There are lots of things that can enhance the look of a motorcycle and make it more likely to catch your eye. Sometimes, it’s because the design is unique or the bike is a custom classic. But often, it’s the look of the paint job or the glint of the chrome under sunshine or streetlights.
Paint and chrome both serve a number of functions on a motorcycle, both aesthetic and practical. They let you personalise your bike and make it more visually striking and appealing. Paint protects your bike against corrosion, while chrome on the handlebars, mirrors and exhaust pipes helps your bike stand out and increases your visibility. Paint and chrome protect you and your bike. But how do you protect your motorcycle’s paint and chrome?
If you’ve marvelled at the beauty that well-polished chrome and paintwork can give to a motorcycle but haven’t paid too much attention to their functionality, this article is for you. Taverner Motorsports can tell you how to protect chrome on a motorcycle, the benefits of motorcycle paint protection and how you can take care of both. We can also provide you with some tips for motorcycle detailing, a simple practice that both helps your motorcycle look better and extends its lifespan.
Protecting Chrome on Your Motorcycle
One of the reasons chrome is used as plating so often is that it doesn’t rust the way steel does. Although it can take on a rusty appearance, what you’re seeing is actually beneath the chrome plating, where even a small chip can let water in. There are reasons this is so common. Chrome is a very exposed element that’s vulnerable to small stones flicking up from the road. And once a stone causes any kind of tiny puncture, rainwater makes its way in during a downpour. Keeping your chrome in good condition and cleaning away rust early are among the most important aspects of how to protect chrome on a motorcycle. The right polish, restorer or spray-on protector goes a long way towards keeping your bike’s chrome shiny, healthy and a pleasure to behold.
You can clean rust from the chrome on your bike by scrubbing it with soapy water. If you can’t see any flakes, use steel wool and a little water to scrub the area down. If there are flakes, skip to the next step: shining with a chrome polish. Sadly, flakes are a sure sign that your bike is likely due for a re-chroming.
The best way to protect your chrome is regular washing and polishing with high-quality products. Avoid harsh and abrasive cleaners, shop rags with metal chips in them or excessive polishing. Keep your exhaust pipe, muffler and heat shield clean so that residue doesn’t discolour the chrome.
While there are measures you can take at home to preserve your bike’s chrome finish, no one knows how to protect chrome on a motorcycle quite like a professional. Booking your bike motorcycle detailing will ensure that the chrome on your bike gets the special attention it needs, and your bike will leave the workshop looking its best.
Protecting Paint on Your Motorcycle
Just as important as how to protect chrome on your motorcycle is the issue of motorcycle paint protection. The right kind of paint job completes the look of your motorbike, whether it’s a dark black, mean machine or decked out in fiery red or orange. Sadly, the paintwork has a habit of peeling and fading over time, and lots of things can accelerate the process, including the harsh sunlight of a Queensland summer. Worn-out paint can age your motorcycle or, worse, strip off and leave the metal beneath more susceptible to rust.
Luckily, there are steps you can take for motorcycle paint protection. Store your bike out of direct sunlight and wash and wax the paintwork regularly, using the best products and equipment you can find. Your best bet is to buy cleaner specifically for the purpose of washing your motorcycle, to use a soft cloth and use cold water. Wash your bike in the shade if you can as well, in order to avoid soap stains caused by the sun. Even if the paint is in immaculate condition, a good wax can preserve its look and help it stay that way.
If the question of how to protect the chrome on your motorcycle and look after your paintwork is important to you, then you can’t go past regular detailing.
Tips for Detailing Your Motorcycle
Motorcycle detailing is fundamentally about giving your bike a good, thorough clean, but it goes a lot deeper than that. Motorcycle detailing involves cleaning, maintaining and fixing a motorcycle’s parts to guarantee it runs well on top of looking good. Regular motorcycle detailing boosts your bike’s resale value if you plan to sell it in the future. If you don’t, you’ll still be pleased to know it helps to protect it from the elements. Detailing is an important part of motorcycle paint protection and looking after your chrome.
You can detail your own motorcycle at home, and there are tips you can take on board to make it easier. First, pre-wash your bike to remove large pieces of dirt and debris, using a microfibre cloth and detergent to clean. Avoid harsh soaps (unless your bike is very greasy) and overly coarse cloths. Wash your wheels to remove any oils, then polish and wax your rims. Use an engine brightener on your motor and keep your paintwork waxed.
There are some steps you can take to make the process easier. Let the bike cool down before you start work, of course. Remove extra parts like the windshield and accessories before you get into it. Cover the holes in the exhaust to stop water from the hose from getting into the engine and causing costly damage.
Learning how to protect the chrome on your motorcycle is a great start, but motorcycle detailing with a professional is one of the best steps you can take to guarantee its longevity.
Motorcycle Detailing at Taverner Motorsports
With 40+ years in the motorcycle industry, Taverner Motorsports understands just how important your bike is to you. When you book a motorcycle detailing with Taverner, we’ll treat your bike with the same level of care as one of our own. A Taverner detailing includes cleaning and degreasing the chain and the rear sprocket, decreasing all the visible engine parts, removing grime spots, waxing all pre-treated bodywork, cleaning and polishing the mufflers and more.
Another important part of motorcycle maintenance is routine servicing, and Taverner offers both minor and major servicing as well as routine maintenance.
To find out more about how to protect chrome on a motorcycle or the benefits of bike detailing, contact the Taverner Motorsports team. We’ll provide you with a quote for all of our parts and services.