Bel-Ray Bike Wash and Silicon Detailer & Protectant Spray Review
I’ve been waiting for decades for a product that allows me to clean a bike by staring at it. While the new Bel-Ray Bike Wash does not quite meet that standard of ease, it comes as close as I’m likely to get.
We had a recent rain and The Boss had taken our 2015 Yamaha FZ-07 test bike out for a ride in it. Due to the infrequency of rain in Southern California lately, the rain ends up depositing lots of ugly oil and grime from the streets on any bike unlucky enough to be riding in it. This, of course, gave me a perfect opportunity to test Bel-Ray’s new Bike Wash and its sister product, Silicone Detailer & Protectant Spray.
The first thing you’ll notice about Bel-Ray’s Bike Wash is that it is a fully clear liquid in a clear container. That gives you the feeling that it’s environmentally safe — Bel-Ray says it contains no volatile solvents or harmful compounds — though you’re forgiven for being a bit skeptical about how well it will work. We’re all pretty much used to cleaners being green or blue.
Directions are easy. Liberally spray on the Bel-Ray Bike Wash (not in direct sunlight). Let it sit for a few minutes. Hose it off.
Spraying on the Bel-Ray Bike Wash is easy enough. The bottle is sturdy and the action of the sprayer is excellent. I sprayed most of the bike — plastic, steel (painted and not), aluminum, glass, hoses — leaving some unsprayed for comparison.
I went inside and played a round of Angry Birds, came back out, and hosed off the bike.
Bel-Ray’s claims hold up. All the gunk and unsightly spotting was gone, except where I hadn’t sprayed. That’s impressive, given how nasty some of that stuff was. Zero effort was required — just spray and rinse.
I dried off the Yamaha FZ-07 with a white towel, and I was shocked at how clean it was when I was done. The goop truly had washed off the bike — it was not an optical illusion.
I sprayed the areas I had left untreated, and a few minutes later after a rinsing, they were as clean as the rest of the bike. I was most impressed by how easily the wheels cleaned up, as they collect road grime and brake pad dust.
With the Yamaha FZ-07 cleaned up, it was time to test another new Bel-Ray product — Silicone Detailer & Protectant Spray.
Like the Bike Wash, Bel-Ray Silicone Detailer & Protectant Spray is an easy product to use. Just spray it on and use a lint-free cloth to spread it around evenly on the bike surfaces (not the discs or tires, obviously).
Bel-Ray says to let it sit for a minute, which I patiently did. Sixty seconds later, the Yamaha FZ-07 looked like new — excellent. The Bel-Ray Bike Wash and Silicone Detailer & Protectant Spray worked perfectly in concert.
I hopped on the bike and noticed the seat was too slick from the Silicone Detailer & Protectant Spray. Fortunately, Bel-Ray claims the Bike Wash will completely remove the Detailer’s coating.
I sprayed the Bike Wash on the seat, waited a couple of minutes, and sprayed it off with water. There was some nice beading of the water on the bike, except on the seat. I remounted the bike and the unwanted slipperiness was gone. These are two products that know how to work together in more ways than one.
Bel-Ray Bike Wash and Silicone Detailer & Protectant Spray are a must-have pair of maintenance tools, as they make clean work of a dirty job.
Bel-Ray Bike Wash MSRP: $9.95 / 32 ounces
Bel-Ray Silicone Detailer & Protectant MSRP: $9.49 / 13.5 ounces.
