Matt paint care

[ROBGGT]

Apologies if this has been covered before but I can't find anything on a search.

I am the proud owner of a 2017 XR in the Matt blue. I am looking for some recommendations on what you guys use to clean and protect the finish. I recalled reading not to use traditional wax products as this affects the finish.

Any tips or guidance gratefully received

Cheers
Rob

[clanadam]

Good question I'll be interested to see the replies on this. I also have a 2017 blue and 2500 miles in it's only been washed with car shampoo so far - no polishing.

[Mareng1]

Made me wonder, so thought:  "What makers  have matt painted bikes?"  Ducati and Aprilia. 

Read this thread - http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/showthread.php?252335-What-polish-can-you-use-on-matt-black-paint

[Winger]

I've a mate with a new 1050 Tiger Sport which is Matt black he tells me wash with Autoglym shampoo and use Muc Off Matt detailer between washs.

[ROBGGT]

Thanks for the replies guys. I have done quite a bit of research on the internet to make sure I get this right...because I was quite sad when it came to polishing my Explorer to a high gloss finish!!. The matte finish is actually much easier to maintain than a polished paint finish. Using any type of wax, polish or sealant is defo not recommended by BMW and in fact damages the matte finish.

I've copied their recommendations below. The main recommendations from BMW are:-
1.Do not use polish or wax on your matte paint. Polishing, an abrasive process, is meant to smooth out the surface and level off imperfections. Problem is, matte paint appears flat because of imperfections in the clear coat layer. When you polish, you’re effectively diminishing your matte paints ability to retain light. Similarly, waxing your bike with any sort of paste or carnauba will fill those same imperfections, leveling the surface once more. Think about waxing over a tiny scratch on a “regular” bike… when you wax over it, it will become less visible because light reflects more easily off of the less-imperfect surface. There you have it. ◾Matte Rule #1: Do not wax or polish.
2.Do not use any mechanical or automated means of cleaning your matte paint. Basically it boils down to NEVER buffing your matte paint. Any sort of high-speed (buffer) or repetitive motion will cause harm to the matte finish. Always wash by hand with a pH balanced matte specific bike wash soap. ◾Matte Rule #2: No mechanical means of cleaning or buff too hard
3.Always remove insect remains, tar, sap, oil, overspray, bird poop, etc., etc., etc. from your paint immediately. This one’s super simple, but given their next claim, you’d think it’d be tough to do, but you’ll soon see it’s not as hard as it looks. ◾Matte Rule #3: Clean stuff off your paint immediately.
4. This is arguably the single most important rule for matte bike owners. I cannot stress enough the importance of protecting your paint, as that is the only way to preserve it’s factory no-shine look. Truth is, everything covered in Rule #3 becomes a whole lot easier when you protect your paint. Removing water stains gets easier, getting bird crap off your bike gets easier, and most importantly, it all gets much less damaging to your paint when you have a protective barrier on top of your clear coat. And don’t worry… when you need to apply a matte final inspection spray to remove finger prints, dust spots and the like, that premium microfiber towel you’re using won’t be doing damage to the matte finish. There’s no silicone, no fillers, and no wax in the formulation. So there you have it… Protect your matte paint regularly with a no-shine, no wax, non-filling matte paint sealant specifically designed for the uniqueness of your paint.

I've just bought some 'chemical guys' auto wash soap, to wash the bike it has good reviews but be warned its not cheap and I'm looking at getting some of their jet seal matte which you rub on to make washing off the bug splats easier (as in rule 4 above). There are plenty of video's on Youtube (The actual chemical guys one is quite good).

Hope that helps..as I say it sounds a potch but in reality when you know the do's and don'ts its much easier to look after than your polished metallic finishes. I'll let you know how I get on but so far so good 

[Winger]

Looks like you answered your own question 

[JTL]

I've been using Chemical Guys "Meticulous Matte detail spray" after washing with their Matte Shampoo.
I've been very impressed with the final results. It works really well getting rid of dried-on insects with very little rubbing.

It also cleaned the bugs off the windshield nicely.

The bike has gone away until spring, unless we get a good downpour to clean the salt off the roads.

[Wonger]

I just wanted to add here that Adam's polishes has a Matte finish Sealer and detailer. I used them on my MT10 that had a Matte Tank and it worked very well, like all their products.

[X-Arrr]

What do you guys think of Bug Slide?  It is Free of wax, petroleum, silicone, Teflon or harsh chemicals.
I use it on my other bikes and really like it, just wondering if it might harm the matte finish.