Keeping your engine black and clean, I think I've found a cheap hack.

[Snapey]

Good try Nic but that's a US Autobarn. Australian Autobarn don't carry it.

[Nic]

Oh FFS 

[Ginju]

Hey there folks!

I know there's already a few topics about that but I though I'd share my experience as I didn't seem to find a topic relating to the product I'm using.

So, thoroughly cleaned my 14 last week, you know that 3-hour long process where you even have to sacrifice your beloved toothbrush? And it doesn't happen very very often since she's my daily commuter and I've been frustrated enough times seeing it rain on the same day... So I've been experiencing with a very easy to find and cheap solution. 

As most of you guys, I am always sad to see the usual deterioration on the finish of my engine (black paint fading to grey, white corrosion spots between the fins, etc) and as I'm planning to have the engine resprayed when I have some spare cash (probably around year 2075), I though I'd take the risk.

So... (drumroll)... I'm simply using... a car cockpit cleaner! (tadaaaaaaaaa!) The one I had on hand was from Arexons, but I guess any other will do. It doesn't leave a thick coating (even if applied generously) and it's not sticky, as mentioned in other topics and it's cheap, around MUR300 a can (USD1 = MUR37, EUR1 = MUR40, roughly). It's paraffine-based, not silicone. I was already using it on the plastic and rubber bits around the bike and then one day I tried on the aluminium reservoirs on the handlebar. I tried it over and over again without seeing any negative effect on the metal, so I then tried it on the engine to see if it would handle the heat without altering anything. So far so good! It'll wash out eventually in the rain without leaving unwanted residue, so the next engine wash is a straight-forward process.

And it doesn't leave a super shiny coating, like mentioned in other topics, it mostly pretty much restores the original finish IMO. I use my cousin's (super clean) K6 14's engine with original finish as a frame of reference.

See pictures below, the one of my engine from the side is the day I washed my bike, the one from the top is 5 days after.

I might appear as a guy who feels like he rediscovered fire here (and it's a bit true ) when someone else might have done it and shared it.
I really love this community as it genuinely feels like a great family, thanks to the everyone that and to the admins striving to keep it a nice place, unlike other forums (mostly supersports bikes) where the ambiance is hindered by competition, ego and "who's got the bigger pair".
I thought I could repay all this good vibes and add my two cents in a constructive way!

Ride safe and keep the 14 living! 

Think I'll give that a go...the engine does looks a bit grubby.

[DP1400]

Rewind, rewind! Before you start spraying your fancy canned stuff all over the engine block, give it an easy scrub - and forget toothbrushes. For a couple of quid buy a car alloy wheel brush. Perfect results, a really flexible tool brilliant for getting into all those awkward areas, and really quick. Then you can get your Mr. Sheen out.....

[VladTepes]

Indeed. Good advice.

[Nic]

Years ago I used to use Mr Sheen to clean my guitars, somewhere along the way they changed it, now I hate the smell of it, used to smell ok, not now, typical 

[Ginju]

Hey there folks!

I know there's already a few topics about that but I though I'd share my experience as I didn't seem to find a topic relating to the product I'm using.

So, thoroughly cleaned my 14 last week, you know that 3-hour long process where you even have to sacrifice your beloved toothbrush? And it doesn't happen very very often since she's my daily commuter and I've been frustrated enough times seeing it rain on the same day... So I've been experiencing with a very easy to find and cheap solution. 

As most of you guys, I am always sad to see the usual deterioration on the finish of my engine (black paint fading to grey, white corrosion spots between the fins, etc) and as I'm planning to have the engine resprayed when I have some spare cash (probably around year 2075), I though I'd take the risk.

So... (drumroll)... I'm simply using... a car cockpit cleaner! (tadaaaaaaaaa!) The one I had on hand was from Arexons, but I guess any other will do. It doesn't leave a thick coating (even if applied generously) and it's not sticky, as mentioned in other topics and it's cheap, around MUR300 a can (USD1 = MUR37, EUR1 = MUR40, roughly). It's paraffine-based, not silicone. I was already using it on the plastic and rubber bits around the bike and then one day I tried on the aluminium reservoirs on the handlebar. I tried it over and over again without seeing any negative effect on the metal, so I then tried it on the engine to see if it would handle the heat without altering anything. So far so good! It'll wash out eventually in the rain without leaving unwanted residue, so the next engine wash is a straight-forward process.

And it doesn't leave a super shiny coating, like mentioned in other topics, it mostly pretty much restores the original finish IMO. I use my cousin's (super clean) K6 14's engine with original finish as a frame of reference.

See pictures below, the one of my engine from the side is the day I washed my bike, the one from the top is 5 days after.

I might appear as a guy who feels like he rediscovered fire here (and it's a bit true ) when someone else might have done it and shared it.
I really love this community as it genuinely feels like a great family, thanks to the everyone that and to the admins striving to keep it a nice place, unlike other forums (mostly supersports bikes) where the ambiance is hindered by competition, ego and "who's got the bigger pair".
I thought I could repay all this good vibes and add my two cents in a constructive way!

Ride safe and keep the 14 living! 

Think I'll give that a go...the engine does looks a bit grubby.

Fastforward,Fastworward !...Tried your engine cleaner ''discovery'' and it works a treat...not alloy wheel brush 

[Andre]

I think what @DP1400 meant with the brush is to clean the engine first before spraying the cockpit cleaner onto the gunk.

I found an ancient cockpit spray in my stash that should fit the bill. Will give it a try these days.

[VladTepes]

Andre - how ancient. Do check it, it goes off eventually.