what to use to clean wheels and engine side covers

[mjpxs11sh]

hey all, im bringing my bike back to life. its been sitting in storage for a long time. my aluminum wheels look terrible! not oxidation or dirt, just weird light whiteish spots around the bare aluminum after scrubbing whole wheel and tire with Greased Lightning. i tried Mothers Mag and Aluminum polish without success. i want to post pictures and created a photobucket acct. but when i click "insert image", it wants a URL. that doesnt put what image i want, so????? any ideas on what product to use? thanx

[DGXSER]

First, if you have a photobucket account, click on the IMG code, then come to your post here and simply paste that IMG code into a new line of your post. That will put your pics up.

The white stuff your seeing is how aluminum oxidizes, it gets that white stuff on it. I would say you should start with soem good rubbing compound to try to remove that before going to the lighter Mothers polish.

[mjpxs11sh]

Thanx, ill try rubbing compound. somethings gotta work! the light whiteish spots are not powdered oxidation, ive experienced that. the best way to describe it is if u use Armour All on plastic and u get spotted water on it afterwards, there are spots where the water was. ill try to post pixs. want to share the efforts of all my work to persons that can appreciate the love 4 our XS's

[motoman]

GreasedLightning/PurpleStuff has some fairly harsh chemicals that are hard on aluminum. Blu-Magic paste cleaner for aluminum will remove most all the "ugly" and polish them back up...

[Jfries]

sounds to me your describing Hard water stains? maybe? maybe someone hosed em down then let them air dry? try a hard water stain remover you never know.

[motoman]

Again, Blu-Magic will resolve your woes on the wheels. McGuires fine-cut cleaner from automotive paint store WILL resolve the side-cover issue.......not from wally-World either.