Keeping my XR200 Looking Great

jaypro55

Member
Aug 6, 2001
417
0
I just got a 2001 Honda XR 200 last week and I absolutely love it. It's got plenty of power and speed and is about twenty times funner to ride than my old Honda Foreman 400.

My only problem right now is going to be keeping my bike looking as great as it runs. My friend has a 97 XR 200 and his engine has faded badly and has dirt stains burned into it. My question is are there any products out there that you can spray on your engine to keep mud and water from drying on it when you wash off your bike? I just want to keep my engine looking brand new and not faded and it's tough to get into the fins on the engine each time I wash it.

My other question has to do with a problem that I'm sure everyone with an XR has to deal with. The decals on the side of tank will bubble and eventually crack. I'd imagine that there is no solution here for this problem since the stickers lie directly on the outside of the gas tank and not on a piece of plastic separate from the tank llike the CRs and other bikes. But is there a company that makes an insulated tank that could prevent this problem?

I'll appreciate any help here.
 

BadgerMan

Mi. Trail Riders
Jan 1, 2001
2,479
10
Amway makes a product called Industro-Clean. I spray it on the engine full strength and clean with a soft bristle brush. I removes any dirt or grease I have encountered but has never done any damage. I get it by the gallon at the company store ‘cause my wife is an employee. Any Amway distributor should be able to sell you the stuff at a ridiculously high price! Joking aside, it is the best “bike cleaner” I have ever used.

Wesley’s tire cleaner works just about as good.

There are tank decals available that are perforated so the vapors that seep through the tank can escape with causing your decals to bubble. Otherwise, you can try making a bunch of pin holes in a normal set of decals prior to installing them.
 

orion163

Member
Mar 12, 2001
66
0
So you want your bike to always be brand new? That is easy, store it in a cool dry place and NEVER ride it. If you do decide to take it for a ride, you may want to keep it out of the woods, because a bike that much power and speed could really get you into some trouble, also if you ride trails, you could cause severe damage to your stock decals due to the lack of insulation on the gas tank.

Anyways, I use a pressure washer to clean my bike, with that you could at least get mud out of your engine fins. But if you use this method, be sure to dry the water off of your engine to prevent fading.

btw, I dont think there is a product on the market that will make your xr look great.
 

jaypro55

Member
Aug 6, 2001
417
0
Hey orion, I do have a power washer and it works good for days when my bike is really trashed. Thanks for all your suggestions. And orion, you didn't have to be such a prick about it.
 

G. Gearloose

Pigment of ur imagination
Jul 24, 2000
709
0
ther're not predjudice, they treat eveyone like that

Don't let'm get to you, jaypro

Simple green and a toilet brush is cheap and works really well.

Get some armor-all tire foam and spray the bike after you clean it and its dry. Without disk brakes you can spray it on everything but the seat and grips, it will make the next cleanup very easy. Next way wipe off the extra so its not a dust magnet.

If you want to keep the bike nice discontinue using the power washer, and disassemble your swingarm and shock to grease them once per season minimum.
 

CR125_tom

Member
Apr 20, 2001
20
0
Try HondaBrite which is available at your dealer. This stuff works great on exhaust spooge too (although N/A to an XR). Hardly any scrubbing involved unless it's caked on hard stuff. I found that HondaBrite works better than any thing else I've tried so far.
 

dakayla

Member
Jul 31, 2001
13
0
SimpleGreen or Bust!

I use SimpleGreen (Concentrate) and your average $3 garden hose pressure washer attachment... I never have to touch my 426 with any type of brush, and believe me, I can REALLY get my bike dirty some days. spray it on, let it soak for a minute or two, and my bike looks and shines like it came off of the showroom floor (besides the water drops ofcoarse)! SimpleGreen is less expensive than some high powered cleaners, and sells in gallon sizes of concentrate at my local Sam's Club stores (bulk is way cheaper!)... I live by the stuff!

...maybe I should contact SimpleGreen about being a salesman?...:confused:
 

Danman

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 7, 2000
2,211
3
Simple Green and a soft bristle brush works for me. If I know there will be mud I will spray the just about everything, but the seat and handle bar area down with WD40. It helps the mud slide off very easy just a hose.
 

dakayla

Member
Jul 31, 2001
13
0
Great tip Danman...

I heard you could also use Pam (cooking spray, not your girlfriend fellas!) to prevent mud from sticking to fenders and such... A WARNING: Do Not spray Pam on any of the extremely hot parts of the bike like the engine or exhaust pipe! I did this, and "burned" Pam does not remove easily from aluminum/metals at all! My wife thought I was pretty clever to use Pam BEFORE going out in the mud, but had a really good laugh when I got back and sprayed off the bike only to find the horrific mess I created by spraying the ENTIRE bike down.

Pam on plastic: GOOD
Pam on metals: :think :eek: :scream: :( Aahhhh!
 

xrsforever

Member
Nov 2, 2000
249
0
I recently tried Simple Green and it works great . Buy it buy the gallon , get a heavy duty plastic sprayer , mix it 30 to 1,don't spray on tank area,I let sit 3 minutes and rinse,little if an brushing neccessary. An old toilet brush works good on spokes.Use a baggie on your end of your exhaust pipe ,tie with a rubber band. Turn bike on its side and wash underneath.:cool:
 
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