Black wheel clean and upkeep

[Chaotic29]

I have been trying to figure out what the best thing to do for black wheels is.
Black shows Everything and i like my wheels shiny!
wd-40 seems to be among a used product to clean grime off, as well as soap and water.
But wd-40 is oil based and well oil attracts dirt/dust etc.

What are some ways black wheels can be cleaned made shiny while PROTECTING at the same time?
are there any types of sealants? waxes? polishes?

 

[FIZZER6]

The factory FZ6 wheels are painted black. They can be waxed with synthetic (non carnuba) waxes. You want something that dries clear and leaves no white residue.

These are 2 products I've used that works great:

Zaino Z2 polish (only available online, awesome product for paint, glass and plastic polishing as well!)

Nu Finish polish, affordable and available at most stores but doesn't last as long as Zaino

Then there are the spray waxes that work great and easy to apply. I like this stuff:

All of these products will work on painted wheels, will shine while repelling dirt and grime making them easy to wash the next time you clean the bike up.

 

[Ohendo]

Awesome topic Chaotic and reply by Fizzer. I'll give one of those products a shot. I've been using WD40, works great to clean and shine but as mentioned just attracts dirt and grime that much quicker.
As usual, this forum rocks.:rockon:

 

[PurpleZJ]

What about on the stock s1 wheels? Would those waxes work just the same? I really hate how dirty they get between cleanings.

 

[FIZZER6]

What about on the stock s1 wheels? Would those waxes work just the same? I really hate how dirty they get between cleanings.

Absolutely, you can use any of those synthetic wax polishes or sprays on any painted surface, you can even use them on glass, plastic windscreens, headlights, turn signals and of course the tank and fairings. I even use the Zaino Z2 on my car windshields, it repells bugs, and sheds rainwater well!

If your wheels are really bad I would clean them up with WD-40 as a solvent to remove the tar and chain lube residues, once it is clean wash the wheel with dishsoap to get rid of any oil residue, then dry and apply your synthetic wax. To keep the wheel clean between washings, just spray them off with water, dry them, and wipe down with a synthetic spray wax between washings to keep them looking great.

 

[Chaotic29]

So its painted and not powdercoated?
I will give these a shot. im my mind then any car finish/ paint polish should be fine right?

 

[FIZZER6]

So its painted and not powdercoated?
I will give these a shot. im my mind then any car finish/ paint polish should be fine right?

It's definitely paint, I know because I chipped some off the first time I replaced my own tires before I got the proper nylon tips demount tools.

It is paint but since it is not clear-coated you want a synthetic wax or polish as regular carnuba based waxes will be hard to remove and leave white streaks.

 

[TSRBrad]

Get thee to a Dollar Tree store and pick up some Awesome Orange. :rockon:

 

[Chaotic29]

It's definitely paint, I know because I chipped some off the first time I replaced my own tires before I got the proper nylon tips demount tools.

It is paint but since it is not clear-coated you want a synthetic wax or polish as regular carnuba based waxes will be hard to remove and leave white streaks.

Oh i gotcha now. lol i completely skipped over the synthetic wax/ carnuba based wax earlier as you stated

 

[FinalImpact]

Getting chain lube that stays put is the biggest deal. After that, I wax mine with car wax as mentioned above and all is well. It gets dusty but cleans with normal washing.

I did use one chain lube that FLEW OFF by the bucket load! It was clean up my back and leg so the wheel didn't stand a chance!

 

[regder]

Kerosene works great for getting lube debris and general gunk off the rims. Oven cleaner is even better if you have something really caked on that won't come off.

Will have to wax them next time to see how shiny I can get them.