Days traversing through muddy hills and dusty trails have not been kind to your dirt bike. Mud-slopped and caked with dirt and debris, the once lustrous motorbike is lost under a thick layer of grime. It will take determination and hours of vigorous scrubbing to restore your bike back to its former glory — here’s how to do it right.

Clean

The first step is to remove any grime, grease and dirt from the painted sections on the bike. TotalMotorcycle.com suggests using Simple Green (House or Automotive), though Palmolive Original dish detergent works as well for frugal consumers. For the non-painted areas, use nylon bristle brushes to scrub all metal and chrome Yamaha parts or other brand motorcycle parts to a sparkling shine. Begin at the cleanest parts of the motorcycle and work toward the dirtier components such as the engine. Dry excess water with a chamois cloth.

Pre-Wax

Before the pre-waxing stage, remove your motorcycle from direct sunlight and into the safe shade of a garage. Make sure that the bike is devoid of moisture; it needs to be entirely dry for pre-wax application. Gather clean rags and buffing cloths (flannel or fleece) composed of 100 percent cotton. The sole use of the rags is for applying pre-wax cleaner.

Use the buffing cloths to rub in the pre-wax in a circular movement with two or three fingers. Reapply pre-wax and use clean cloths, as needed. In total, you’ll apply two coats of pre-wax polish to guarantee extraction of chemical pollutants, stains, contaminants, dirt, oxidation and road salts while smoothing surface paint.

Polish

The application of polish will add that effervescent gleam you’re after. Use Maguiar’s Deep Crystal System polish or a similar brand. With your always-handy buffing cloth, apply polish in a similar manner as the pre-wax. Allow the polish to seep into the paint and enhance the gloss. After 10 minutes elapse, use a clean buffing cloth to burnish the bike. Two full coats of polish are necessary but no more should you risk removing paint.

For metal surfaces showing signs of corrosion, use a metal polish like Autosol. An effective metal polish will restore rusted aluminum, copper, chrome, brass and steel to its original metallic splendor. To remove rust, simply use the yellow side — avoid the green side to prevent scratching — of a sponge to extricate rust

Wax

We’ve arrived at the final step: waxing. A great wax will seal in the shimmering, polished paint and safeguard it from the destructive elements of Mother Nature. Consider using Maguiar’s Gold Class wax or any other effective and trustworthy brand. The waxing process is practically the same as the steps taken with the pre-wax and polish; you should have this down pat by now. Again, use the buffing cloth to add the wax, wait at least 10 minutes for drying and whitening to occur and buff the bike with a fresh cloth. Repeat this process once more. Now that your complete, kick back and take in the sleek shine of your restored beaut — you deserve it.

Joe Hurley ‘Jumpin’ Joe has been working on cars since he was 12 years old and writing about them since he was old enough to drive.