Best motorcycle cleaner & how to clean your bike | Dish-soap, Muc-Off, S100, Motul, Pro-GreenMX...
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
- UPDATE 10 OCTOBER 2022. SIX NEW PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN TESTED THAT ADD A NEW BEST BUY: www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial...
There are hundreds of products out there that you could use to clean your motorcycle with, but this test has proven that some could be extremely damaging. Whether you're using bike-specific cleaners, car cleaners or even household products, it's important to understand how the wrong chemicals can cause serious harm to the plastics and finishes on your bike.
In this video we look at the material compatibility and cleaning performance of a huge range of products, we'll show you how to quickly and easily wash your motorcycle, and we'll look at the science of whether you can safely use washing-up liquid...
📖 CONTENTS
▶️ 00:00 Introduction
▶️ 02:31 How the material compatibility tests were done
▶️ 04:42 Types of cleaners you might come across
▶️ 07:00 Material compatibility results
▶️ 10:56 The importance of PH values
▶️ 11:44 How the cleaning performance test was done
▶️ 12:53 Recommended motorcycle cleaners
▶️ 17:15 Best Buy motorcycle cleaners
▶️ 19:06 Is it safe to use washing-up liquid?
▶️ 22:54 How to clean your motorcycle
▶️ 26:32 Conclusion
Big thanks to the companies that helped me with this test:
Evotech Performance, manufacturers of motorcycle parts & accessories.evotech-performance.com/
Accident repair specialist 4th Dimension. www.4th-dimension.co.uk/
Aftermarket screen manufacturer Skidmarx. www.skidmarx.co.uk/
Trail and adventure parts manufacturer Rally Raid products. www.rally-raidproducts.co.uk/
Aftermarket and performance parts specialist B&C Express. www.bandcexpress.co.uk/
The Vikan brush used in this video can be found at various retailers: www.vikan.com/uk/products/bru...
Link to the full article: www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial...
For exclusive offers on a massive range of bike kit and events, visit rewards.bennetts.co.uk
This test included a total of 69 cleaning products, some at multiple dilution levels, and featured several commonly-used household and automotive products. The motorcycle-specific cleaners on test are:
Ammo .243 Degreaser/cleaner
Ammo Magnum Power Cleaner
Ammo Pro Force 10 Wheel Cleaner
Ammo Pro Typhoon Wash & Shield
BikeCare Gel Motorcycle Cleaner
BikeCare Liquid Motorcycle Cleaner
BikeCare Evo Motorcycle Cleaner
Chemical Guys Motorcycle Cleaner & Degreaser
Cyko
Dirtbusters Bio Bike Cleaner
Dirt Wash Citrus Degreaser (100%)
Fenwicks Bike Cleaner
Guy Martin Proper Motorcycle Cleaner
Guy Martin Proper General Cleaner
Halfords Extreme Bike Cleaner
M16 Extreme Bike Clean
Mirror Image APC
Motul E2 Moto Wash
Motul E3 Wheel Clean
Motul E7 Insect Remover
Muc-Off Bicycle Cleaner
Muc-Off bike Cleaner Concentrate (100%)
Muc-Off aerosol Motorcycle Degreaser
Muc-Off Nano Tech Motorcycle Cleaner
Pro-GreenMX Bike Wash
Pro-GreenMX Drivetrain cleaner
Putoline Put Off Concentrated
R&G Motorcycle aerosol Degreaser
R&G Nano Bike Wash
Rhino Goo
S100 Total Gel Cleaner
Shiny Sauce
Silkolene Fuchs Wash Off
Unlimited Passion Red Effect Wheel Cleaner
Unlimited Passion Ungrease
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UPDATE 10 OCTOBER 2022. SIX NEW PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN TESTED THAT ADD A NEW BEST BUY: www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/reviews/products/motorcycle-maintenance-and-servicing/best-motorcycle-cleaner
Do you have a best for dirt, mud and salt? Or if they are on your best list, it doesn't matter?
Jungle gel and the modular insect seem the most promising.
@@houjous5131 I'd say that the best on there are the best overall, so no need to narrow down to the type of dirt
Before thus video I used various car washes on my bike, what an eye opener. Currently use Pro Green MX Snow Foam & After Shine brilliant stuff. Thanks
Tipping my hat in recognition of the time, effort and attention to detail - cheers
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
Are you a Bennetts employee? 😂😂😂
The way 2021 is going I just use a duster to wipe the dust off my bike no need to clean it 👍 great video
Not long until 29 March... It'll be worth the wait! Cheers, John
I’ve spent the last 20 years in the cleaning and restoration industry and been part of end user product testing. I have to say that’s probably the most thorough and best consumer advice video I’ve seen on cleaning products and you should be proud of this video considering that you also came to the right conclusions! Well done and keep up the good work. By the way, I’ve been using fairy liquid for years now and it works a treat with no corrosion and my hands are so soft 🤣
Thanks SO much! All the best, John
I washed my new Royal Enfield with Fairy washing up liquid, good result, only lots of water drying stains even though I took it for a good ride afterwards.
So I have an electric leaf blower arriving today, £33 compared to double that for a pet dryer.
Love the detail and extent you go to, plus the addition of expert advice and comment 👍
Just getting back to motorcycling after a decade and a half away. Your videos are a fantastic resource for information on what's available now, and how good they are, in all things bike related. Almost all my buying decisions from the bike I bought, to the cleaners I''ll use have been informed by watching your videos. And incase your employer doubts the value of your efforts; made me get my insurance with Bennets too!! Keep up the good work.
amazing content! as a researcher myself it's great to see ppl performing more accurate testing methodologies.
Thanks! All the best, John
Starting to become my go-to channel for bike advice, keep up the good work guys 👏
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
hands down the best channel I have found that takes so much care into your videos and actually does all the science and gives you all the data you could possibly ever ask for , I appreciate the amount of work you put into these videos , please never stop this high level of work, im pretty sure I can speak for the rest of us when I say it really helps us a lot and spreads awareness of alot of misconception about some products.
That's really, really kind - thanks SO much! All the very best, John
Superb John, thanks for your effort in making this! Reminds me of your rust proofer video which was equally as scientific and fantastic.
These ultra-thorough Bikesocial reviews are so needed these days - far more helpful than the "top" this or "best" that from youtube celebs. Well done!
Thanks SO much! Cheers, John
Wow, really impressed with the work gone into investigating these bike products. Well done. You got my subscription.
Absolute legend. Fantastic test, I *HATE* cleaning bikes but you've actually made me want to do it as well as you do. Can't offer higher praise than that.
PS nice use of the Wilhelm scream 😉
@@writestuffmedia Thanks mate! I'm just gutted nobody has noticed the hidden theme to the corrosion protectants video! czcams.com/video/wBgF07I7TQM/video.html
Excellent 👏👏 Back in the saddle after 30 years away and this vid taught me tons about how to look after my new pride and joy 👍 Thanks
Bloody behemoth of a video, your tests are always so great ! Shouldn't have taken down the previous video, just make it clear there's an update
Can't wait to see your future tests
You just won a subscriber. Congratulations on a thorough and honest series of tests. Aldi Magnum washing up liquid -well who knew?
I can’t of been the only one to be thinking “come on washing up liquid” before it was given a special mention. Don’t use it myself but what an underdog story 😂
I knew it didn't have salt in it, but I wasn't expecting such a good result. Cheers, John
My daily bike (Thunderace) is now going to get 'treated' to Aldi washing up liquid. A surprising result...
@@Faithinthedock Thunderace's still look absolutely stunning. Nice one!
@@bennettsbikesocial Thanks alot. There's something appealing about a bike with dials and carbs. 😁😎
My red 95 VFR750 (the Testarossa of bikes) is lovingly washed with dish soap after long days of murdering bugs.
Thanks for the great effort: very informative. I have been using S100. I trust it because of my experience in the Porsche air cooled world. It was the only wheel cleaner that would not damage the anodized aluminum finish on the forged Fuchs wheels.
It's scary how much damage some products can have the potential to cause. Cheers, John
I deeply appreciate this. I love that there is so much care put into this. It allows me to pass the TLC onto my bike. This is sincerely awesome. Thank you 🏍❤️
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
Brilliant review thanks. Glad my cleaning regime is safe, I used the old Muc off which didn’t foam, but the new stuff diluted 1 part Solution to 2 water works much better. Looking forward to the chain cleaner and lube tests and hoping again I’ve chosen correctly with SDOC. I like the small cans for touring and the big ones in the garage.
I’ve a Bruhl blower / heater coming soon and really enjoy cleaning the bike, something I used to find a real chore.
Keep up the reviews, thanks again.
Thanks very much! Chain cleaners will be a while, but the lubes test is in progress... that's a big one in organisation, and I'm using an independent lab for the testing I can't do, so it's been a real challenge. Cheers, John
You really did some hard work here mate! Thank you so much!
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
The time, effort and detail here is fantastic. Thanks
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
I love all the effort you put into these films, buying new clothing soon and I now know a lot more what to out for ❤
Really impressed by your back to back tests (not just this one), I now have a potential new new bike cleaning regiment. You have no idea how happy the washing up liquid result makes me. The XCP is a new one to me. The last bike I owned was 30 years ago and rust was simply a fact of ownership, I'll be looking into this further.
Thank you for all the hard work.
Thanks! All the best, John
Thank you so much for putting your time and effort into all your tests.
Always informative and thoroughly thought out.
Keep up with all your amazing work for us bikers. 😊😊😊👍👍👍👍
Thank YOU! Cheers, John
Great video. Funny enough I mention washing up liquid in my cleaning video as it was all I used to use. I’ve recently discovered Auto Finesse Citrus Power as a Pre-Wash and then Meguairs Snow Foam. I’m also talking about cleaning exhaust pipes so I won’t give my favourite product away just yet! As someone who loves cleaning their bike, I really enjoyed watching this. Thanks for all the effort! 😁👍
What a legend you are. These 2 uploads are probably unique, certainly enjoyable and very useful. Many thanks ;)
Thanks! All the best, John
Great well researched comparisons, I used to use Waxoil on my VFR 750 back in the day when I rode all year round, now I still ride all year but use ACF-50
I worked for a Ph.D. Chemist many years ago. He always said that the only difference between a safe chemical and a poisonous one was the concentration. Even water is fatal if you drink too much of it. So, basically everything is dangerous with high enough concentration or long enough exposure. Nothing is “totally safe” and we need to always keep that in mind.
Been using neat fairy liquid and a paint brush washed off with warm water on mtb motorcycle and cars for years ,
Another excellent vid , top work .
Thank-you for taking the time to make this video
Fantastic video/s, thanks for taking the time and effort to go into so much detail, I have learnt loads from both videos👍
Brilliant - thanks very much! Cheers, John
Thanks, excellent & very thorough video. Appreciate the effort you put in. My tuppence worth: SDoc 100 Gel & MuckOff are my favourite bike cleaners.
I hope Bennett's are paying you well. Another thorough and informative video. Well played.
Thanks very much! Glad you liked it! Cheers, John
The amount of work put in this video deserves a lot of views
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
Dude you put waaaaayyyyy more work into these vids than you’re getting credit for. Big like from California bro 🤘
Thanks very much - hopefully it'll pick up some views! Cheers, John
I'm half way through, and I already got more information than I needed... Just the way I like it!
Thanks my friends!
And yes... I am gonna finish. Good stuff!
@@one-of-us9939 Thanks very much! I do worry that my videos tend to go on a bit much! Cheers, John
That was a great item. Really enjoyed the attention to detail and thorough approach. Top effort. Nice work.
Thanks! Cheers, John
Incredible rest. Thanks for the effort and clarity.
Thanks for watching! Cheers, John
Brilliant really enjoyed that… very interesting about washing up liquid… One little trick I use to make my plastics and really pop is using Wetting a rag with WD40 and rubbing it in… works great on wheel rims to and cleans away chain fling in a jiffy 👍🏻😊
This channel is a hidden gem. ❤️
Thanks very much! All the best, John
As it is a corporate channel that's part of Bennett's marketing I'm sure, hard to see it really as "hidden" ;) But yeah I agree though. Especially I like it as it's corporate channel that ACTUALLY gives you something useful. I'd go so far as to say it's at least one of the best motorcycle publications out there. I mean, I learn more from this channel than much of the dedicated motorcycle media house channels.
@@AleksiJoensuu I damn near agree with you :D
Wow. Great report, Thanks for the info. Eye-opener!
Fantastic level of attention to detail! Hope it's still valid 2 years on... Just ordered a few of the things you recommend. Thanks.
Awesome video! So helpful and informative, especially to a newbie like me! This has made it so easy for me to make informed choices! Nice one!
Thanks very much - that's so great to hear! All the best, John
You have done a brilliant job on this. Every credit. I've always used Silkolene Muc-Off on everything but the paintwork. Based on your results it's a very average cleaner but thankfully not damaging so eventually I'll try something else. Thing is I've got loads of the stuff so it will be a while. The reason I don't use it on paintwork is it seems to strip off the wax. The water doesn't bead after using it whilst with a car shampoo the beading is retained.
Thanks so much! A lot of cleaners will take the wax off, but I find a shampoo can be just too gentle for bikes. Cheers, John
Great video as usual John,a lot of effort put in,and some interesting results,i generally use muc off,but have used washing up liquid on occasion,i love cleaning my fireblade and wont go out on a dirty bike😄
Thanks 👍 Cheers, John
I've rewatched this so many times, great video.
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
Love this channel. Makes me wanna choose Bennett’s as my insurer for next year, unfortunately they weren’t able to match my premium. Anyway, love the videos, great channel
Cheers, and sorry to hear that! Hopefully next year!
Fantastic vid.....I really wasn't expecting that from washing up liquid, the forum "experts" won't like this at all lol
Love the project farm shoutout, nice video, thumbs up.
Thankyou for putting in the effort, great video!
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
Thank you for your work!!! Using S100 products they work well!!
Have being washing bikes for decades and I use fairy, a warm bucket of water and a few different size brushes Sometimes gunk degreaser on some parts & a quick polish & wax on necessary parts & metal polish on the obvious - cheers John good effort
Wow what a superb educational video you really pulled out all the stops great tutorial all the best
Thanks very much! All the best, John
I can honestly say I use Bennetts insurance for my bike because they fund your work. Just so well thought out and done.
Thank you SO much! Hope my boss sees this! Cheers, John
You’re not the only one!!
Really like this kind of content, please keep it coming.
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
The best ever. I wish you were in the USA to show some of those products because your effort for this vid is amazing
Thanks so much! Cheers, John
I just discovered your outstanding video. What a superb job you did. As a (now retired) university professor, I give you an A+ for your comprehensive and scientific approach and for your clear, informative and enthusiastic explanations. If you consider the tens of thousands of pounds one can pay for a bike, spending a 100 pounds or less on the best cleaning products is an excellent investment. Thank you for the time and effort you put into the project. Fabulous!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that! All the best, John
I knew there was some level of Doctorate behind your work. It would be so helpful if motorcycle manufacturers offer these cleaning products tailored to the materials they use.
Cracking video and great to see that Aldi washing up liquid gets a mention. I tend to stick to baby shampoo on the bodywork and a good quality degreaser on the wheels.
Good to get the extra information about things that I previously didn't think mattered that much!!
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
This channel deserve much more subs.
Amazing work put into this and great scienctific backup.. I've used furniture polish spray such as Pledge or Mr Sheen with wax in it for years on bikes plastics and bodywork. Spray on a clean bike, polish with a microfibre cloth, it makes the bodywork and plastics shine, fills in tiny scratches, is hydrophobic and makes getting bugs off later much easier. So after a ride spray on a bit more, wait a short while and wipe off road spatter/bugs etc. We warned! Dont polish your seats as you and your pillion may end up on the tar! Paper towels should never be used on polycarbonates, screens, helmets and visors or any polished surface as they are abrasive and will dull said surfaces.. same with TFT computer screens and TV screens ..micro fibre only!
i bought a thing of that pink 'Muck Off' stuff and it actually works pretty good. it cleans the $hit off and polishes it at the same time. i really like it
*Muc off.
Best cleaning video on the internet. Cheers
If it is ever a possibility that you and Project Farm could do a collaboration of some sort, that would absolutely blow up the internet. Thanks for your hard work!
That would be fantastic, though I can't think of anything I could do that could be of benefit to Project Farm; that guy is the gold standard! Unfortunately I also have loads of other stuff in my job outside of videos, so just can't do as many huge projects as he does.
This video deserves more views and likes really
Nice selection... but I'm all about my technicians choice of ceramic detail spray. Great test super insightful!
Just a thought. With all the emphasis last year on hand washing I reverted to using a bar of soap (as opposed to fancy liquid handwash) to wash my hands and was remarkably impressed by how well it removed the usual oily workshop muck from my hands. Watching this video made me think about using pure soap on the bike. It might need a bit of brushing and would not cope with thick chain fling for instance but it's guaranteed not to damage any surfaces if you have a worry over plastic etc (and works a treat on visors). I buy liquid soap to wash my waterproofs for £4 a litre at Wilko. Next time I have to wash a dirty bike (which could be some while here in lockdown Scotland) I will give it a try and report back.
Give the electrolysis test a try if you can. Though please don't sniff for chlorine as stupidly as I did! Cheers, John
Just put a deposit down on a 2017 Kawasaki Z650, with only 126 miles on it! Closest thing to a new bike as I might ever get :)
I wanna take care of this thing so thank you for the informative video.
Brilliant - enjoy! Cheers, John
Yup, Dr Downpipe + Magnum + XCP + wax, that's what I do now (changed to Magnum following your previous, excellent video, thanks).
Not many exotic plastics on my 40 year old bike though
Good work! Doesn't matter how old it is, just how much you love it. Cheers, John
Thank you, very detailed and helpful.
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
A seriously big thank you for this.
Thank YOU! Cheers, John
My current motorcycle cleaner is a combination of Cleen Green and Dishwashing Liquid, as both are great degreasers. For chain I use it to clean away the excess kerosene before rinsing and relubing the chain.
Awesome review bud cheers 👍🏻
Thank you! Cheers, John
Thank you for all the great information!
Thanks for watching! Cheers, John
Still a great video John even after the first one . I went and bought some S Doc 100 after your first video but I am yet to try it out . My last super bike was Matt black and I was paranoid about marking that , the worst damage to the finish I felt was washing the bike in the direct sunshine for a split second , it can soon discolour it. Is that the UV or temperature that affects the cleaners in hot sunshine ?
Great video! I'm wondering which of these I can find at American auto shops...
Amazing content! Thank you!!
Amazingly nerdish! Thanks a lot! How about a video about how to care for you bike during a one week Trans Euro Trail ride, without access to blow dryers and more? That would be awesome!
Very informative John thank you
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
Great vid, realy picked up alot from it, it confirmed and disbanded some of my suspicions about some of these products. Im looking forward to content on chain cleaning and lube. Also as a follow-up to this cleaning vid would like to see comparisons on waxing with quick waxes vs regular. I currently use auto glym aqua wax as its quick and easy. 👍
Good call - I'll have a think about the best way to do that. Cheers! John
Bilt hamber auto wash. By far the best shampoo I've ever used and genuinely helps fight corrosion. Can tell because unlike other shampoos the brake discs on my car don't flash rust orange.
Another great video, this is some Project Farm level of testing. Thanks.
Thank you! Cheers, John
Honestly Im the kind of guy that cries whenever the bike gets a spec of dirt on it, let alone having to ride it all seasons to work and back on salt-roads of the north, end up giving up half the time, but hey great video very detailed thank you kindly!
Thanks very much! Ride safe, cheers, John
Road salt is the Devil's work when it comes to bikes. I've had to rebuild calipers and even had a perforated oil filter because of it. Shocking stuff! Now use the Urban Misery Wagon (car) when they've spread that chemical nightmare on the roads.
I’ve recently seen some complaints about the progreen bike cleaner causing staining recently but I have used it for a long time and it’s great. I also swapped to their drivetrain cleaner.
I did see a complaint on our Facebook page a while ago, and I had a chat with the guy online - definitely a very thorough gent who wasn't a typical online over-reactor, so I genuinely don't know what happened there.
I met the team at Pro-GreenMX when I went to pick some up (I selected it myself off the shelf), and I do know they're massively obsessed with material safety. Still, I needed to run it through the same test as everything else, and it proved very compatible with everything I tried it on while soaking for three days, so I've got to say that it certainly earned its place as a Best Buy in this test. Cheers, John
I would like to thank you for the intensive consumer friendly review. I have a question about bicycles. There are tons of products but it is hard to find honest review. My bike's frame is alloy (AL-6013) and swingarm is carbon. It is a downhill bike. Which product do you recommend in these circumstances? (Your recommendation will not be binding, just need a guidance 🤣).
Greetings from Scotland
Thanks really good.Washing up liquid from here on .looking forward to the chain cleaner and lube test.
Thanks! The chain cleaners will be a little while off but the lubes test is very much in hand. Cheers, John
@@bennettsbikesocial Fortnine did a great vid on chain cleanup.
@@roscoeskipper7846 They also did one claiming it took four and a half minutes to cut through a 7mm chain, which put me off their content. czcams.com/video/YKO1yudGVNg/video.html
Thank you for all your hard work on this project. Have learnt a lot and am happy to see products I use are in your ‘good and safe to use’ pile. Would also recommend “Autoglym Vinyl and rubber care” specifically for your hoses and seats after you have washed the bike; helps to treat the rubber hoses and provides a good finish. As you mentioned, I definitely find a dryer invaluable to egress any residual water and/or wash out of the nooks and crannies (around fasteners, brake callipers, bolts etc).
Thanks very much! How's that AutoGlym in the seat? Does it get a bit slippy? Cheers, John
@@bennettsbikesocial Hi John.....to be honest I have not found it to be any worse than anything else I’ve tried, the secret is that you don’t need to use very much. Spray a little onto a clean microfibre cloth and wipe over. Definitely seem to get a more even clean with it and retains some degree of water run off, even after a couple of thorough washes. I guess like everything, it can be a subjective thing.
@@palerider4015 Excellent. And totally agree - I actually quite like a slippy seat on the bike anyway, but I'll get myself some of that next time I'm at Halfords. Cheers! John
Wow, awesome stuff. ACF-50 I think should be a considered supplement.
I've been using washing up liquid since the 70s no problem at all. I also use muck off and good old gunk.
Well done. I use the Muc-off.
Great work, thank you very much 💫🙏
Thank YOU! Cheers, John
I was worried a 30 min vid would be a bit faffy. But this was dense with detail right the way through - love the content
Brilliant - thanks Don! Cheers, John
Great video. Question can you use muck off cleaner in a compressor air gun. What product can you generally use in a air gun as using an air gun will give you better coverage that hand spay. Just like to know as I know you use a compressor.
What a great and usefull video is this ..hats off John...I use 3M car cleaner for my Baby GS .Hope it's fine for the body work and rest
I didn't try 3M at all, but the problem I found with the car and household cleaners was mainly around polycarbonate, which would start to crack over long periods of time. Cheers, John
@@bennettsbikesocial thanks John 😊
Both Great video's stay safe looking forward to more videos 🇬🇧👍
Thanks very much! Cheers, John
Great test, thenks.
Thanks for watching! Cheers, John
When it is only a quick clean (mostly dust and some bugs) I use Motul E1 Wash & Wax on painted parts and water with or without soap on plastic and metal parts. When giving it a thorough wash I use Meguiars NXT Generation Car Wash soap with foam applicator and two buckets method for soap and rinse. Then I rinse the bike, dry it and wax painted parts with Meguiars Gold Class Liquid Wax. So far so good for me. But always open to change if I find something better
Sounds good, and if it works for you, stick with it! Cheers, John
Damn it... How am I supposed to get work done after I discovered your channel? So much good info!
Thanks! All the best, John
Great video! How aboat brake-cleaner for the headers?