oahu hawk

Pulled the fairing for the first time the other day and was astounded by the 10+ years of road gunk build up on the front of the engine.

What do you guys use for tough jobs like this? I was thinking about one of those orange based automotive degreasers and a power washer.

haknslash

Mines never been super dirty to begin with. If yours is bad enough to where you need something stronger than water like degreaser or something...be sure to dilute it a bit. The magnesium and aluminum pieces are not hard to spot or etch with abbrasive cleaners

j shizzy wizzy

simple green! or a bio degradable citrus based degreaser.

j shizzy wizzy

a cheap paintbrush works great to scrub off the gunk w/o scratching everything up.

nuhawk

with a little diesel fuel this works great. if you got that much **** built up maybe while you're in there you should look for an oil leak/blown seal/gasket.

Be careful with the pressure washers. Really careful. When you rent one you don't know what you're getting. The one that we use to steamclean the greenhouses in the off-season tanks 180f water at 140 psi. It will literally peel the paint off your pickup. All it needs is a stone chip and off it comes.

dakmatik

+1 on the simple green. It works about the best out of anything and smells nice too.

lazn

Simple green Power Sports washer.. They actually make it, and it was on sale for super cheap at Cyclegear.

SlowHAWK

Simple green as well... although WD-40 is pretty damn good at dissolving heavy areas of gunk as well.

J.

aka Yamadog

Simple Green....Brush with paint brush...Rinse...Repeat.

oahu hawk

Simple Green and a cut down paint brush it is!...

inderocker

Purple Power, http://www.clean-rite.com/index.html I buy it at Napa buy the bucket. That and a pressure washer... works great every time. Be sure to s hose it off quick as it will stain oxidized parts.

tosh23

I do it to all my mates bikes when they get a new to them bike..
Fairy power spray , a tooth brush , and a house steam cleaner used for cleaning furniture and curtains. Ive used everything on the market and nothing touches Fairy power spray for deep grease and chain lube.
I dont know if you can get it in the USA tho'.

VTRsurfer

Simple Green kills ants instantly as well.

Seriously!

VTRsurfer

I've never heard of Fairy power spray, but then you Brits smoke ****. Whole different meaning here in the Colonies.

oahu hawk

captainchaos

Simple Green is great. Wesley's Bleach White white wall/lettered tire cleaner is even better. And an old tooth brush works wonders. A pressure washer isn't necessary. Just scrub rinse and repeat a few times.

chickenstrip

+1 on the toothbrush for tight spots

RK1

Cheapest way to go, works perfect. #2 diesel and a small paint brush with the bristles chopped back to about one inch length. Brush it on, hose it off, you're done.

PUSHrod

Simple Green, much diluted, and a parts washer brush and a bore brush. The parts washer brush gets into all of the little spaces and is great around the brake calipers. But only as Bike Week approaches. Once a year, whether it needs it or not.