Probably a stupid question here but suzuki say not to use abrasive cleaners on GS is it ok to use degreaser around bottom of motor and around swingarm and rear shock area. As far as motor goes they say it is specially coated with something and i have seen some finishing on the GS which look very ordinary. I want to keep bike in exellent condition so i want to know if degreaser and certain soap washers will destroy the finnish of bike. I use meguiars products on tank and was going to use meguiars gold car wash for rest of bike they say it is a gentle formular
Meguire's will do just fine on everything. I use Simple Green on anything that regular soap and water won't handle. The whole bike still looks like it just came off the show room floor.
"Abrasive cleaners" that they mention would be like Comet or Ajax powders, etc. They would scratch the surfaces pretty easily.
I use Aerostich brand moto cleaner, called ATL200, or something to that affect. Best cleaner i've ever used. It's kind of pricey compared to...uh...soap and water, but it really gets the bike clean. It's especially good on the caked in road grime that soap won't touch. Works good as a degreaser as well. It's absolutely safe for all bike parts.
OK call me old fashioned (or perhaps, uhm, frugal..?) but I'm a long time successful user of soap and water (NOT anything like a powdered kitchen type cleanser; more like liquid soaps) a little elbow-grease and a hard hose. For stubborn grease, a rag with a little cooking oil dissolves just about anything (I prefer extra-virgin olive oil myself ;) towel and air dry, re-lube anything that needs it and Wa-LA.. showroom quality on the cheap!
:thumb:
What about using kerosene to clean the bike? Does anyone here do that?
The manual recomends it for cleaning the chain. I personally use Wd-40 because there are like 4 cans of it laying around the house.