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Wheel Cleaner

Living almost in Daytona Beach I do have lots of motorcycle stuff nearby. I discovered J&P Cycles has all of this stuff so I set out this AM and picked up a $28 spray can of Plexus. I immediately tried it when I got home and sadly it did nothing. I even used a toothbrush to work it into the tight spots. My wheels aren't terrible but those stains have been there a while. Does anyone know if the wheels on a 1999 R1100RS are painted? I could spray them at next tire change. SOS pad seems like it would take off whatever finish is on them.

It is possible that nothing will make the wheels appear clean, even when they are. If BMW uses the same or similar paint/powder coat on the wheels that is used on the engine/transmission/swingarm then the wheels can be stained by some petroleum products including gasoline and some oils. The stain is semi-permanent but will fade in the sun given enough time.
 
The dark wheels on our R1200RS and K1300S were easy to clean after a rain using soap and water.
The K1200RS and K75 silver wheels usually needed a wheel cleaner after a trip.
I didn't like using wheel cleaners unless I had to and made sure I rinsed the wheels good and dried them to prevent any staining.
 
There was a guy that attended many rally's and did bike cleaning/detailing.

He still makes the Nationals. I'm having brain fade, is his name Marty?
Here he's relaxing after a hard day cleaning at Des Moines.

20180709_203013.jpg
 
After spending about $40 o various concoctions I took a que from the SOS recommendation. I tried polishing compound with not luck then upped the ante to rubbing compound. This was the best result so far but requires a lot of rubbing which I hope is not taking the finish off the wheels. Still not like new but almost. Once the wheel is finished I'll put some wax on it.
 
After spending about $40 o various concoctions I took a que from the SOS recommendation. I tried polishing compound with not luck then upped the ante to rubbing compound. This was the best result so far but requires a lot of rubbing which I hope is not taking the finish off the wheels. Still not like new but almost. Once the wheel is finished I'll put some wax on it.


If you're using a rubbing compound you need to follow that with a polishing compound to make it shiny again.
 
For what it’s worth, I’ve used S100 wheel cleaner for years. I usually can find it on Amazon and have it shipped right to my door. Since I already have a spray bottle that I like to use, I typically buy the refill container only. More economical that way.

The thing I like about the S100 is that it’s not abrasive so it’s safe for all wheel types and it the cleaner itself is in the form of a gel so it clings to your wheel and doesn’t just immediately run off the wheel like most spray in products do. The best comparison I can give you is that of a toilet bowl cleaner. It’s a thick type of gel that clings to whatever it’s sprayed on. It’s a great product, the cleaning agents work well on breaking down dirt and grime. I highly recommend it. It won’t do anything for staining obviously.


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I guess this thread has run it's course. Since several hundred riders have viewed this thread it doesn't appear that there is any cure for somewhat neglected alloy wheels. The rubbing compound doesn't get the tough spots and it really doesn't restore the accessible surfaces to like new. After a week of work my wheels look better but not what I was hoping for. I guess the answer is deep clean them more often. Thanks to all who contributed.
 
I used plexus. There still seem to be a “haze “.
Not sure if the wheels are just too far gone. IMG_5750.jpg
I guess at 20 years old perfect may be too much to ask
IMG_5756.PNG
 
I used plexus. There still seem to be a “haze “.
Not sure if the wheels are just too far gone. View attachment 81218
I guess at 20 years old perfect may be too much to ask
View attachment 81219

Wow! That does look darn good though. You’ve obviously been working hard at it. Not quite perfect though, I do see what you mean. Lucky for you perfect haze free rims can be achieved with a little more practice and effort on your part and I am willing to help you.

Among my other bikes I own a Yamaha Vstar 1100 which also happens to have spoked rims which are impossible to keep clean. So in the spirit Thanksgiving and in order to help you reach your goal, I am offering to allow you the opportunity and privilege to practice, hone and refine your cleaning skills by cleaning the rims on my Vstar. I normally do this chore myself, but this arrangement benefits both of us. You get to achieve the pinnacle of rim cleaning excellence which you can then apply your knowledge to your own bike and I get the satisfaction of knowing that I helped a fellow member. [emoji6]

Happy Thanksgiving!


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So in the spirit Thanksgiving and in order to help you reach your goal, I am offering to allow you the opportunity and privilege to practice, hone and refine your cleaning skills by cleaning the rims on my Vstar.

Still the big-hearted fellow we know and love, eh? :D
 
I think that you did an excellent job and your wheels look really good. :thumb

Last November I put the bikes away clean, polished and waxed. Yesterday I cleaned my 33 year old K's filthy wheels for the first time this year. The rest of the bike, including finishing the cleaning the wheels and polishing them will be done on Sunday when I put the bike away for the winter.

I think that it took about 35 minutes. First I sprayed the wheels with the garden hose followed by spraying Mopar wheel cleaner from the local Chrysler dealer. After the Mopar sat for a few minutes I used a $0.99 IKEA toilet brush to go work the Mopar into the wheels and spokes. Moved the bike to get parts I could not get at first and repeated with the brush. Rinsed with the garden hose. If I had more time, I would have gone over parts that could have possibly used a bit more attention.

I think that the wheels cleaned up easily since they had been previously polished.

Mopar Wheel Cleaner 1.jpgK Rear Wheel 1.jpgK Front Wheel 1.jpg
 
If a person does not clean the wheels on a regular basis, a good time to do a good job is when the wheels are off for a tire change.

Nov 18 2020 (6).jpg
 
I feel badly for you having to work in that cramped garage. :D

:):)

Wish I had a picture of our garage at the first house we had for 19 years.
Single stall that we managed to squeeze in one car, two motorcycles and two scooters.
Latter years when we bought a 2nd car, mine had to sit outside. There was zero discussion with Debbie on that little parking problem :)
 
:)
Latter years when we bought a 2nd car, mine had to sit outside. There was zero discussion with Debbie on that little parking problem :)

Hmm, I seem to recall having a similar "non-discussion" a few years ago. :D
I subsequently added a third garage for the two-wheeled conveyances where, to sort of stay on topic, I use soap and water to clean their wheels after first spraying them with a 35% dilute mixture of Castrol Superclean. That stuff is magic but, if using full strength, use caution!
 
:):) Latter years when we bought a 2nd car, mine had to sit outside. There was zero discussion with Debbie on that little parking problem :)

My situation was very different, Lee.

A mechanic that I had left the K bike with for the winter in 2009 had not properly fixed the issue. I ended up bump starting the bike home from the Alabama Chicken Rally to Ontario. Once home, bump starting was no longer possible. When my wife asked where the bike was, I told it was at a BMW dealership and they would be working on it during their down time. She replied that there was no such thing as down time in the summer for a bike shop and since I was so old, I would not only be not riding that summer, but my riding years would be quickly dwindling.

I was told to go out and get a second bike so I could make the Tennessee National (and always have a backup if one bike failed), with conditions.

First, find one with most of the farkles already on it that I had put on the K. Secondly, build a garden shed in the far corner of the property. If I met those conditions, I could have the two car garage exclusively for the bikes. Both cars would be parked outside. :thumb

The upside of this, was our cars' body work lasted for years without rust. In the past with the autos sleeping in the garage, our cars used to rot from winter road salt quite quickly.

Just before leaving for the Sedalia Rally, I discovered that both bikes had an issue. Was told to drive to the National and no mention was made of picking up a third bike for a backup.:laugh:laugh:laugh
 
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