I was told that using products like "black magic" or any other product that would shine up a tire shouldn't be used on a motorcycles because it makes the tires slick so laying the bike down was more of a possibility. Is that fact or crap? And if it is fact then what do you guys use to clean up your tires?

 

soap and water?

 

Soap and H2O...plus one can of Grease of Elbow...

I actually saw a guy do this to his Harley at a car show. Asked him about it and he said "Naa...it'll be fine" Quite a large crowd gathered around him when he ended up putting it on it's side.

 

Do NOT use any tire dressings. Use the common-sense factor. ;-)

 

It makes total sense but I was wondering because from some of the pictures on here, the tires looked too sharp and shiny to be just cleaned by soap and water. Didn't know if there was a different alternative out there. Guess I just need to purchase that can of elbow grease lol

 

Yup, soap and water - use NOTHING that has any grease, wax or anything slippery.

 

There is some stuff sold at the auto parts stores that is a foaming CLEANER. That is fine to use. You spray it on and it sits for a little while and pulls all the dirt and grease out of the tire. Really impressive stuff. I bought it by accident trying to get tire shine for my car and it works wonders for cleaning. No residue, no shine or anything, just leaves a really clean surface. I believe meguires makes it.

 

So it doesn't leave a shine but rather a "clean" surface?
Lol, you'd never catch me spraying that stuff on my motorcycle tires.

If i get some mud on my tires, I'll use water and a scrub brush. Nothing else.

 

The majority of the time, I only spray off the tires with water, and the soap that has fallen on them from cleaning the wheels and bike itself. However, I have used Bleachwhite tire cleaner before. it leaves the tires clean without any sheen to it. Its just a cleaner, not a protectant. But soap and water, as long as you get all of the soap off, is probably the best to use.

the problem with using things like armorall, is that even once the tire looks like the protectant has gone, it hasn't. When the tires warm up, they expand and the protectant can actually be pulled into the tire. When your stopped and the tire is cool, the outside of the tire looks dry, until it gets warm again, and the protectant can move to the outer surface again while your riding. Not a good situation if your heavy into corners.

 

Awww... come on! Be a Big Dog or stay on the porch with the rest of the puppies!

The Squid Way: Armor All + a large can of Lard to get them nice and shiny. That way their bike pieces look good laying on the side while they seep blood from every exposed piece of skin on their gearless bodies

Obviously kidding. Soap & water unless you got a pure show bike. Then maybe the Armor All + Lard... since nobody ever rides show bikes