Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Performance Mods Speedmaster Owners! What do you guys use........

To clean and polish the engine finish? Since my bike spends her entire life outside, the finish on the engine has been taking it in the shorts, and was starting to look faded and ratty. I tried some Meguiar's wax and that really didn't help out all, so on a lark, tried shoe polish last night. It's black like the engine cases, and petroleum-based, so I figured what the heck. Doesn't look to bad at all, but I imagine there's better stuff out there to use, and was wondering what other people with Speedmasters did.

Someone not to long ago posted some stuff that is suppose to restore the black on engines. I can't seem to find the post right now. But, like you , my bike has to live out side (at least until winter when it will get parked in the dining area of my apartment) and the black is fading.

Soren

Heres a thread from the old forum:

Black Cases Link

I found a couple things that worked, but the one that was perfect was lemon pledge furniture polish. I heard this at rat a few time and it not onl;y made the black cases look new but works on everything else on the bike. The big bonus is that it leaves a super slick finish and dirt just wipes off even with a dry towel. Aside from the brake dust on my alloy front wheel, theres some kind of greasy splatterings on them after every ride that doesn't come off that easy. After pledge it wiped right off with a single wipe and with no cleaning agent, just a dry towel ! Try it, you may be amazed. It's not much of a cleaner as far as getting greasy stuff off, but it's amazing as a protectant and will clean off light dirt, and it makes the black cases look new.

However, my cases aren't old and haggard, so if it doesn't work good enough for yours because they're too bad, i found lexol leather conditioner works wonders on any textured surface to make it look new. I was using that on my cases before the pledge but switched because pledge works on the entire bike so i just use it for everything.

Thanks for all the inputs guys. The shoe polish glistened when the engine / wax was hot, of course if I ran my finger down the case, I got wax on my finger, even when it cooled, it looked good. I'll probably try the pledge, since that's the most readily available.

I've always used pledge or whatever her indoors has in the cupboard for polishing the paintwork....never thought to try it on the engine case though. I'll give that a bash next time I polish the bike.

I use this stuff.



Works especially well on the swing arms and sections of frame that are exposed. You should be able to find it at any well stocked auto parts store. Had to hit 2 or 3 stores to find it, but finally got a bottle at Checker.

I found some stuff at my dealer called S100 that works pretty good. You just spray it on and wipe gently with a clean cloth.

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but the one that was perfect was lemon pledge furniture polish.

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Does it HAVE to be lemon. Could be a jinx.

Ditto EnglishYankee. There is "S100 Cleaner" and "S100 Engine Brightener". The S100 Engine Brightener will give your engine a nice wet satin appearance. I use it on my passenger foot hangers and my black handlebar switches. Team Triumph has it, part #SM19200A - (877)896-6910

Your local honda dealer sells some stuff called HondaBrite or something like that. It is the same thing as S100 (it's made by S100, says so on the bottle). I use it on my bike and it works great.

Walk into your local Harley joint and pick up a can of Pig Spit. I use it on all the black bits on the Green Machine and they come out looking like new. Good stuff.

As far as S100, everyone should keep in mind that it is not intented for finished or painted surfaces. Many use it to clean chrome (wire wheels, etc.) but you really shouldn't use it on the black, fenders, tank, etc. It works great but it is caustic. Another biker got me using Simple Green which is far safer and works good. It easily removes oil grease and dirt. I spray it on the wire wheels, engine, chrome then rinse with water and dry off with a leaf blower. Use a towel to finish. I don't use it on the painted fenders or tank but you don't have to worry about spillage. I wax the painted stuff and chrome with Mother's Cleaner Wax (with carnuba) and use the same wax on my windshield.