Strat Wheel cleaning
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Wheels
Ken,
I think you are right about the clear coat. My wheels get dusty so to wipe them off might wear or scratch the coating.
I first blow them off at a pressure wash. (Don't get that pressure to close.) Then I jack the front or rear of the bike. Sit on the ground, turn the wheel by hand, and polish one wheel at a time. I often use Yamaha's Spray, Cleaner polish, Detailer. The cleaner and wax helps keep from scratching. I'm sure some wax's would protect better. This is the easy way.
I have seen some use Lemon Pledge. I also use these two products on my windshield without any scratches from cleaning at all. My jack scares me so this gives me a chance to say I'm glad I bought it.
Dave
Ken,
I think you are right about the clear coat. My wheels get dusty so to wipe them off might wear or scratch the coating.
I first blow them off at a pressure wash. (Don't get that pressure to close.) Then I jack the front or rear of the bike. Sit on the ground, turn the wheel by hand, and polish one wheel at a time. I often use Yamaha's Spray, Cleaner polish, Detailer. The cleaner and wax helps keep from scratching. I'm sure some wax's would protect better. This is the easy way.
I have seen some use Lemon Pledge. I also use these two products on my windshield without any scratches from cleaning at all. My jack scares me so this gives me a chance to say I'm glad I bought it.
Dave
strat wheel cleaning
I hear you dave. Those wheels are so nice, I don't want to take the chance of scratches. I have only used soap and water so far, but I thing I'll start using detailer between washes to coat them.
I am a bit wary of the Jack as well but have come up with a system where I have two straps on the ceiling that clamp to the bars when I lift the bike. It can't tip over.
Be careful of pledge on your windscreen. I heard it is not good with UV and can turn your plexi yellow.
Ken
I hear you dave. Those wheels are so nice, I don't want to take the chance of scratches. I have only used soap and water so far, but I thing I'll start using detailer between washes to coat them.
I am a bit wary of the Jack as well but have come up with a system where I have two straps on the ceiling that clamp to the bars when I lift the bike. It can't tip over.
Be careful of pledge on your windscreen. I heard it is not good with UV and can turn your plexi yellow.
Ken
Windshield care
Micro-cloth and plain water. I cary two cloths in my bag, both in zip-lock baggies, 1 super wet, 1 dry. I use the wet cloth to clean off the bugs and/or dirt, and/or water spots, and immediately the dry one. No streaks, no scratches, no discoloring. After 36,000 miles my shield is still crystal clear with virtually no scratches. Actually the only marks on it were caused by high-wind dust storms here in New Mexico.
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Waiting on my "new" blue '09 Strat (later today), I visited a local Harley dealer and found something called Bugslide. It comes in 3 sizes (I got the medium-sized one with the microfiber cloth and spray head - for $20). It says you can use on paint, fiberglass, chrome, acrylic, aluminum, plexiglas, Lexan, vinyl & leather. It's supposed to be non-yellowing for plexi. You don't have to clean the surface first, just spray on to remove bugs, etc. It supposedly repels dust, dirt, water & fingerprints. Just a suggestion. I (obviously) haven't used it yet, though I'm thinking about trying it on my (company) car first, to be safe. I've been lusting after a "Strat" since they first came out but I promised my wife I would wait until our last child graduated from High School. It's time!
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New Blue
Glad to hear you are getting a new bike, and even better it is a Liner, Congratulations. I just turned 44k miles on mine. still nothing but maintenance. Oil, final drive, one tune up, tires, rear brake pad.
Sounds good on the cleaner. I just do it the lazy way. For a few years now I have been carrying a spray can of either Honda or Yamaha cleaner polish in my bags. Seem to be able to clean the bugs off the windshield, lowers, and forks on the road. No ill affects yet. The small amount of wax can't hurt. I have some friends that use Pledge, no reports of ill affects there either. I used it for a while but changed to the spray cleaner polish four years ago.
On the wheels, more grity dust so I clean them first. Your cleaner kit sounds like it would be good for the wheels. I get dust, sand, and brake dust on the horizontal surface of the rims.
Dave
Glad to hear you are getting a new bike, and even better it is a Liner, Congratulations. I just turned 44k miles on mine. still nothing but maintenance. Oil, final drive, one tune up, tires, rear brake pad.
Sounds good on the cleaner. I just do it the lazy way. For a few years now I have been carrying a spray can of either Honda or Yamaha cleaner polish in my bags. Seem to be able to clean the bugs off the windshield, lowers, and forks on the road. No ill affects yet. The small amount of wax can't hurt. I have some friends that use Pledge, no reports of ill affects there either. I used it for a while but changed to the spray cleaner polish four years ago.
On the wheels, more grity dust so I clean them first. Your cleaner kit sounds like it would be good for the wheels. I get dust, sand, and brake dust on the horizontal surface of the rims.
Dave
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Hey Ken.
I've been cleaning motorcycles for a long time, even professionally, and there is a superior cycle wash product available through Cycle Gear, marketed under the name MR. MOTO. I purchase it in their 1 gallon size and it lasts me for a year with 4 motorcycles...and I ride all year, all weather. The product is pink and a little viscous for a sprayer bottle but can be diluted with water and still works well. It can be sprayed on all surfaces and does a great job of getting into the cracks and crevices that are just too small for your fingers. Wheels and brake calipers are no problem with a soft rag or brush in the more blackened areas.
After washing I go over the entire bike, plastic, leather, paint, chrome aluminum, wheels etc., with Turtle Wax Ice...another great product.
This is what I do to make my life easy and get a quality cleaning and protection on my bikes. Good luck!
I've been cleaning motorcycles for a long time, even professionally, and there is a superior cycle wash product available through Cycle Gear, marketed under the name MR. MOTO. I purchase it in their 1 gallon size and it lasts me for a year with 4 motorcycles...and I ride all year, all weather. The product is pink and a little viscous for a sprayer bottle but can be diluted with water and still works well. It can be sprayed on all surfaces and does a great job of getting into the cracks and crevices that are just too small for your fingers. Wheels and brake calipers are no problem with a soft rag or brush in the more blackened areas.
After washing I go over the entire bike, plastic, leather, paint, chrome aluminum, wheels etc., with Turtle Wax Ice...another great product.
This is what I do to make my life easy and get a quality cleaning and protection on my bikes. Good luck!
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I will one day get them powdercoated black and then I will never see the dirt! 
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