When I am done riding for the weekend, the bike goes up on the lift and I give her a pretty good wipedown. I was wondering if the rest of you do what I do and give the brake disks a thorough cleaning. These are always dirty with brake dust, and I use HD wheel cleaner to thoroughly wipe them down so that they are clean steel with no grime. Only takes about 2 minutes.

I do this because on my first HD Sportster I did not do this, and the brake disk became discolored after about a year, with the grime welding itself to the brake disk such that it was nearly impossible to clean it to showroom looks. Once the grime gets a foothold as corrosion, getting it off is a bear. Looking around at other bikes, it seemed to me that about half the guys did this (their disks look like mine do now, i.e. pristine) and others just don't bother and their break disks look accordingly.

Anyway, I was just wondering what the rest of you do.

 

I honestly don't do a thing. I don't have time for stuff like keeping my disc breaks clean. In fact that just sounds crazy to me. I would have to clean my bike daily.

 

None of my bikes get that treatment. Maybe washed if extremely dirty or I rode through "love bugs". Brake discs? Maybe clean them once every few years.

 

I detail my bike once a month on average. Even though I am retired it would be impossible to detail it, including cleaning the disc brakes, every week because I am riding every day.


I guess I bought this one more for putting the miles on it rather than just waxing it.

 

I clean mine as well so the polished parts of the rotors stay nice and polished and all the grooves and cut outs don't get brake dust build up. I don't necessarily scrub the pad contact surfaces though. I am meticulous about my stuff and looking at the pictures you've posted, you and I have the same affliction LOL I quick detail wipe the whole bike down after every ride (I generally ride 3 to 4 times a week on the days I don't have my daughter) and I wash it once a week to get the dust/dirt/bugs scrubbed off.

 

Over the period of a brake's lifetime, pad contact with the rotors creates a burnish on the face of the rotors. This burnishing effect (matching of the pad to rotor) on the face of the rotor is good for the most effective braking that the bike will get. Now, I'm not saying that you will loose braking ability - BUT - you will loose the most effective braking the bike could give you. This goes for cars as well. Once the brakes are "broken in" your best bet would be to let them alone to do their job! For those naysayers out there would talk about the newer braking compounds not needing "burning in" you would be correct also, but we're talking rotors not pads!

 

If you enjoy that showroom shine, and you have time for it, go for it. I can always think of something else I would rather be doing than polishing my bike.

 

Guess I'm just the opposite. At the right time, with a bottle of beer and the bike up on the lift, I find it very enjoyable and soothing to detail the bike. Similar to cleaning my firearms after shooting at the range. Cleaning a gun is a very soothing activity and quite enjoyable. But that's me.

 

Maybe twice or three times a season I give it a (relatively) thorough wash/wax. I don't fuss with the brake discs, they're fine left alone. Usually when it gets so full of smooshed bugs I start to notice it quickly is when I start thinking about the next wash. No way do I have the time (or desire!) to fuss with it daily or even weekly.

 

yea, like riding