Ever used Lemon Pledge to clean you STeed?

[crp5]

Many of the guys over on the Intruder forum talked about using Lemon Pledge to clean / wax their bikes. Some would swear that was the only thing they ever used. I have tried it with mixed results. My best results were from apllying and then rubbing in with a micro fiber towel.

Curious if any of the folks over her have tried it and what you thought. @ less that $2 per can, the price is right.

[STeelersFan]

Yes, I use it occasionally to clean the bike on trips, but I don't think it replaces regular cleaning and waxing.

I always carry Pledge with me, and use it to clean the windshield and the helmet shield. I started doing this a few months ago. Pledge seems to make it easier to clean bug splatters (I like the windshield all the way down if it's warm enough) and the helmet shield gets pretty rough, Pledge cleans it.

[Kennedy]

Guy I know with an old wing swears by it.

[Bones]

And it gives your bike that lemon freshness!

[dond]

In 1971 I met a guy with a really nice '69 CB750. He had a Wixom Bros fairing and the bike and windscreen was as new. I asked how he kept it so nice and he said "none of your business" ;-) ..No actually he told me about lemon Pledge. We didn't really have much else back then.

[BrianB]

Orange Pledge is much better, smells better as well. Always carry a can.
Brian

[Fred D]

Been using it on my like new 93, since it was new in 92, although it won't cut the tough grease like Honda Spray cleaner.

The best bug removal stuff I've found is hydrogen peroxide. Spray it on, let it work a few minutes on the bugs, wipe it off, then polish with Lemon Pledge.

[Rider]

I usually use the Honda Spray Cleaner.
I think it's just a matter of taste; coconuts vs. lemons. :D

[crazykz]

I clean with the Honda cleaner but I'll use pledge once in a while to get a wax coat on the windshield to make it easier to get the bugs off.

I have a friend who swears by it and uses it all the time.

Curt

[Don-STOC237]

After using it, don't park it by any Dairy Queens, food places, or other places where there are bees about. The lemony smell attracts bees.

[duSTy]

I heard that also, not to use the Lemon variety as they attract bees. Haven't tried it, but heard it from another board.

Tom

[stg1]

Bees, Bees, There Everywhere, Your Weapons Are Useless Against Them, Run For Your Life. :d

[Rider]

It's still safer than using the Honda Spray Cleaner. The coconut smell attracts monkeys.

[stg1]

It's still safer than using the Honda Spray Cleaner. The coconut smell attracts monkeys.

Oh that is tooooooo funny. :bow1:

[Horst]

...lemon pledge is absolute crap. Yes it's cheap and in the long run it WILL damage your plastic, which is to say your entire bike. (Metal may be ok). :eek:

C'mon, people ... lemon is an ACID for cryin' out loud ! ... of course it will remove bugs ... SO WILL WATER !!!! ... a nice wet towel, and then a second pass with the same towel other side, is all you need. ;)

Then use Plexus or the Honda pro-polish to protect the plastic for ever :)

[SteveST1300]

Hydrogen peroxide is the best bug remover I have found then plexus on the shield and Klasse cleaner and polish to finish just wipe them on and wipe off gives the bike a wet look shine its awsome stuff. I would never put furniture polish on my bike I wont even use pledge on my furniture it builds up.

[Bones]

I look over the shield so I let bugs accumulate on a trip...kind of like a log of my interaction with the 6-legged-and-winged world. When my bike is dirty enough that it needs a bath, the bugs come off fine with mild detergent (like regular old car wash) and water.

[Rider]

Truth be told, I use lukewarm water 95% of the time. Lots of it. I have some nice, soft cloths I use in the printing bidness and they're great. After I rinse the bike well and dry it, I'll apply some regular ol' wax to it sometimes. Or just spray some Honda cleaner if I'm feeling lazy. Either helps make it easier to wash off when I return from the next ride ...

[Fred D]

...lemon pledge is absolute crap. Yes it's cheap and in the long run it WILL damage your plastic, which is to say your entire bike. (Metal may be ok). :eek:

C'mon, people ... lemon is an ACID for cryin' out loud ! ... of course it will remove bugs ... SO WILL WATER !!!! ... a nice wet towel, and then a second pass with the same towel other side, is all you need. ;)

Then use Plexus or the Honda pro-polish to protect the plastic for ever :)

How long does it take pledge to damage the plastic? As I mentioned in my earlier post, I've been using it for 13 years, and people still compliment me on how great my bike looks. Of course with the way it builds up, the pledge is a quarter of an inch thick now....

get real people, the plastic doesn't know it's on a motorcycle.

[Fireball18]

While it is true that lemon Pledge can and will damage your bike's plastic finish after awhile, the real problem with Pledge of any flavor is that it leaves a thin oily sheen (residue) that attracts dust and dirt, which then sticks to the oil and grinds away at your finish. Pledge was develped for removing dust from furniture, not motorcycles.

A towel soaked in hot water and draped over the surface of the windshield for a few seconds works magic for removing bugs. I haven't tried the peroxide yet. Plexus is magic on cleaning and shining plastic surfaces, especially windshields. I have also discovered that those microfiber cloths are wonderful on windshields. They leave no lint or anything else on your windshield or mirrors, and best of all, they only cost about $4.00 for a pack of around 8 at Wally World.

[Moby]

Well ya got me then............

Pilots use Lemon Pledge to remove bugs from their planes
windshield all the time??

I'll have to check into this more.

I do wax the snot out of my bikes ( 5 ),but when I really want to show
them off I'll go over them with a little Pledge before I take off.
Maybe I'm just going over existing wax.But it works great.


Moby

[Horst]

Piots *may* use lemon juice on glass ...

* Real Pilots * use Plexus ! .... it was made for them :D

[Tor]

Many of the guys over on the Intruder forum talked about using Lemon Pledge to clean / wax their bikes. Some would swear that was the only thing they ever used. I have tried it with mixed results. My best results were from apllying and then rubbing in with a micro fiber towel.

Curious if any of the folks over her have tried it and what you thought. @ less that $2 per can, the price is right.

I currenly use it on my windshield. Have used it on the windshields on my previous bikes with very good results. The key is to buff it good after cleaning.

[texxter]

I use the Honda Cleaning Spray and I am happy with it. It seems that Plexus is similar or better. I also read in the most recent Rider issue a positive review of a cleaning/waxing product called Crystal-Glo, I'd be interested in any experiences with this product as well, if anyone has any experience with it. Click on the image to read a review.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Reviewed-motorcycle-products/crystal-glo/crystal-glo.jpg (http://www.webbikeworld.com/Reviewed-motorcycle-products/crystal-glo/)

[Tor]

Is Plexus available in any regular stores or autostores, or do I have to order it on the net?

[Bill Ishmael]

For years I have used Cycle Care #33 to clean, dust and polish my bikes. The stuff lasts for ever. They are at a lot of rallys. To me that means they are confident enough about their products to risk a lot of exposure to sensitive, intense biker guys :) I have never had a problem with any of their products. Here is their web site:

http://www.cyclecare.com/

Bill

[BillA]

Is Plexus available in any regular stores or autostores, or do I have to order it on the net?

I just found it at my local Honda dealer (Renton Motorcycles, Renton WA). They had small and larg spray cans. The large spray can was $7.95. I had my right side cover off because of a battery issue and tried the Plexus on that. The results were a very fast clean mirror like shine. I did use a microfiber polishing towel.

[STnAV8R]

There are products sold for cleaning plexiglass windshields on aircraft. But, since "aircraft" is in the name the price of these products tends to be high. I wanted to find something more generic and less expensive. So I asked the line guy at a nearby airport what does he use when he cleans the windshields on the multi-million dollar corporate jets that fly in everyday? He said, Pledge Wood & Glass. So I used that on my airplanes for a couple yrs, then couldn't find it anymore. I figured regular old Pledge was probably the same stuff with a different label so I've been using that on my airplanes and ST.

The windshield on a Lear jet costs more than a new ST so I figure if they are comfortable using it then so am I. It probably does build up over time, so about once a month I clean it with an aerosol glass & plastic cleaner that foams up. The drawback is it cleans so well that any scratches are more visible. Pledge actually fills in fine scratches and makes them invisible.

One other tip... always wipe up and down, not sideways. Vertical scratches put in the plastic from wiping will not be as visible, horizontal scratches will reflect light that you will see as glare.

[HOG SLYR]

I used Lemon Pledge for years. It was recommended to me by one of the best motorcycle painters of all time and to quote him "Pledge the whole bike" Though I switched to warm water and Plexus several years ago. I think it does a better job. my .02

[CruisingDog]

To be honest, I was not impressed at all with Plexus. As it happens I dumped a can of it in th garbage at a Honda dealership when I was in Vegas recently. I bought a can of good old Pro Honda spray instead. I just find that the Plexus leaves more of a residue than the Honda spray does and smears the light more when you're riding at dusk [ie on your visor] .

Just my opinion.