ARMORALL TIRE SHINE(foam)

so it has been raining here in northern minnesota for the last couple a days and i decided i wanted to shine my tires up. So i got some armorall foam shine and over the last few days probably used it on them 5 times. BIG MISTAKE!!! went to the store to get cash from the atm and as i was leaving was turning left...went nice and easy until the rear tire slipped and i dumped the bike... :evil: not to mention the guy in the explorer who almost smoked me head on... :roll: turns out that stuff basically acts like grease on ur tires...DONT USE IT! take it from me....

 

Just get regular armor all and JUST do the sidewalls.
ULTRA SHINE is sold @ Autozone, and it's killer shiny for a few dollars.
As long as you apply correctly, it won't drip...

Don't put it on the tread...

Or your seat - if you want to stay ON the seat that is.

 

i will try that stuff...but i did only put it on the sidewalls..some of it got the very outer tread but i think when i sprayed it off it all kinda mingled on the whole tire...not to mention i did i WAY too many times...

 

Yes, it drips that way.

WASH your tires soap and water, dry well.

Get the spray bottle of ULTRA SHINE Armorall. Regular will work, but not as pretty.

Spray onto a clean cloth, and wipe on. Can't drip that way.

Bonus - it helps keep the sidewalls from cracking/dry rot.

 

read the back of the bottle before you put anything on tread most bottles of tire shine say "good for all types of tires except cycle tires"

 

I detail bikes as a side job. I won't use any type of tire dressing. It is an accident waiting to happen, and I don't want to endanger someone else's life, let alone my own.
It's not that it drips, or you overspray the treads... Even if you put it on with a rag, the revolution of the tires causes it to sling outward from the sidewalls to the tread. Especially if you get caught in a rain storm or hit a puddle, and it reliquifies. If you get the tires really clean they will be black and look nice. I think the dark matte black of a clean tire looks nicer than shiny tires, anyhow. You can use a product such as Mother's Tire and Rubber cleaner. Or even Scrubbing Bubbles (believe it or not) works well. Wesley's Bleche White is the best, but is not safe for our aluminum and some other types of wheels. I use it on my truck the Harley, though.

 

NuVinyl

its not super shiney, but its more shine than anyone needs on a bike tire. its not at all greasy, its a plymer that bonds to rubber or plastics. i use it all the time and its great.

 

This. Made quickstops really interesting for quite some time.

 

First off, glad your ok!!!

Second, rule of thumb, I never use anything other then a scrub brush and soapy water for the tires.. then really good scrubbing with just water. Those suckers are the only thing between me and mother earth and I want them as sticky as they can be.

 

agreed, never put that crap on your tires.

I always tell my neighbor about it on his bike tires. I chewed his arss a few weeks ago when he was selling his suzuki s40...I took it to him in town to put on display. I knew he put that crap on it, but it still caught me out when that sob slid to my left when I took a corner. Did nothing to really scare me shall we say, but certainly suprised me. I gave him a serious tongue lashing when I got there.

 

Understood, people don't like it.

It's all in the fact that people always use TOO MUCH.

Clean the tire very well, scrub good, dry.

Armorall on a rag just a squirt or two, rub into rag, and press REALLY hard and drag around tire edge.

Done this for 10 years... never once had even a single 'slip'. And I ride corners hard, sitting on the side of the bike...

The foam stuff goes everywhere, you have to HAND APPLY and VERY LIGHT.

If it is done correctly, no problems at all.

If you want to be super uber safe, then forget it. As mentioned a very well scrubbed tire looks good too. But a 'wet' look tire is even nicer.

 

I Armor-All my sidewalls about twice a season, after a good washing; apply it lightly to a sponge and rub it in to the sidewall only. I also use it on the sides of my seat, applied sparingly and with a sponge.

NEVER anywhere near the tire tread or the top of the seat. Never had a problem.

 

Thank you Fitz for backing me up!

Thought I was the only one that could put it on right.

 

Well I never said someone didn't know how to put it on right, so I hope I didn't come across that way. I just meant to give my opinion. Isn't that what this site is about? I just especially prefer not to use dressing because I work on other peoples bikes and don't want to put them in danger. More like a CYA situation. And I don't prefer it on my own personal rides, either. To each his/her own, I guess?
NTgirl

 

Definitely to each his/her own.

If you don't trust it being on there, don't use it.

I've done it enough/had enough experience doing so, it's never caused me a problem. If it ever does, I'll stop. But I trust the way I apply it. It's not possible to get the tire on the pavement where I put it... where the tire edge meets the tread. You are one ballsy SOB if you can ride an XJ on the sidewalls...

Definitely give your opinion nighttrain, that's what it's all about. Context gets lost online, so don't think i was trying to get a rant going or something. I can see the negatives of dressing on the tread. That's why I am just backing up my advice of not to get it on the tread, make sure the tire is VERY clean so a little goes a long way, and wipe it on with a lot of pressure to make sure you are using maybe only a teaspoon of armorall for the entire tire.

So just to be clear, don't take an offense or anything, no harm done. We both have opinions and I definitely like the other point of view. Still like me a shiny tire tho. hehe