wash it after wet rides?

[Stig / Major Tom]

Sometimes.
But after 2 days of wet rides, and above freezing temps, finally - I polished it today when I arrived home. Took maybe 25 mins.

Have been using this stuff for 10 years on my scooters.


Feel bad for those with matte finishes 



Scoot smells good, too!
Stig

[rjs987]

No need to feel bad. I have found a good soaking rinse and wipe down with a good wash mit (no soap, polish or any other product) and it's as good as new.
Will be several months yet before I can pull mine out for a good annual washing. 

[Iahawk]

the Honda spray polish / detailer is good stuff, I've also used it for a number of years. Funny thing, I've never washed a scooter with water..ever..it helps that I don't ride in the rain or muck. My bikes have a ceramic spray coating on them and I spend 30 seconds with a spray detailer after my rides. Good as new!

[Stig / Major Tom]

No need to feel bad. I have found a good soaking rinse and wipe down with a good wash mit (no soap, polish or any other product) and it's as good as new.
Will be several months yet before I can pull mine out for a good annual washing. 

Is it true that the 550 is offered in very colors...and only in matte paint?
Seems Kymco would offer their flagship model in at least 3 or 4 colors, with gloss finish in at least 2 colors. (á la my Liberty)
All the washing won't make it shiny🙃
Stig

[rjs987]

Matte finishes are not supposed to be "shiny" so that's normal.
The AK was offered in several colors depending on what country you were in.
For the USA in 2021 there was only Space Gray (gloss finish) and Silver Crystal (Matte finish).
In 2022 they brought in those two colors and added the Matte Deep Blue and Matte Black.
In 2023 they had the Matte Metallic Silver and the Matte Deep Blue.
We'll see what comes in for 2024.
There were several other colors for each year in other countries. At first I was really hoping they'd bring in the Root Beer/bronze colored one here (like the Root Beer colored GL1800). Then I saw the Deep Blue.

So far the only non-Matte finish on the AK in the USA is the Space Gray. I didn't want Silver so I was really close to buying the glossy Space Gray. Glad I waited.

[randyo]

wash ? what's that

my vstrom is treated with ACF50 don't want to wash that off, but after a winter ride I use a can of Brakleen or knock off brand and get the salt out of the calipers and off the disks, I have a Scottoiler, but I still wipe the chain & sprockets with kerosene, I clean the headlight, turn signal and rear lenses, that's about it, if there's bird poop on the seat I clean that too

haven't taken my AK550 out in winter yet, the oem tires are great on pavement, but not as good as I would like on summer gravel, I don't want to try, unless I can import some Anlas winter grips, as it gets closer to tire replacement time, I will look into it more, seems there's a place in UK that ships to US

[Neil955i]

Nope, not necessarily. Hoping to Wash about 3 weeks worth of crud off my DTX this coming week so we’ll see how it’s fared.

BTW I notice you mention the Anlas Winter Grips Randy? I’ve done over 100 miles now on my new rear and have to say I’m mightily impressed with it. Grip levels on damp roads at temperatures just above freezing are excellent - at least as good, if not better than my go to Michelin City Grip 2s!  Praise indeed.  Too soon, however, to comment on durability / wear rate.