i used the rim cleaner that i use on my cars rims to clean my bike rims a few days ago. now my front spokes have the appearance of galvanized metal. they are terrible looking and i dont know what to do to make them look right again. this cleaner had worked great on my chrome rims for years and i even used it on my prostars to refinish them after sitting for the winter. with those rims i simply had to polish them back out. it looks like the cleaner has removed whatever coating was on the spokes.

what can i do to get my spokes shiney again?!?!?!

 

Have you considered trying some simi chrome or aluminum polish? Don't know if these would work, but it might be worth a try.

 

Try some Mothers Power Metal and 0000 steel wool.

 

i have some powermetal. can i use the powerball to clean them up?

 

I never had good luck using the powerball on the spokes.

 

i used the power metal today and had some decent results. it is just VERY time consuming and hard to get to the back side of the spokes.

is there a trick to getting the back sides?

 

Not really. Try an old toothbrush.

 

Try 0000 steel wool with your favorite brand of metal polish on it and a shoe lace or rag to rub it off the spokes. Time consuming for sure, but put in the time and they should come to looking good.

 

Most Factory Harley spoked rims to date have come as chrome on the rims, and a zinc coating on the spokes. The spokes get really nasty looking really fast. Even more so if you use any harsh tire or wheel cleaner on them. There's not a whole lot you can do for factory spokes. That's just the way it works. I guess, what I'd say to do is not start out using nasty wheel cleaners in the first place, but just use a milder one more often. If you look almost all wheel cleaners say do not use on motorcycles and this is why.

You can use the methods recommended. But the spokes will never be really nice. Just the way it is.
HD.... Hundred Dollars.... LOL
NTGirl