Eight steps for the perfect clean motorcycle

1 First get at it with a de-greaser. Yoshi Moto's De-Gunge-Oprene or Muc-Off's Bike Cleaner work well, but for heavy soiling you'll have to work it into the hard-to-reach areas.

2 Careful if you get de-greaser on the tyres. Stuff like Gunk can leave a slippery residue, even after hosing off. Ride carefully for the first few miles after cleaning.

3 Let the de-greaser soak in for a bit (the instructions will tell you how long) then hose off. Give the calipers a good squirting to ensure the pads and discs are free of unwanted slipperiness

4 Get at it with the soapy stuff. Yoshi Moto's Gleem-O-Wash is good. The trick is to sponge a small area, then rinse. Use small bits of sponge to get into the hard-to-reach areas

5 Wheels can be a pain to clean. Use a variety of brushes - this one's from Halfords, but a washing-up brush may help. Make sure the bristles aren't too stiff or you'll take the paint off

6 Muc-Off's cone-shaped brush is ideal for washing around cables, levers and wiring - and a myriad other places too. Remember: soap then rinse, soap then rinse...

7 When all the soaping's done rinse again with the hose, then buff with a chamois leather to get the standing water off. Or dry with a leaf blower - it's much more fun!

8 Castrol's graphited grease gives chains that as-new look. Remember to re-grease footrest and lever pivots too - they may have had their lube washed out