSpam3lefties.com Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 06:32:37 -0600 Organization: PC Solutions, Inc. To: "David C.C. Sprague" Cc: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Subject: Re: BMW: Tar Remover Reply-To: steve.aikensNoSpam@NoSpam3lefties.com David C.C. Sprague wrote: > > Does anyone have a good tar removing method that will not damage my > clearcoat? I have some road tar globules on my swingarm and other > various places on the bike. > I do. Two products, called Goo-Gone and DeSolveIt, are enviornmentally friendly and work well. Can be used on all surfaces without damage. Both remove tar, crayon, gum, and those extra hard to remove bugs from the high speed graveyard up front -- I don't suffer from insanity.....I enjoy every minute of it! Steve Aikens, Clovis, New Mexico steve.aikensNoSpam@NoSpam3lefties.com My BMW URL is http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/4323/ Don't drop by very often, it never changes. From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Wed Jun 11 09:34:18 1997 From: GWBDMBNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 09:00:20 -0400 (EDT) To: dspragueNoSpam@NoSpambga.com, bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Subject: Re: BMW: Tar Remover Reply-To: GWBDMBNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com In a message dated 97-06-11 08:40:05 EDT, dspragueNoSpam@NoSpambga.com (David C.C. Sprague) writes: << Does anyone have a good tar removing method that will not damage my clearcoat? I have some road tar globules on my swingarm and other various places on the bike. >> A simple rule of thumb when guessing at what cleaner will work on what soil is " likes clean likes" So if you are removing an oil base soil generally you want to stick with an oil base product. As a start read the label. Also the longer the cleaner can sit the better except when concerned with things such as clear coat. Test in an out of the way area and never on a hot surface. A can of brake cleaner will remove most oil based soils just go slow and remove asap, as in seconds. Gas often works but not well. Tar x can be bought over the counter and is ok. just wet a cloth with whatever you use and dab and wipe. Gately Bartlett Acworth, GA From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Wed Jun 11 16:34:01 1997 From: STIEFJBNoSpam@NoSpamSWIB.CCMAIL.CompuServe.COM Date: 11 Jun 97 16:02:49 EDT To: , Subject: BMW: RE: Removing tar Reply-To: STIEFJBNoSpam@NoSpamSWIB.CCMAIL.CompuServe.COM A little gas on a rag works well. A little WD-40 sprayed on a rag works even better takes the tar right off (and the wax, but the wax can be put back on). I was skeptical, but it works great and dosen't seem to hurt the paint. -John Stiefel Madison, WI From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Wed Jun 18 23:07:27 1997 Date: Wed, 18 Jun 1997 21:48:50 -0600 From: "mister h..." To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Subject: BMW: Wind Screen Scuff removal Reply-To: "mister h..." Hey. Bought a second from my brother. A Tracy wind screen (small, like a National Cycle). Anyway, for $10.00 it isn't perfect. So, I says to myself...How to fix it on the cheap? One word: Brasso!!! Way! It cleans and polishes out quite well. And follow up with Simple Green for clean up and SlipStream helmetsheild cleaner to finish. For a piece of crap (well, not *that* bad), it was easy! A of W, H & N... 86 R65, 88 K75C From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Thu Jun 19 08:29:25 1997 From: MTCollNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 10:16:41 -0400 (EDT) To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Subject: BMW: Re: Washing a Bike Reply-To: MTCollNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com I am considering washing my K1100RS at this point and would like to get some tips on does and don'ts. Since I have never had to wash a bike before I would like to know things such as covering the battery to keep it dry etc. etc. Any/all help would be greatly appreciated. >> This will probably start a thread something akin to cosmic strings, but here's my 2 cents, in no particular order: 1. Never, never, NEVER, use a high pressure washer anywhere on your bike! For that matter, don't use the high-pressure stream from your hose; no sense forcing water into places it isn't intended to be. 2. Some people like S100 cleaner; I don't. It'll take the finish off any black metal accesories you might have. I don't believe it saves any time, either. 3. Use only a good car washing soap, not dishwashing detergent. It's easier on the wax. 4. I'd be careful using any "wheel cleaner" on your wheels. Some are caustic, and can screw up the finish. I just use 409; you still have to sponge it off, but it works great and causes no damage whatever 5. Use a good-quality wax. I use Nu-Finish, but just about anything will work. Be careful around the black plastic parts. If you don't, you'll have a milky coating in all the little recesses in the plastic. Looks like hell and is hard to get out. 6. I don't use bug sponges on my bike. With enough water, soap, and elbow grease, anything except tar will come off. For tar, use a tar remover and then re- wax the spots you used it on. 7. You can use a plastic polish on your windscreen, but it's not necessary. Again, soap and water will get just about anything off. Use a little Windex if you want. 8. I don't Armor-All my bike that much, and NEVER on the tires. This is mainly because I'm not sure of the long-term effects on the plastic. When I do, I use it very sparingly, and make sure to wipe off any excess. Well, there it is. Hope it helps. Michael Colloton Atlanta R11RT "Red Wolf" From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Fri Jun 20 06:34:18 1997 Date: Fri, 20 Jun 1997 03:13 -0700 (MST) Subject: BMW: Results - Plastic Rejuvenation Product There was From: Brian Skow To: IBMWR Cc: Ron Row Reply-To: Brian Skow Results - Plastic Rejuvenation Product There was a thread on rejuvenating plastic a while back on the IBMWR mailing list. A number of chemicals were supported, and I was reminded of a product called Black Again, available through Imparts. I went ahead and purchased a bottle of Black Again, and applied the chemical to various plastic and painted metal pieces on my 1983 R65LS. Fantastic results! The most dramatic improvement was the changing of the dried, powdery-looking black paint on the horn to an original semi-gloss black look. Just thought I'd share. Brian <><><><><><><><><><> Brian Skow | bskowNoSpam@NoSpamgetnet.com | Phoenix, AZ "This message made possible by an Apple eMate 300." <><><><><><><><><><> From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Fri Jun 20 06:42:54 1997 From: "Rob Lentini" To: , "IBMWR" Subject: BMW: re: Washing A Bike Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 04:26:47 -0600 X-Priority: 3 Reply-To: "Rob Lentini" Mohamed asks: ==== Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 23:50:16 -0700 From: falcoNoSpam@NoSpamepix.net Subject: BMW: Washing A Bike Hello all, I am considering washing my K1100RS at this point and would like to get some tips on does and don'ts. Since I have never had to wash a bike before I would like to know things such as covering the battery to keep it dry etc. etc. Any/all help would be greatly appreciated. TIA, Mohamed ==== Well, your owner's manual is a good start. It contains a section on motorcycle cleaning: dos/don'ts. Basically use a mild cleaning agent, don't wash in the sun, don't worry too much about the electronics and wiring, and dry the machine carefully. Most of the worries of the earlier generation are long gone with today's motorcycles. BUT, *don't* apply pressure washers to wheel bearing areas. regards, Rob Lentini Tucson, AZ (520) 790-8865 '94 R1100RS Three Flags 97 #205 MSF, BMWMOA, BMWRA, IOC, AMA "Let's RIDE more and politic LESS" From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Fri Jun 20 19:59:13 1997 Date: Fri, 20 Jun 1997 19:42:21 -0400 (EDT) To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com From: jrocheNoSpam@NoSpammailer.fsu.edu (jim roche) Subject: BMW: Remove Weight Glue Quick Reply-To: jrocheNoSpam@NoSpammailer.fsu.edu (jim roche) > >Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 16:03:06 -0400 (EDT) >From: Glenn Horton >Subject: BMW: How to remove old weight glue from wheel? > > I think this has been asked here before but I wasn't >smart enough to save the info. > > Can anyone tell me how I can remove the old glue that >is left on a wheel when you remove the weight tape? > > >Glenn Horton SAS Institute Inc. >sasdghNoSpam@NoSpamunx.sas.com SAS Campus Dr. >919-677-8000 x6640 Cary, N.C. 27513 > >------------ Dear Glenn, yes. Common lighter fluid works the best and does not damage the paint. Best, Jim(Dr.Curve)Roche jrocheNoSpam@NoSpammailer.fsu.edu high performance old twins http://garnet.acns.fsu.edu/~jroche/index.html From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Mon Jun 30 11:26:48 1997 From: WireWheelsNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com Date: Mon, 30 Jun 1997 11:08:07 -0400 (EDT) To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Subject: BMW: metal polish Reply-To: WireWheelsNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com Steve sez: << Yesterday, I took some Mother's metal polish to the wheels. The rear turned out great, without a lot of elbow grease. The front, which looked better at first, didn't have as much oxydation, but had some pitting, which I couldn't get off with the polish. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the rims were different brands. The rear was a Spanish-made Akront, the front a German-made Behr. As these came from the factory, I'm assuming they are correct. Anybody else notice this on GS or R models? It appears that the finish on the Akront rim is better than the Behr. Anybody have any good advice on how to protect the wheels from oxydizing more, other than polishing them regularly, which is a real pain? >> I've never looked closely at Behr's/Akront's finish but know that the Akront's are truer which makes for an easier time of it for me! BMW had to help bail out Akront after that closely held company had some creative accountants or something. Anyway, it seems BMW got the wheel dies out of the deal and Behr now makes a great unit with better QC IMO. Akront has been a major pain to get supplies from for years but it's getting better. I use and sell a polish called Magic Mix that's similar to Mothers but is liquid based. Wipe it on, wipe it off. Not acid based. As most of you know polishing is half the work in restoring wire wheels so when I found this stuff I immedeately bought cases of it for my wheel customers. If your local outfit (H-D) doesn't carry it I'll send you some but shipping takes a bite. It's from Cinci. _______________________________________________ Tim(Bondo)Bond 606.873.6686 3455 Oregon Rd Wire Wheels MC Svc Versailles, KY 40383 http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/WireWheels _______________________________________________ From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Tue Jul 1 01:19:37 1997 Date: Mon, 30 Jun 1997 21:37:53 -0700 To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com From: Damun Gracenin Subject: BMW: Re: Wire Wheel Care Reply-To: Damun Gracenin Steve wrote: >I bought a 1996 R1100R a few months ago, it had about 4000 miles on it, and >the factory wire wheels were starting to corrode. The rear was apparently >worse than the front, and was covered with white oxydation. And this is in >dry and hot Sacramento! This was a big topic on the GS list a while back. S-100 & other cycle cleaners oxidize wire wheels if not completely flushed. The fix is WD-40, after one has completely polished the wheels. _________________ Damun Gracenin San Francisco R100GS (Redhawk) R75/5 (Sidney Amber) _____________________ From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Tue Jul 8 17:04:17 1997 From: "Phil" To: "bmw wr" Subject: BMW: RE: A face full of water Date: Tue, 8 Jul 1997 12:32:29 +0200 X-Priority: 3 Reply-To: "Phil" Beemers, I polished my windshield in & outside from the R11RT with the Zymol Carbon wax (same as fairing) and I'm VERY pleased with. Befor I must drive in the rain with the shield in the lowest position now he can stay where it is, the wind let roll the drops off due the very smooth surface. It's also much easier to remove the cemetery of crashed beasts. Used Rain-X an other stuff befor but the Zymol stays much longer. Much rain here in Belgium last weeks. -------------============================------------- Phil postNoSpam@NoSpamglo.be Lovendegem near historical (7th cent.) city of Ghent Belgium, Europe 96 R1100RT "Sinus Beauty" Today in Belgium 72F no rain -------------============================------------- From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Tue Jul 8 17:38:21 1997 Date: Tue, 8 Jul 1997 15:13:53 -0600 (MDT) From: "Bryan Lally (lallyNoSpam@NoSpamlanl.gov)" To: postNoSpam@NoSpamglo.be Cc: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Subject: re: BMW: RE: A face full of water Reply-To: "Bryan Lally (lallyNoSpam@NoSpamlanl.gov)" Phil's keyboard spoke: > Beemers, > > I polished my windshield in & outside from the R11RT with > the Zymol Carbon wax (same as fairing) and I'm VERY > pleased with. Befor I must drive in the rain with the shield > in the lowest position now he can stay where it is, the wind > let roll the drops off due the very smooth surface. > It's also much easier to remove the cemetery of crashed beasts. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You should be very proud of this phrase - it is exceptionally picturesque. I also recently put Zymol on my Mystic Red K75S. What a beautiful bike :-) And you're right - the bugs come right off. The stuff is expensive, but works better than any wax I've ever used before. And I've tried many. - Bryan From ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Wed Jul 16 11:55:16 1997 From: EsquireTedNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 11:36:04 -0400 (EDT) To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Cc: FILKJFNoSpam@NoSpamsmtpgate.lmtas.lmco.com Subject: BMW: Nik Wax Reply-To: EsquireTedNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com John Filak: >About Nik Wax. I thought that stuff was for hiking boots. Are you >saying you used it in the wash to treat Cordura? Is this a different >product than their boot sealer? John, You bet :) Actually, judging from the number of different "shampoo" bottles on the rack with the "NikWax" name, I would say NikWax probably makes applications for a number of things. I saw wash-in treatments specifically for for Gore-Tex garmets, non Gore-Tex breatheable waterproof garmets (anyone ever heard of "aero-tec"?), waterproof garmets, and waterproofing for non-waterproof garmets. I also saw smaller jars apparently for waterproofing leather, and something for rubbing onto backpacks (?). In other words, they make a lot of stuff. ~~~~~~~~~ http://users.aol.com/esquireted/moto.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ted Verrill - EsquireTedNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com - TedVNoSpam@NoSpamFool.com - K1100RS (Zephyr) Georgetown, Washington DC, USA - HOYA JD '94 - Joe's Toadies IBMWR - BMWBMW - BMWMOA - BMWRA - GG#3 - SoD#7 BMWBMW Newsletter Editor, "Between The Spokes" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Visit http://www.bmwbmw.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From "Rob Lentini" Date: Wed, 13 Aug 1997 09:53:03 -0700 From: "Rob Lentini" Subject: BMW: Dangerous Cleaning Materials? Here's a message extraction I received from R1100RS rider Randy Treece, who like me is in the Air National Guard and is the Fabrication Supervisor at Wichita Falls. The message is from the Robins AFB Depot facility in Georgia. It warns of aircraft structural failures caused by harsh cleaning agents on high strength steels on aircraft. I wonder if those of you using Simple Green on your BMWs need to consider the following... FREQUENTLY, MATERIALS WITH VERY GOOD CLEANING PROPERTIES CANNOT BE APPROVED BECAUSE THEY DO NOT MEET THE OTHER VITAL REQUIREMENTS CONTAINED IN THE MILITARY SPECIFICATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE MOST COMMONLY USED NONAPPROVED CLEANER (SIMPLE-GREEN) WAS TESTED AND FAILED SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT REQUIREMENTS CONTAINED IN MILITARY SPECIFICATION MIL-C-87937. THE MATERIAL FAILED THE HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT, LOW EMBRITTLING CADMIUM PLATE, EFFECT ON PAINTED SURFACES, AND SANDWICH CORROSION TESTS. THE FAILURE OF THE HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT TEST WAS ESPECIALLY DISTURBING BECAUSE EXPOSURE TO THE CLEANER CAUSED A TENSILE BAR SUBJECTED TO A LOAD TO FRACTURE AFTER ONLY 2.5 HOURS OF EXPOSURE. TEST CRITERIA REQUIRES THE EXPOSED BAR TO WITHSTAND A MINIMUM OF 150 HOURS OF EXPOSURE WITHOUT A FRACTURE. THE TENDENCY OF THIS CLEANER TO CAUSE HYDROGEN EMBRITTLEMENT IN HIGH-STRENGTH STEELS COULD HAVE CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES WHEN IT CONTACTS HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL FASTENERS OR CRITICAL LANDING GEAR AND FLIGHT CONTROL COMPONENTS. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS STRONG EVIDENCE THAT THE FRACTURE OF A CRITICAL ATTACH FITTING FROM CORROSION AND EMBRITTLEMENT WAS CAUSED BY "SIMPLE-GREEN" BECOMING ENTRAPPED IN THE AREA FOLLOWING WASH OPERATIONS. THE CLEANER'S INABILITY TO PASS THE SANDWICH CORROSION TESTS ALSO DEMONSTRATES THE POTENTIAL FOR NONAPPROVED CLEANERS TO ACTUALLY CAUSE CORROSION INSTEAD OF PREVENTING IT. OBVIOUSLY, THIS DEFEATS THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE ENTIRE AIRCRAFT WASH PROGRAM. So chemical engineers out there, what do you think? Obviously the aircraft world is on to something we need to consider! regards, Rob Lentini '94 R1100RS Tucson AZ H 520-790-8865 W 520-295-6411 Three Flags Classic #205 Instructor, Motorcycle Safety Foundation Director, BMW Motorcycle Owners of America I WILL RIDE MORE AND POLITIC LESS From "Phil Rupp" Date: 19 Aug 1997 09:12:40 -0400 From: "Phil Rupp" Subject: BMW: Re: BMW- S100, Son of a Gun Mail*Link(r) SMTP RE>BMW: S100, Son of a Gun I agree with Bob. Cleans anodized aluminium and magnauseum very well with little effort. Does remove BMW black engine paint. A 'friend' found the Son of a Gun. He is always hazing me re: 'expensive bike, expensive cleaner, expensive....' Charlie is pretty bright, and the only thing I have on him is that I have two beemers, and he has none. Wants a Duc, but will settle for buying a Hon SuperHawk (Duc wannabee). Any one with any experience with the Son of a Gun Citrus cleaner? ($2.59 at local discount auto parts store)? All my best, Phil From Tom Nash Date: Mon, 25 Aug 1997 21:34:45 -0700 From: Tom Nash Subject: BMW: Black Chrome I owe a beer to whomever it was who recommended Black Chrome plastic = protectant. Just did my bags and tail trunk tonight. They look great! = Now to see how long this stuff lasts. Tom Nash (wannabe Canyonette) '94 K1100RS (Whinosaurus Frontforkus, on the endangered species list.) San Francisco I'm the one your mother warned you about. =00=00 From bkeaheyNoSpam@NoSpamuswest.com Date: Tue, 26 Aug 1997 06:33:08 EST From: bkeaheyNoSpam@NoSpamuswest.com Subject: Re: BMW: Black Chrome Addressed to: Tom Nash "'bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com'" ** Reply to note from Tom Nash Mon, 25 Aug 1997 21:34:45 -0700 > I owe a beer to whomever it was who recommended Black Chrome plastic > protectant. Just did my bags and tail trunk tonight. They look great! Now to see > how long this stuff lasts. Good stuff, huh? It doesn't last very long, but I just make it a part of my bike washing ritual to go over all the black parts on the bike with it, using a cloth lightly saturated with it. Wipe off excess with a dry clothe, or after the next rain the excess may become a whitish film until the next time you wash the bike. Too bad you can't fax me the beer. Bruce G. Keahey, U S WEST Advanced Technologies, Boulder, CO "PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, you never know when there will be a test." From Colin Sutton Date: Tue, 26 Aug 1997 12:19:22 -0300 From: Colin Sutton Subject: Re: BMW: Black Chrome At 06:33 AM 8/26/97 EST, you wrote: > >Addressed to: Tom Nash > "'bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com'" > >** Reply to note from Tom Nash Mon, 25 Aug 1997 >21:34:45 -0700 > >> I owe a beer to whomever it was who recommended Black Chrome plastic >> protectant. Just did my bags and tail trunk tonight. They look great! Now to see >> how long this stuff lasts. > >Good stuff, huh? It doesn't last very long, but I just make it a part of my bike >washing ritual to go over all the black parts on the bike with it, using a cloth lightly >saturated with it. Wipe off excess with a dry clothe, or after the next rain the >excess may become a whitish film until the next time you wash the bike. Actually, Bruce, it sounds like you're not following the directions on the bottle. I assumed myself it would be just the same as Armour All - wipe on - - wipe off - wait two days - wipe on again, etc. Being a stickler for procedure, I actually READ the instructions, and was surprised to find otherwise. I Black Chromed my bike at the start of the summer (17-year-old plastic!) and it still looks new! The Black Chrome (Turtle Wax) product is a wax, and the directions read almost exactly the same as a car wax - apply sparingly with damp cloth, allow to dry to a dull finish, then buff with a soft lint-free cloth. I keep my bike outside in the wind and rain with no cover, and I've had to redo the chrome three times this summer, but have yet to have to redo the plastic. Oh yeah - and another thing - since Black Chrome IS a wax, DON'T use it on your seat. Don't ask me how I know. ;-) Just my 2 cents.... <:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:> Colin Sutton (h) (902) 752-4599 (c) (902) 396-6866 RR#3, Site 4, Comp. 3, New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada B2H 5C6 E-mail: csuttonNoSpam@NoSpamnorth.nsis.com Website: http://www.nsis.com/~csutton/ Nova Scotia BMW Riders #40 Website: http://www.nsis.com/~csutton/nsbmwr.htm <-(VHML Chat: "Tora")-> <:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:=:> Only motorcyclists truly understand why dogs love to stick their head out the window of a moving car. From "Bryan Lally (lallyNoSpam@NoSpamlanl.gov)" Date: Tue, 26 Aug 1997 20:58:13 -0600 (MDT) From: "Bryan Lally (lallyNoSpam@NoSpamlanl.gov)" Subject: BMW: another new product In a fit of complete anal-retentiveness, I decided I had to do something about the hard water stains on the glass on my rearview mirrors. You know, those little mineral lines that form at the edges of the water drops? Anyway, I tried Rain-X Glass Care 2000 Cleaning Compound. Bought it at Walmart for $3.50 or so. The stuff is fantastic. No more hard water spots. The glass is cleaner than I've ever seen it. I did the windshield on car as well (car was feeling unloved, seeing so much attention being paid to bike). Anyway, if you must, go out and try this stuff :-) Don't drink it, don't spill it on your paint. I'm not affiliated with the company. All the usual disclaimers apply. - Bryan From Mark Ketchum Date: Wed, 03 Sep 1997 06:57:55 -0700 Subject: Re: BMW: BMW Paint vs. Brake Fluid All, This thread started and finished a coupla weeks ago when my front brake master cylinder leaked fluid onto the paint of my '95 R11RS. I got advice from several presidents - Thank you all (see cc: header). The range of advice: "That sucks. I've always been told that brake fluid attacks paint" "break fluid has a reputation of being a great way to wreck a good paint job. What a bummer" "Can't be done. The DOT4 has permanently stained the paint. :-(" "I guess you found out the hard way how corrosive brake fluid is, basically what has happened is the fluid ate the clear coat and some of the paint off!! Good Luck." Well, here's the poop from the perp: right now, the paint looks just about perfect again (or at least as perfect as ever for a machine of mine). I can see just about *no* evidence that the paint was attacked. What did I do? Some time before the incident (2 months?) I had washed the bike and "waxed" it with Klasse All-in-One cleaner protector. I have been using this stuff on all of my vehicles for many years. After the incident, I washed the area thoroughly with soap and water, and then waxed it with Klasse again. Now there is no discernable evidence of paint damage. Yeah Klasse! Are all my advice givers FOS? Is this DOT4 resistance because of new BMW paint systems? Or some less corrosive feature of DOT4? Or was it the miracle protectant properties of Klasse? I don't know which, or if any, of these is true. But my bike looks great again, and Klasse gets my hearty endorsement. By the way, I got a free 300 ml (red) jar ($16.95) of Klasse as a door prize at Cal BMW's summer party. Yeah Kari! Should keep me up to date for a few more years. ____________________________________ Mark Ketchum http://www.hooked.net/~mketchum Berkeley & San Francisco, California From Brian Curry Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 01:01:17 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: BMW: Re: Simple Green At 11:33 PM 9/14/97 -0400, Ian Schmeisser wrote: > >Is this a great list or what? One person flags a potential problem, another >person runs tests to check... the loop is closed and we can all be >comfortable that the best in the business are looking after us. > >Sorry to sound so warm and fuzzy, but it just doesn't get any better than >this. Actually there may still be more out there. First I think it is great that someone did are "real test". At the same time, the test may not have been appropriate for the reported problems. Sometimes a short term test will not show what a long term test will show, and with different test or actual conditions. I think the original problem could be related to long term exposure in crevices. Intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC)takes a sensitized material, suitable chemistries, and physical stress. Aircraft with stainless fasteners, can have sensitized material, and physical stress, and SG, might contribute the crack initiating and propigating chemistry. Ernies test had not physical stress. Plus it was realtively short term. IGSCC can be non existant and then turn around and bite your butt. Just ask Nuclear Power Plants that have spent years and Millions of dollars dealing with it. :(:( They have also had horrendous problems with chemical build up in crevices over time. Everything was fine, and then "problems cropped up." So, be careful with the SG. Anything that will strip wax off, and take off dirt that nothing else will, is powerful stuff, and should be used carefully. Don't drink it just yet. And yes, I do use SG straight up on some stuff, and I do rinse A LOT!!! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ | "Without data, you're just another opinion." | | -Jim Clarke (Manager, engine controls Ford Motor Co.) | | | | | | Brian Curry, 1990 Blue K75RTs both coasts, Chester Springs, PA | | The 9.25 cents a minute guy, USA SoD #23 | | | | KGN- Improving Lives Around The World | +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Date: Wed, 24 Sep 1997 19:20:51 -0600 From: Steve Aikens Subject: BMW: Stained Staintune Cleanup Rob, Got a new one (to me at least) that really does clean up Stainless. At the G.A.R., I found some stuff called X-treem metal polish. Wayne McCurdy, the guy that was hawking the stuff, told me it probably wouldn't work very well on the Staintune but gave me a small wad to try. I couldn't believe it. Stuff worked fast, with a little elbow grease, and brought the Staintune on my bike up to a mirror finish (you **do** rememberr what it looked like?). I had resigned myself to having to use a buffer to polish it up and make it at least look respectable - even though buffers make them look a little dull. If you haven't tried this stuff, you should. Check out Wayne McCurdy's Race Glaze page at http://www.raceglaze.com/. No, No, it's OK. You don't owe me anything but a steak dinner and a drink - -- I don't suffer from insanity.....I enjoy every minute of it! Steve Aikens, Clovis, New Mexico steve.aikensNoSpam@NoSpam3lefties.com Date: Mon, 29 Sep 1997 15:29:53 -0700 (PDT) From: Bob Shilling Subject: Re: BMW: Fontana, Shiloh and bubblegum On Mon, 29 Sep 1997, Jonathan Hornbarger wrote: > Now for the bubblegum part. Some fine, upstanding individual left a > piece of used gum on the back of my R11RS the other day. I think it was > Doublemint by the smell, but refused to taste it. The sun did a good > job of melting said gum into a gooey pile which then migrated to the > tail light cover. I got most of it off but some of it is baked on. Any > suggestions? Try holding some ice on it 'til it gets brittle, then it'll just chip off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................... Bob Shilling, SE Berkeley, CA shillingNoSpam@NoSpamemf.net KK6QQ MSA S-10 '91 R100, "Sleipnir" ABC#2063 DoD# 1195 "Give me my cycle, and a star filled sky above..." 'The Wild One' Johnny Horton(1925-1960) "This alligator walks into a bar and ..." Horizon Kent Date: Mon, 29 Sep 1997 22:48:11 -0500 From: Cissie Myrick Subject: BMW: Re: bubblegum Jonathan Hornbarger wrote: > Now for the bubblegum part. Some fine, upstanding individual left a > piece of used gum on the back of my R11RS the other day. I think it was Jon, Have you tried the old Wesson Oil trick? No need to be brand-specific, but cooking oil will usually soften up chewing gum so that it can be removed from hair, clothing, possibly even a tail light cover! Good Luck! Cissie M. '93 K75RT Date: Tue, 7 Oct 1997 04:28:49 -0400 From: Bob DeHaney <100013.413NoSpam@NoSpamcompuserve.com> Subject: BMW: Hot Plastic on the Muffler Werner, just wait awhile, or take a ride down the autobahn. The plastic carbonizes and flakes off by itself. Bob in Munich '94K1100RS Date: Thu, 09 Oct 1997 10:47:01 -0400 From: Don Eilenberger Subject: BMW: RE: K-bike refurb (flame break) Jerry asks: >From: Jerry Salgado >Subject: BMW: K-bike refurb (flame break) > >To: All > >The engine surfaces and black plastic parts have a weathered look on >my 85 K100. Red met. paint looks new though. Looking for suggestions >on products/techniques to best clean or restore: ALUMINUM AND >BLACK PLASTIC. > >In much appreciation, > >Jerry >Austin Tx Jerry - having BTDT.. (my bike when I bought it had been owned by someone who parked it outside for 10 years) what I did: 1. All aluminum surfaces I could get at (or remove, like the camshaft cover and the crankcase cover) got painted with Wurth Silver Wheel Paint (same stuff as on the wheels - which also got painted with it). This was followed by a coat of Wurth Clear wheel paint.. makes things EASY to keep clean - a washing with soap and water makes 'em look new again. The clear is important 'cause otherwise the Silver looks TOO shiny.. with the clear it looks like well maintained aluminum. 2. Parts I couldn't remove easily (the front engine cover over the timing chain) were carefully masked and painted the same way. 3. The water pump got scrubbed and painted with semi-gloss black. Still not really happy with how it looks - but better than the sandblasted black that was on it. Someday I'll remove the cover and bead-blast it, repaint it and use stainless allens to hold it in place (non-stress bolts so stainless is OK here) 4. Did the fork sliders the same way - removed for new seals, scrubbed down REALLY good then Silver/Clear.. 5. Did the tranny/swingarm when I did my rear-seal/spline lube job back in the spring. Only parts not painted now are the bell-housing and the rear-drive. The rear-drive responded well to cleaning, and I haven't figured out how to do the bell-housing without taking the entire engine apart.. prolly careful masking would work, but cleaning it made it look good enough that I haven't bothered. The black stuff is more of a problem. Proprietary stuff like "black-again" will work for a while.. big thing is to get it REALLY clean before using the stuff. The plastic gets porous with age/exposure and the dirt gets embedded in the open pores.. taking the black stuff off the bike, into the laundry sink and scrubbing with SimpleGreen and a nail brush get's'em clean.. then the proprietary stuff looks pretty good for a while (several weeks at least). Tried some stuff that not-only makes the stuff black again - but also seals it. Forget the name, on the shelf at home in the garage. Has been on for about 3 weeks and still looks good. Remind me to look and give'ya the name. The alternative - for the black stuff - is to use a bumper paint on it after REALLY cleaning it up. I had one pannier (luggage bag) which had the munge - the plastic was deteriorating due to UV exposure... could scrap layers off with a thumbnail leaving white marks behind. Finally decided it was a no-loss situation to try to fix this. Scraped off ALL the loose stuff using razor blades, down to solid plastic. Then sanded with fine paper (400 grit) - then painted with the black bumper paint. Can't tell the difference between this bag and the other one which wasn't attacked. Black bumper paint can be found in larger auto-parts stores. The Wurth Silver/Clear paints can be found from after-market places that sell stuff for BMW cages - it's the same paint used on the BMW wheels.. expensive, but holds up good and doesn't look hokey like some bright aluminum paints do. My bike often gets comments like: (Last night at a club meeting) "So that's an 1100??" from someone who had HIS '85K100RT parked next to mine.. same bikes, just mine looked good. "Nice bike - what year is it?" I tell'em, then get an expression of disbelief.. A numba of esteemed prez's have seen the bike and commented on it.. favorably. For 'purists' who say painting the engine isn't good - later models came with painted engines, so there won't be any negative effects of doing it yourself.. and I sorta doubt that my particular K-RT is ever going to be a collectable, so I made it look like I wanted it with the secondary goal of making it easy to keep it looking like I wanted it. HTH! ================================== Don Eilenberger, Spring Lk Hts, NJ deilenbergerNoSpam@NoSpammonmouth.com ================================== Date: Mon, 20 Oct 1997 11:22:37 -0600 From: "Haynes, Joel" Subject: BMW: RE: R850R minor hitches BMW's "gel wheel cleaner" is a great way to remove brake pad dust, road tar, bugs, etc. from wheels and other powder coat surfaces. Perhaps there are other competitive products as well, but I have found no need to switch once I found this solution. Joel Haynes Fort Collins, CO 97 R850R Date: Tue, 16 Dec 1997 22:52:38 -0600 From: douholmesNoSpam@NoSpamjuno.com (Douglas W Holmes) Subject: Re: BMW: cleaning/tech Bill Kenney writes: >Hi Folks......seen post before about not using S100 and those types of >cleaners and was wondering what might I use to get rid of brake dust on >painted wheels and grime on engine without the paint ending up on the floor of >the garage I use Westley's ESPREE Wheel Magic. It's good on all wheels and hubcaps. I also spray it on the final drive, and any other areas that are particularly gnarly. Have used it for over 10 years, on an R100RS, and on a K100RS. Works great. Green liquid in a clear plastic bottle. Doug Holmes Minneapolis, Mn Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 06:46:42 -0700 From: Deryle and Wanda Mehrten Subject: BMW: Re: Scratch Compound At 01:30 AM 1/6/98 -0500, you wrote: >Hi Deryle, > >Would you mind looking for the top two plastic scratch removing compounds in >the MCN ... I don't subscribe and couldn't find it on the web. TIA > >Stephen, Dali Meeow and the Royal Feline Fur Ball Production Company. eMail >us for fur ball franchise opportunities in your area. > > /\ /\ > -(NoSpam@NoSpam NoSpam@NoSpam)- >---------------------------oOO--(_)--OOo------------------------ >Check the cam and join Miami Beach's voyeurs at >http://www.video-monitoring.com/index.htm > >The official four-day weather lie can be found at >http://www.intellicast.com/weather/mia/4day.gif > > > Two catagories: 1. Abrasive Plastic Polisher/Cleaners 3M Plastic Cleaner #39017 15.5 points MCN Best Buy 3M Automotive Trades Division, 3M Center, Building 223-6N-01 St. Paul, MN 55144-100 612-733-1110 Max Polishing Systems All Metals Polish Systems 1 13 Points Recommended Max Polishing Systems, P.O. Box 4756, Hayward, CA 94544 800-748-6515 Novus 2 Fine Scratch Remover 12 points Recommended Zero Gravity Corp. 5312 Derry Ave, Unit D, Agoura Hills, Ca 91301, 818-597-9791 2. Non-Abrasive Plastic Polishes/Protectants Kleenmaster Brillianze Cleaner & Polish 21 points MCN Best Buy Zero Gravity Corp. 5312 Derry Ave, Unit D, Agoura Hills, Ca 91301, 818-597-9791 Plexus Plastic Cleaner, Protectant & Polish 20.5 points Recommended B.T.I. Chemical Co., 638 Lindero Canyon Rd., #371, Agoura, CA 91302 818-879-1493 Can-Do Multi Purpose Cleaner/Polish/Protectant 17.5 points Recommended SAENG/TA Corp, P.O. Box 1246, Columbus, NE 68602-1246 402-563-3444 Novus Plastic Polish #1 18 points Recommended Zero Gravity Corp. 5312 Derry Ave, Unit D, Agoura Hills, Ca 91301, 818-597-9791 Cycle Care Formula 3 17.5 points Recommended. Cycle Care Formulas Inc. 4777 South Farm Road 205, Rogersville, MO 65742 800-728-7800 Deryle and Wanda Arizona, USA Bikes From: Bmwbobs2 Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 08:56:54 EST To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Cc: BmwbobsNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com, TMFBikerNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com Subject: BMW: Cleaning Tips, Part 1...Tools of the Trade (Long) X-Mailer: AOL 3.0 16-bit for Windows sub 41 Sender: ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Reply-To: Bmwbobs2 X-No-Archive: yes X-Bmw-List: Majordomo 1.94.3 X-Web-Page: http://www.ibmwr.org/ X-Copyright: (c) IBMWR and the original author(s). Hello all, Ted and Tom suggested some time ago that I put some information together on detailing motorcycles for a FAQ. So I thought I'd break the information down into several cleaning tip posts. If you have any additional input, comments, suggestions or recommendations, please let me know. Without further eloquence, here's the first installment: Tools of the Trade. There are many people in Beemerdom who proscribe to the maxim that if it is nice enough to wash their bike, they would rather be riding. There is an unsaid implication in this statement that anyone with a clean motorcycle must not ride much, or would rather clean their bike than ride. Well, I'm here to tell you the two do not have to be mutually exclusive. Cleaning your bike should be viewed as part of routine maintenance. I do it with the same commitment and regularity as a 3,000-mile oil change. The advantages to periodically cleaning your bike have been stated many times before, by people much more articulate than I. Suffice it to say that for many BMW owners who tend to be ultra-long distance tourers, identifying problems before they occur should be reason enough. To begin with, you will need the correct tools to do the job. Purchase, borrow, steal, or otherwise procure a bucket that will be used EXCLUSIVELY for your bike(s). There will be times when harsh chemicals might accidentally be transfered into the bucket, and some of these solvents might inadvertently be transferred into the bucket. If the same bucket is used to clean the beautiful hardwood floors in your estate, and it accidentally strips the finish or stains the floor, you might have to sell your bike to help pay for the divorce. Conversely, you don't want to use a bucket to wash your bike where Top Job  ammonia cleaner or Clorox  was recently used. Next, buy the softest car-wash mit available. I like the ones with a thick, plush mat/pile. These are the best since they easily lift and carry dirt and other debris away from the paint surface without scratching it. And for drying, a chamois is very effective (either synthetic or naturalboth are good), and if available, buy cloth diapers, these are the best. 100% cotton cloth diapers are literally worth their weight in gold for someone who routinely cares for their vehicles. They are expensive, but are invaluable when it comes to applying wax/polish, removing wax/polish, cleaning glass/plastics, drying your bike, or simply wiping it down. Also buy several heavy duty cleaning rags and/or sponges for use on those areas of the motorcycle where you don't want to use a mit. And for Airheads, a stiff toothbrush/toiletbowl brush are also valuable tools. Avoid the ones sold in hardware stores with brass/metal bristles as these might scratch or gouge the cases. I try to find the heaviest, stiffest commercial toothbrush available, but a stiff Oral B  will also work very well. Scotch-Brite Pads  are also helpful on older bikes. In my opinion, these are superior to S.O.S.  pads since they don't tend to fall apart and disintegrate leaving miniscule pieces of metal slivers behind. I usually buy the least expensive car soap when it comes time to wash any vehicle. I recommend against using whatever dishwashing liquid is in the houseunless you plan on waxing your bike after each washing. Dishwashing soaps are not "engineered" for use on a painted surface. Some of these liquid dishwashing soaps have strong detergents that can easily strip the protective finish (wax) on your bike. All wax manufacturers (Meguiars, RainDance, Turtle Wax, Zymol, etc.) sell their own brand of car wash soap, and these can be found at places like Pep Boys, Trak Auto, Wal Mart, and other auto parts outlets. Now, go out and get your bike dirty and I'll explain how to properly wash the beast in my next post. Regards, ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Bill Shaw BMWBobs2NoSpam@NoSpamAOL.Com 10630-Y Riggs Hill Road, Jessup, MD 20794 Parts: 301-924-5155 Sales: 301-497-6192 Service: 301-497-8949 FAX: 301-776-2338 ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` From: Bmwbobs2 Date: Tue, 24 Mar 1998 18:52:50 EST To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Cc: BmwbobsNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com, TMFBikerNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com Subject: BMW: Cleaning Tips, Part Deux...The Wash (Long) X-Mailer: AOL 3.0 16-bit for Windows sub 41 Sender: ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Reply-To: Bmwbobs2 X-No-Archive: yes X-Bmw-List: Majordomo 1.94.3 X-Web-Page: http://www.ibmwr.org/ X-Copyright: (c) IBMWR and the original author(s). Hello again, Regardless if you spent upwards of $17,000 for a new BMW motorcycle, or one costing a mere $1000, protecting your investment by giving it a bath with some degree of regularity is important. Having the right tools helps (discussed in the previous post), but knowing how to use them is equally importantand it all begins with the soap and water. Remember that dishwashing liquid and laundry detergents are designed to remove the dried-on, and encrusted Lobster Florentine that you had for brunch 3 months ago, and they will attack the wax on your bike with the same gusto. Simply stated, wax companies love people who use Palmolive or Ivory Liquid on their vehicles. After purchasing the proper liquid car-washing soap (I also don't like powder soaps since any un-dissolved particles can act as abrasives), read the directions carefully, and then use half of the recommended amount. I usually use about a cap full in 4-5 gallons of water. The stronger the concentration of soap:water, the more wax you are likely to remove. Also, avoid using hot water since this tends to soften and remove the wax. Ideally the bike should be parked in the shade and cool to the touch before washing. Next, wet the bike down with nothing more than an ordinary garden hose, and avoid spraying water directly at any seals, gaskets or electrical connections. Even Holy Water will eventually find its way into wheel bearings if a 10,000 psi deck washer or a fire hydrant is used. I actually prefer not to use a nozzle at all since you don't need pressure to wash the dirt away. Begin by washing all the painted and plastic surfaces first with one mitt, and then using a second mitt/rag, clean the engine and wheels last. Start at the top and work your way down. In this way, you are not transferring the heavy dirt, grease, etc., into bucket before you've washed the paint. I'll cover how best to clean the engine and wheels in a later article. The bike should be dried as soon as possible, unless you enjoy being teased about those unsightly water spots by your motorcycle brethren while downing an A&W Root Beer at the Boot Hill Saloon. The best method to accomplish this is to use 100 % cotton baby diapers. If diapers are not available, the next best solution is to use a synthetic chamois, followed by a natural chamois, followed by any soft, clean cotton cloth you can find. Protecting your investment will actually take less time than you might imagine, and it will certainly help at resale or trade-up time too. Until next time, keep the rubber side down, and Keep It Clean. Regards, ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Bill Shaw BMWBobs2NoSpam@NoSpamAOL.Com 10630-Y Riggs Hill Road, Jessup, MD 20794 Parts: 301-924-5155 Sales: 301-497-6192 Service: 301-497-8949 FAX: 301-776-2338 ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` From: Bmwbobs2 Date: Wed, 1 Apr 1998 08:44:56 EST To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Cc: TMFBikerNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com, BmwbobsNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com Subject: BMW: Cleaning Tips, Part III...Polish and Wax (Long) X-Mailer: AOL 3.0 16-bit for Windows sub 41 Sender: ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Reply-To: Bmwbobs2 X-No-Archive: yes X-Bmw-List: Majordomo 1.94.3 X-Web-Page: http://www.ibmwr.org/ X-Copyright: (c) IBMWR and the original author(s). Hello all, Now that I thoroughly insulted everyone by explaining how to properly wash a bike, the next step is about caring for and protecting your paint. Due to some confusing terms associated with this process, I thought I would continue my condescending diatribe by providing several definitions first. POLISHES. Polishes (often referred to as cleaners) are designed to clean the paint by removing contaminants and oxidation, restoring the paint to a rich, light-reflecting luster, covering swirl marks, and preparing the paint for wax. While polishes can be in the form of a chemical, the most common types are friction cleaners that contain abrasives. It's almost always best to begin by using a fine abrasive (a glaze), vice starting off by using a coarse abrasive (a rubbing compound or clay). WAXES. Generally speaking, there are two kinds of waxes: organic and polymer-based. Most polymer waxes are chemically manufactured from petroleum distillates and contain silicone or Teflon. I am a traditionalist at heart, and am not convinced polymers are the best wax; i.e., provide the longest- lasting protective finish, so I tend to go "au natural." The most common organic waxes are from tropical plants (Carnauba) or from bee's wax. The proverbial jury is out as to which is best or whether a paste or liquid wax provides the best protection. My personal experience has been that a liquid wax containing Carnauba not only offers a long-lasting protective finish, but is easily applied and removed. CLEANER WAXES. I suspect these one-step products are being marketed for today's busy executive. However, I think it's counterintuitive to expect one product to perform two diverse functions as cleaning/polishing, while SIMULTANEOUSLY applying a protective coat of wax. These products, IMO, are best suited for a Ural...not a concours R51/3. Now for a reminder about paint preparation. Always wash the bike thoroughly before starting (this can not be overemphasized), unless you don't mind seeing the image of New York City's transit system permanently etched in your paint. The bike should be cool to the touch, and the wax/polish should be applied and removed in the shade with the softest applicators you can find. I generally polish my bikes about once a year, and I ALWAYS apply a coat of wax immediately after polishing them. Most, if not all, major wax manufacturers also make polishes. Just remember to buy the least aggressive polish available. The frequency with which you wax your bike will depend on its use. If the bike is garaged and covered, and only ridden 3,000 miles a year on nice days, then you might only wax it once a year. If it's a daily commuter, then 3-4 times a year might not be unreasonable. Remember, wax is a sacrificial coating that protects the paint against prehistoric flying insects, acid rain, suicidal swans, road kill, and tree secretions. The real die-hard detailers apply paste wax with their fingertips. This method minimizes the potential for accidentally rubbing in a piece of sand, grit or asteroid that imbedded itself onto your applicator. Another tip is to apply and remove polishes/waxes in the same direction as the wind flows over the bodywork. This prevents you from creating swirl marks in the paint which are more readily seen than perpendicular scratches (scratches are apparent when viewed at a 90 degree angle, that's why swirl marks are so easily spotted from all directions). I do not encourage the use of Pledge or any other household products to shine motorcycles. The chemicals in some household products might not be compatible with the chemicals in the paint. The reason that you don't apply wax to a painted surface immediately after it's been painted, for instance, is to allow the chemicals within the paint to "outgas"or, breathe. Therefore, my personal view is not to risk it. Also, household products do not provide a lasting protective finish to the painted surface against UV, acids, salts, etc. I'll be back with more detailing tips next week. Toodles. Regards, ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Bill Shaw BMWBobs2NoSpam@NoSpamAOL.Com 10630-Y Riggs Hill Road, Jessup, MD 20794 Parts: 301-924-5155 Sales: 301-497-6192 Service: 301-497-8949 FAX: 301-776-2338 ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` From: Bmwbobs2 Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 14:31:36 EDT To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Cc: BmwbobsNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com, TMFBikerNoSpam@NoSpamaol.com Subject: BMW: Cleaning Tips, Part 4...Face Shields and Windshields X-Mailer: AOL 3.0 16-bit for Windows sub 41 Sender: ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Reply-To: Bmwbobs2 X-No-Archive: yes X-Bmw-List: Majordomo 1.94.3 X-Web-Page: http://www.ibmwr.org/ X-Copyright: (c) IBMWR and the original author(s). Hello all, Most of us have gotten lazy after a long ride or trip, and neglected to clean our windshields or face-shields right away...sometimes forgetting about them for a couple of days, or for several years. Inevitably, 10 minutes before a scheduled Sunday morning ride with friends, you are frantically trying to clean the effected surface without any success. What's happened is all those bugs have essentially engraved themselves into the plastic. For safety reasons, virtually all windshields and face-shields are made from polycarbonate, Plexiglas, or another type of plastic. These materials react adversely to bodily fluids from bugs, whose smattered remains act like acid on the windshield. If left unchecked and not removed in a timely fashion - usually within 2-3 days - these bugs will eventually "etch" themselves onto your face-shield or windshield (or paint)...sometimes permanently. The best way I found to remove hardened bugs is to place a wet towel over the surface and let it remain there for at least 15 minutes. The water will loosen the bug remains, thus making their removal easier. Using either warm soapy water (preferable) or a watered-down/mild solution of an over-the- counter glass cleaner, clean the surface and wipe away the remains with a cloth. DO NOT use paper towels that are made from paper products since these are more likely to scratch plastic surfaces. If using a glass cleaner doesn't work, the next step is to try a polish made exclusively for plastics. Meguire's makes a number of polishes for clear plastic products which are available at most motorcycle shops or automotive discount stores like Trak Auto. I have used Meguire's number 10 plastic polish for years with very good results. Also, I would suggest applying and removing the polish in the direction your eye sees through the plastic (horizontal for a face-shield, and vertical for a windshield). A word about bird poop is also in order (the following also pertains to painted surfaces as well). Not only is bird poop highly acidic, but a close inspection of this offering will probably disclose small pebbles which are used by some flying reptiles to assist in the digestion of their food. To spare the water, in this case, is to ruin the finish. So be especially careful when removing bird poop and do it as soon as possible after the deposit...this stuff will scratch your windshield, faceshield, and bodywork quickly and permanently if not removed properly. Lastly, and after getting the windshield/face-shield as clean as possible, apply a coat of wax. Like painted surfaces, the wax will provide a protective layer against the elements, as well as hide minute imperfections in the plastic. Other Tips: Avoid using petroleum-based products; i.e., WD-40. Avoid using paint polishes that are considerably harsher than plastic polishes (these will scratch clear plastic surfaces). Don't cover the bike if heavy dew is expected overnightlet Mother Nature work for you. Take a small hand towel with you on trips for use to remove bugs. Keep those cards and letters poring in. Regards, ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Bill Shaw BMWBobs2NoSpam@NoSpamAOL.Com 10630-Y Riggs Hill Road, Jessup, MD 20794 Parts: 301-924-5155 Sales: 301-497-6192 Service: 301-497-8949 FAX: 301-776-2338 ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Date: Fri, 01 May 1998 00:00:49 -0600 From: Steve Aikens Organization: PC Solutions, Inc. X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01Gold (WinNT; I) To: RHarms1 Cc: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Subject: Re: BMW: Fw: Stain on Pearl white paint, How to clean? Sender: ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Reply-To: Steve Aikens X-No-Archive: yes X-Bmw-List: Majordomo 1.94.3 X-Web-Page: http://www.ibmwr.org/ X-Copyright: (c) IBMWR and the original author(s). RHarms1 wrote: > > ---------- > > From: Ollie > > Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles > > Subject: Re: Stain on Pearl white paint, How to clean? > > Date: Thursday, April 30, 1998 4:31 PM > > > > In article <6iaib3$cm5$1NoSpam@NoSpamnnrp1.dejanews.com>, fotoluxNoSpam@NoSpampathcom.com wrote: > > > > > The pearl white paint on my BMW has been stained by oil skin leather > pants. > > > I'm told not to use petroleum based cleaners on pearl white paint, but > no one > > > has told me what to use. Any suggestions? Sure. Use a cleaner wax or extra fine glazing **liquid**. Don't try the paste, too abrasive. Personally, I've been using a petroleum based cleaner/polish on mine since 1993 without any problems. -- I don't suffer from insanity.....I enjoy every minute of it! http://www.doomed.com/sanity/sanity_1.htm Steve Aikens, Clovis, New Mexico 6363NoSpam@NoSpampdrpip.com steveNoSpam@NoSpamnmpcs.com X-Sender: daliNoSpam@NoSpamnetrox.net X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.5 (16) Date: Sat, 25 Apr 1998 21:17:47 To: bmwmcNoSpam@NoSpamlists.ibmwr.org, bmw-techNoSpam@NoSpamlists.ibmwr.org From: Dali Meeow Subject: BMW: Map Case Fixed -- Dali Meeow Sender: ibmwrNoSpam@NoSpamworld.std.com Reply-To: Dali Meeow X-No-Archive: yes X-Bmw-List: Majordomo 1.94.3 X-Web-Page: http://www.ibmwr.org/ X-Copyright: (c) IBMWR and the original author(s). When I put computer-made directions in the map case I end up with the ink embedded in the plastic. I always swear I'll take the paper out of the case so it won't screw up the plastic. It doesn't happen and, as I was packing for an early departure tomorrow, my case was a wreck. I found a solution. Not a lot of hard rubbing, just run a small piece of paper towel that's been sprayed with "Silicone Protectant & Lubricant" with the Yamaha name, black label with verticle red stripe. I've tried alcohol and several other liquids, either left the black ink or screwed up the plastic. I use this lubricant on lots of marine stuff and it's great. Stephen, Dali Meeow and Miami's feline Mafia.