Washing motorcycle rims
In addition to mud, dirt and tar, the rear rim of motorcycle will accrue at least some chain lubricant. This means there is a real cocktail of dirt on the rim, which might have stuck on quite tight, especially if one or more seasons have passed since the last washing. However, a couple of inexpensive tools can be used to clean even the dirtiest rear rims.
All drivers and motorcyclists are different. Some only ride in fair weather and wash their motorcycle after every ride. Others consider their motorcycle as a practical tool that they wash every now and then. Regardless of which group the motorcycle owner belongs to, the rear rim is one of the areas that gets the dirtiest. If your rear rim looks like the one in the picture, cleaning it will require some specialised tools. You will not be able to clean the rim with only a pressure washer or a normal sponge.
The rim is absotelutely filthy before the wash. But the ride was oh so fun!
Be patient and soften the layers of dirt with some detergent and water.
Foamy preparations
It pays off to start by softening the thick dirt coating as much as possible. You can do this using the detergent foamer of your pressure washer, a separate pressure foamer, sponge impregnated with detergent or a spray bottle with rim detergent. If you are doing the washing in your own yard, check the environmental impact of the detergent. The harshest chemicals can only be used in car washing facilities that process the waste water is appropriately.
Work the coarse sponge
Most of the work of washing the rim is done by the Kungs rim sponge, which has a sufficiently coarse surface to loosen even the toughest filth. The rim sponge is designed to be effective and gentle meaning the sponge itself will not damage a normal rim. However, note that when washing sandy areas, any sand left between the washing tool and the surface will work much like sandpaper. So, even if the sponge doesn’t damage the rim, loose grains of sand will. That is why you should be very thorough in your preparations and rinsing off all sand!
Most of the work of washing the rim is done by the Kungs rim sponge, which has a sufficiently coarse surface to loosen even the toughest filth. The rim sponge is designed to be effective and gentle meaning the sponge itself will not damage a normal rim. However, note that when washing sandy areas, any sand left between the washing tool and the surface will work much like sandpaper. So, even if the sponge doesn’t damage the rim, loose grains of sand will. That is why you should be very thorough in your preparations and rinsing off all sand!
Other uses for a rim sponge
The Kungs rim sponge is a good tool for cleaning other parts of a motorcycle with dirt stuck on tightly, such as the exhaust pipe and surface of the engine – with some caveats. If you are unsure whether you should be scraping a certain spot, don’t. However, most roadsters are quite tough and will easily withstand washing with a rim sponge and some scraping. In the end, a rim sponge is a tool that will rarely cause any actual damage. Still, if this sounds completely off to you and you tend to be almost obsessive about washing the apple of your eye, you can stick to your chosen way of getting the cleaning done.