Don't Put Armor All On Your Tires!!!!

[Ratters]

You would think this would be a given, but up at Berryessa on Saturday there were some young kids with brand new bikes. I'm admiring their chicken strips when I notice that they don't look right on one of the bikes. Wipe my finger on the tire and it comes up oily. The poor kid Armor All'd not just his sidewall, but his chicken strips as well! :wow

First instinct is to be a dick about it :flame but then I thought, "well, how would he know?" and figured best to not alienate a new rider. The kid really had no clue. My friends and I politely explained the possible/probably consequences and some possible activities for remediation to try and save his tires, as well as his bike or life. Hopefully he made it home safe. Good thing he was a newbie cause if he leaned that bike at all he'd be on the ground quicker than spit.

You really should never put ANYTHING on your tires. They don't need it and you don't really need a tiny strip of shine on your sidewall. In fact, ARMOR ALL does not really belong anywhere on a motorcycle. Wash and wax as normal and just use Plexus or similar in between washings and on everything else. Never use Armor All on your seat. Do it once and you figure out why.

Be safe out there everyone.

[mynx]

Great Point!! Seems like, "Duh" - but if your a newb and haven't thought about it, it could have some serious results.

[mjj]

:nerd OK, obvious noob here, I armoralled my seat, and can't tell why I should not have done so. Can you spell it out for those of us who may not be the sharpest knives in the drawer?

I started out by armoralling my bra which was faded and it looks splendid now.

I managed to figure out not to AA the tires though, I gotta say, with pride.

[Devlins 02Gix]

Ahahha.

Phew, did that once the first weekend I bought my gixxer. Felt like i was riding my RM-250 for the next few days, shit was slipperier than anything i've ever ridden.

[mjj]

Yeah I can see that. I was wearing jeans (sunday drive ;) ) so maybe they grip better.

[Ratters]

Yeah, it makes the seat slippery. Not what you want when trying to be in control.

Plus Armor All is not good for any part of your bike. If you put it on rubber it needs to be consistently applied or it leaches the moisture out and will crack the rubber. There are other better products for such things. I use 303 Aerospace Protectant. Though I don't really ever use it on my motorcycle. That usually just gets Plexus.

But never put anything on your tires, they just don't need it.

[DameDiLLa]

You'd think this would be common sense...

[Jforever8]

hahah...one of my bud trying to impress some girls....AA the rear tires....took her on the bike....went thru the twisties....and bam....ate it!

[mynx]

Originally posted by mjj
[
I started out by armoralling my bra which was faded and it looks splendid now.

[/B]


I haven't tried that!!:laughing

That would certainly keep the boys off first base.

[QuaiChangKane]

Actually, I Armorall the sidewalls on my older bikes with larger profiles (70- and 80-series tires). You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how to apply it without getting on the tread.


Being a fan of older bikes, Armorall and S100 can be the only things keeping older plastics and rubber looking fresh - to say that Armorall has no place on a bike is a grave overstatement, IMO.


I've also used S100 on motorcycle seats that were faded from long exposure to the sun - it restores color and moisture like nothing else I've used. After a few days, the oil soaks into the vinyl enough to no longer be slippery. While you do have to be prepared for it, again I wouldn't say to never use it - just exercise care and common sense.



-Q!

[mjj]

Yep 303 is the gold standard but pricey.