S100 Total Cycle Cleaner, a review.

I had a long weekend for the 4th of July and had a bunch of Motorbike related chores to do. One of them being a much needed wash of the V-Strom. While I was in Gulfport, MS I talked with the guys at French and Sons about a product I've seen in magazines. They whole heartily recommended it, so it was off to the local Cycle Gear to pick some up.

The product is S100 Total Cycle Cleaner in the 500ml size for $9.99. They also had a refill size for $12.99 and a total care system for $15.99. The total care system is just the refill size with a spray nozzle and a small sponge. Not knowing how well it would work, I just got the little size.

It was a beautiful SoCal afternoon yesterday so I set up my new 10'x10' pop-up canopy and rolled the Strom underneath. The instructions say to make sure the bike is cool or white spotting could result. I moved the bike under the shade and had lunch to ensure it was ready for a wash.

The next few shots are just some before shots to document the grime I let sit on the Suzuki for far too long. The front of the fork legs were dirty from the little bit of rain we had earlier this spring.

The main reason I got this type of bike wash was the engine grime. Trying to get into all of those nooks and crannies to make the engine pretty is a pain in the butt. If I can just spray and rinse, then I'm game to give it a try. Both sides of the engine have this oily streaking on the front cylinder and crankcase. I'm not sure what jot is from and the first time I saw it I worried that I had some kind of leak, but all is well other than the nasty factor and visual distraction from all of that Suzuki sexiness.

Here is a close-up shot of the nasty crud on the front of the engine. I have scrubbed this part of the bike before with a nylon brush during a wash, but it never has looked as clean as I'd like it too.

You've got to keep cool and hydrate on days like this. While the temps where I live are usually never higher than in the low 80's, the sun is bright and can burn quick thanks to the clear skies. I was enjoying my beverage as I sprayed the S100 all over the bike concentrating on the grimiest spots first and moving up to the side panels last. I used the entire bottle as I didn't know how much would work. The engine and swing arm area, needed the most work while the body panels were not bad. The front of the fairing and headlights were covered in bugs so I gave that spot a good spray as well.

The after shots. The fork legs came out well though they got a little bit of white haze which is the cleaner drying too fast before the rinse or a symptom of not rinsing well enough. The front wheel was in the sunniest part of the shaded area under the canopy and were a bit warm. The fork lowers are also chipped from road debris so they look a little dirtier than they really are.

The engine cases came out really well! What little bit of grunge remained after the spray and wash wiped off easily when I dried the bike. There were few areas that I missed on the sides, but the before and after shots show the effectiveness of the S100.

The side of the front cylinder that was really dirty came out well. The metal of the cylinder is not as smooth as the side covers of the engine and the S100 couldn't get it all out with out some type of scrubbing. I didn't do any scrubbing other than using a cotton towel to dry the bike after wards. After I was done, I gave the bike a thorough going over and found that I neglected to do a good job on the front of the engine. Next time I will give this area the majority of my time and use a good nylon brush to break up the debris before rinsing. If I keep up with the regular washing using the S100, I shouldn't get a buildup of the mess like I have now.

The S100 also claims to have corrosion protection. Being as near the ocean as I am, this sounds like a good idea. I store the V-Strom inside my shop so I don't have much of an issue as others do. I haven't tried other cleaners other than regular car washing soap that requires a good amount of labor to be truly effective. I think I will keep up with my washings using the S100 for a while at least for the hard to clean areas like the engine and running gear. I hope this was helpful for you. Stay tuned for more content from this past weekend of fun.

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