A thing of beauty is a joy forever – and that’s an apt saying best described for a motorcycle that looks as timeless as the BSA Gold Star 650. However, even the best-looking motorcycles need a cleaning and washing session to keep their shine ever-lasting. External enemies like pollutants, mud, and dust can clog your motorcycle’s daily usage, and removing them promptly with a washing sessions will only make it look clean and healthy in the long run. 

Bike Cleaning Supplies

A motorcycle washing session is not simply spraying water on your motorcycle and cleaning. If you want a more impactful result in the form of an everlasting shine, you need to have all the supplies in your hand before you start washing the motorcycle. These supplies include a bucket, 1-2 clean sponges, dry microfibre cloth, chain degrease or WD-40 oil, an old toothbrush and wax polish for cleaning and washing the motorcycle. Since the BSA Gold Star 650 also comes with chrome-finished components, you might need a chrome cleaner.

Do’s And Don’ts Of Cleaning

Before starting washing your motorcycle, you should follow these precautions or keep them in mind:

• Washing your bike soon after the motorcycle is brought to a halt after a ride can damage the external surface of the engine due to a massive temperature change. So before washing, you should let your motorcycle cool down first.
• Ensure that the water pressure through the hose is not too high, as it can damage the paint in the long run. 
• Ensure that you wash the motorcycle immediately after cleaning it with soapy water to avoid deposition of chemicals.
• Cleaning a motorcycle should be done under a shade and not under direct sunlight, as it will help you avoid the formation of water spots over the surface.

Step-by-Step Cleaning Guide for your BSA Gold Star

Pre-Cleaning Of BSA Gold Star 650

• Before washing the motorcycle with water or any kind of cleaning compound or element, ensure it has cooled down to the normal temperature.
• Before washing the drive chain with water, it is recommended that you remove the mud or grease.

Washing The BSA Gold Star 650

• You can wash the motorcycle with a cold water bucket or a gentle spray through a hose.
• After cleaning the motorcycle, you need to clean the grime deposited over harder-to-reach panels, such as the closer gaps between the engine, fenders and wheels.
• After washing the motorcycle with a spray of water, clean all the components and panels again with soapy water. Take a sponge or a microfibre cloth, dip it in a bucket of soapy water, and wipe it over all the components. Cleaning the panels with soapy water will remove all the remaining dust or dirt, if any, over the motorcycle’s components.
• Soon after cleaning the motorcycle’s surfaces and components with soapy water, wash the motorcycle again with water as you did in Step 1. A gentle spray of water will help you remove all the last traces of mud or dirt.
• This is the last step of washing your motorcycle. You need to wipe the excess water over the surface and components of the motorcycle with a clean microfibre cloth. Gently rub the cloth over the motorcycle and wipe the last traces of water droplets over it.

Detailing the BSA Gold Star 650

• Compared to alloy wheels, spoke wheels in a motorcycle are harder to clean and detail. The BSA Gold Star 650 comes equipped with spoke wheels as standard, which can be cleaned and detailed with a spray and toothbrush. After cleaning the ends of the spokes, clean those points with a microfibre cloth
• A good quality motorcycle wax will make your motorcycle look brand-new. Once you wash and clean the bike and it has dried up completely, you can make it look shinier by applying a coat of wax over the fuel tank, fenders and side body panels.
• Apply wax over a sponge and gently trace it over these surfaces. However, avoid applying wax over mechanical components, including the engine, frame and exhaust pipe. You can also use a coat of ceramic wax over the motorcycle, which gives it an additional layer of protection against harmful sun rays and bird droppings.

What To Clean And How

All the panels and components of the motorcycle require different methodologies to clean them, which are as follows:

• Clean the surface panels like fenders, fuel tank and lights with cold water, and clean them using a microfibre cloth
• To clean the drive chain, you can use a chain degreaser to get rid of accumulated mud or grease and then wipe it with a clean cloth.
• To clean these chrome-finished components and engine, take the old toothbrush, dip it in cold water and clean the dirt clogged over these chrome components.
• You can clean harder to reach components like partially-exposed frame, rear shocker and chain cover with a sponge by dipping them in cold water and wiping them over those areas.

Conclusion – Why Is Keeping Your Motorcycle Clean Good for Its Health?

The condition and long-term durability of a motorcycle depend highly on how well you maintain it and keep it clean. A clean motorcycle not only looks good but also helps it shine flawlessly over the course of ownership. If dust and dirt remain clogged on a motorcycle for a prolonged period, it can damage the surface or component of the motorcycle in the form of corrosion or paint fading and chipping.