What cleaning / waxing product does the most to give that elusive "wet look" to a bike? I have Vivid Black, and the wet look would make a difference. Thanks.

 

if u keep your tins clean, just about any good wax will give a wet look to your paint.

i use meguiar's with good results (scratch remover and nxt 2.0 wax) but am anxious to pick up some zaino's products and try them out as i've heard nothing but great things about zaino's

 

Interesting...never heard of Zaino's. Thanks.

 

there's a dude on here named merlin who seriously knows his **** when it comes to detailing/different waxes, polishes, compounds.

i've followed his posts on here and another forum i'm on for ford lightnings

i'd shoot him a PM if you want the real skinny on what to use and what to do.

he makes my detail work look like i'm waxing with sandpaper.

 

Black paint takes some serious dedication. It is hard to beat Meguiar's Show Car Glaze...but it kinda like amour-all for paint...doesn't last that long. Sooner or later the "spider web" scratches will drive you crazy and knowing how to operate a buffer will be a good thing.

 

Wax alone isn't what makes the difference.

Go to Autopia.org and autogeekonline.net to learn how to detail. It is elbow grease and know-how that makes the difference.

In short:

1) Clay bar the tins.

2) Seal the tins with a quality sealant.

3) Wax the bike with a quality wax. I see you are on the east coast but don't say where. If you are north, use a wax that is a softer wax with more natural oils. If southern, use a wax that is harder, (think synthetic). If you are going to wax frequently (weekly to monthly) it won't matter much if it is natural or synthetic wax.

On something as small as a motorcycle, and if you have not used one much, don't touch a buffer. If you have swirls use a product like Swirl Away.

There isn't a short cut. Just learn how to do it and put in the effort.

The aluminum on your bike will present a much bigger challenge than the paint. The lower forks and the alloy wheels (if you have them) are sealed. Do not you an abrasive on them. On your lower forks, keep as much sealant and wax on them as you can. Within a year or 2 they will begin to show the beating from the gravel and sand blasting from the hiways.

The key is staying on top of it. If you let any of it deteriorate it is very tough to bring it back.

Asking about a specific wax is like asking about a favorite beer. Everyone has their favorite and is sure they are right. Do your research and learn.

If you have any other specific questions, please post them. I am obviously into detailing. In addition to the bike I have 6 cars and trucks and at least one of them gets detailed every weekend.


Oh 1 more thing. I've seen people on here say their chrome has pop rust etc. I clay bar and wax my chrome every time I detail the bike. That includes the heat shields on the pipes and any chrome on the engine. Even after long trips they still bead water so I know the wax is holding.

 

http://www.zainostore.com/

zaino's is the good stuff. been using it for years. worked wonders on my old black mustang.

 

Best wet look is white carnuba wax over a polymer glaze. Check out autogeek.com

The polymer glazes like Zaino, give a hard shine.

Carnuba gives that deep, wet "stick your dick in it" look.

 

I am already amazed by the wealth of knowledge here! Whew!

I'm in the New York area, and during the riding season, I sometimes wax before every ride, using Mother's Carnuba Gold California Cleaner Wax*, since it's available at the local Ace Auto and fairy inexpensive.

In fact, rather than hosing down my bike and then drying it with chamois cloths, I figured I'd look into spray on cleaners and really good waxes. This is because the scoot rarely gets very dirty. My idea of filth is that fine particulate dust that is magnetically attracted to Vivid black, and of course the unavoidable few water spots which are also magnetically attracted to Vivid Black.

I also hate swirlies, and can see that one day they will appear more visible. So far, I have not been using any power products to clean or wax, and have been using microfiber cloths. Still, I could stand some improvement. This is not a show bike, and I enjoy riding much more than cleaning. Nevertheless, it's black and there's a lot of extra chrome, so it may as well be gleaming. Let's hear more, as I'd like to have her shining brightly. Thanks again.


*an added benefit of this product is that it smells intoxicating, almost like an exotic fruit drink with pure vanilla extract!

 

wetpaintglaze.com