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Motorcycle Articles

Here is your chance to write an article for The Bikers' Den Newsletter. Send us your motorcycle related articles and if we use it in our next newsletter you will receive a $50.00 Gift Certificate valid on anything we carry. You don't have to be a professional writer and you can write about anything you want as long as it is related to motorcycles and the motorcycle community. We're looking for mechanical tips and tricks, ride destinations, product reviews, etc. Let us know how your weekend ride went or the biker rally you attended... Send your articles to The Bikers' Den Newsletter (newsletter@bikersden.com)

This Month's Motorcycle Article is written by Jim Pyatt of the Ulitmate Motorcycle Detail Newsletter. To subscribe to Jim's Newsletter, please email him at jjimpyatt@aol.com.

Detailing Motorcycle Wheels
By Jim Pyatt

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; everything 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. Nevertheless, the first thing I had 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 has paid to the small details, especially regarding the wheels. The wheels take time and patience to do them really correctly and clean every spoke or get 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 t he 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 stock wheels on a large number of motorcycles. They typically come with a chrome or polished finish.

You are looking at the wheel!

These motorcycle wheels are carved from a block of solid aluminum using a CNC machine, Computer Numerical Control, that 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 aluminum, 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.

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: (photo) 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 have to 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 disc 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. When braking force is applied, small amounts of material are gradually ground off of the brake pads. This material is known as "brake dust" and usually deposits itself on the braking system and the surrounding wheel.

Brake dust can badly damage the finish of most wheels if not washed off. Different brake pad formulations create different amounts of dust, and some formulations are much more damaging than others. They are manufactured from a range of materials including polymatrix, monocarbon fibers, and hardened metallic compound that are bound together with pressure and temperature. Polymer-based adhesives and metal filings all factored into the cleaning. The polymer-adhesive residue portion of brake dust can actually turn acidic, etching and pitting the wheel finish. 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 have to brake to avoid running into someone or something, there is no avoiding it unless you park your bike and just look at it, and 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. Be careful as the Comet is an abrasive and can scratch soft aluminum, but with corroded spokes it's needed to cut the damage. 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! Remember never to polish coated or anodized aluminum. 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 s ee 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 with you. 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!"

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This Month's Featured Motorcycle Club

Motorcycle Touring Association: Texas Chapter 1 - Houston Chapter History 1984 Chuck Steele had called all known Venture owners in the area and arranged a meeting. On November 17, 1984 a group of 19 people met at a small park in South Houston and Texas Chapter 1 was born. All area Yamaha Dealers had also been invited but Ron Sussman, chief motorcycle mechanic for Texas Yamaha was the only one to attend. Ron gave a talk on the care and feeding of the Venture and answered many questions from the new members. He also preformed some minor service work on several Ventures. This was the beginning of our fine relationship with Texas Yamaha who has supported us in every way possible over the years. We have a monthly meeting on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at Jax's Grill, located at 1613 Shepherd Dr., just off I-10. Call 713-861-5529. Meeting starts at 7:30pm. Come join us for some great food and even better conversation. We have 2 monthly rides: The 1st Saturday of each month and our club ride on the Sunday following the meeting date. Please refer to the Calendar of Events or you may contact our Tour Director for more information.

To view all of our motorcycle club listings please visit The Bikers' Den Motorcycle Club Directory.

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This Month's Featured Motorcycle Website

Each newsletter we feature a website from our Motorcycle-Related Link Page that can be found on The Bikers' Den Website. Please email us at webmaster@bikersden.com if you are interested in exchanging links or if you would like to inquire about advertising on our site.

Motorcycle Rallies and Events (www.mcrallyfinder.com) Have you already been to your first motorcycle rally or other biker event? If you have, you are probably hooked, and looking for more information on your next rally or event. If you have not, you may be wondering what all the hype is about. Either way, you have come to the right place!

To view all of our motorcycle related website listings please visit The Bikers' Den Motorcycle Link Directory.

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