The Time It Takes To Do A Full Detail On A Motorcycle?

Dispatch

Dispatch

Member
To be completely and utterly through, how long should it take to do a full detailing on an average cruiser motorcycle? :hmmm:
 
The reason I ask is I`m having one done by a professionally and it will also entail a Ceramic Pro application.
I was hoping to find out from someone from actual experience, how long this entire process takes.
 
Ill have to be very general. I have done a 12 Harley full dress with chrome and a Hayabusa so I am no motorcycle expert.
I would guess anywhere from 2-4 maybe even 5 hours.
 
16 hours sounds like a lot, but some people are more meticulous in their work. Take a look at their finished work. It`s better to pay by the job and not hourly.
 
Too many variables to give a definitive answer. Variables based on condition of the bike, types of materials, style of body work, chrome, leather, skill of detailer, and types of tools used. 16 hrs seems like it would be a very thorough detail. I spent 6 hrs on a MC last summer and could have spent at least another 2-3 hrs.
 
I just bought a used bike from a local Honda dealer and they are very meticulous with their work, specially bike that they put in the showroom alongside their new bikes. By the time their detailer is done you can`t tell the difference between a new and a used bike, they are that clean. I had a chance to speak with the detailer about sharing information about his procedure and he said a bike like mine takes him 12 hours and he`s been doing it for over 25 years and he mostly does bikes.

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I`m glad you asked because I was wondering too. I have my first motorcycle coming tomorrow evening. I never really wanted to do one because it seems like it would take forever and be a pain but this one is for a friend.
 
Motorcycles are all about nooks and crannies. And in the case of Harley`s and metric cruisers like the one above, it`s also about metalwork.

I have never completed a detail on my motorcycle in less than 3 sittings. Probably 12 hours.

On a side, motorcycles are the perfect ONR wash candidates. I haven`t done a hose-n-bucket wash on a motorcycle in 5 years. In fact, I think motorcyclists were the first to adopt rinseless/waterless washing. The manufactures (like Honda) had these spray products that would foam really well and you could do the whole bike with it. Then along came P21S (S100) Total Motorcycle Wash.
 
The thing for me about getting such an intricate, `Expensive`detail done especially with the Ceramic Pro application, I fear not getting the full effort and all coats they say that will be applied, most notably from a place I don`t know or have a history with and this is not something you can watch being done because it takes days to do.
 
WaxAddict said:
Motorcycles are all about nooks and crannies. And in the case of Harley`s and metric cruisers like the one above, it`s also about metalwork.

I have never completed a detail on my motorcycle in less than 3 sittings. Probably 12 hours.

On a side, motorcycles are the perfect ONR wash candidates. I haven`t done a hose-n-bucket wash on a motorcycle in 5 years. In fact, I think motorcyclists were the first to adopt rinseless/waterless washing. The manufactures (like Honda) had these spray products that would foam really well and you could do the whole bike with it. Then along came P21S (S100) Total Motorcycle Wash.
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Agree on the rinseless wash. I had a bike for two years and wish I would have known about rinseless washing then. I used my bike as a Sunday cruiser, never in the rain. It was easy to wash, but drying it took more time.
 
RaskyR1 said:
May I ask why you chose Ceramic Pro?
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Its what the shop I chose say they use. Why, is there a better material application? :unsure: I don`t mean to be suspicious but I have some anxiety being its so expensive and requires so much attention to detail.
 
Dispatch said:
Its what the shop I chose say they use. Why, is there a better material application? :unsure: I don`t mean to be suspicious but I have some anxiety being its so expensive and requires so much attention to detail.
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Their coating is fine but there are also many other very good coating options out there to choose from too so don`t get caught up into their marketing hype/sales pitch too much. It sounds like they may have sold you on multiple coats/layers? How many were they going to apply? While there are some very good Ceramic Pro installers out there I`m just not a fan after seeing so many shady and unethical practices by many of their installers.

Where are you located? Personally, I would suggest comparing some of the other top pro coatings available, like CQuartz, GTechniq, Modesta, and Opti-Coat. Talk with certified installer in your area and go with the one that explains things best, talks about what coatings can and cannot do, and just seems the most honest. They all protect very well, while each excelling in their own way.

Just my $.02 ;)
 
RaskyR1 said:
Their coating is fine but there are also many other very good coating options out there to choose from too so don`t get caught up into their marketing hype/sales pitch too much. It sounds like they may have sold you on multiple coats/layers? How many were they going to apply? While there are some very good Ceramic Pro installers out there I`m just not a fan after seeing so many shady and unethical practices by many of their installers.

Where are you located? Personally, I would suggest comparing some of the other top pro coatings available, like CQuartz, GTechniq, Modesta, and Opti-Coat. Talk with certified installer in your area and go with the one that explains things best, talks about what coatings can and cannot do, and just seems the most honest. They all protect very well, while each excelling in their own way.

Just my $.02 ;)
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PM sent... :thanks
 
I did another and after days of an early morning start to dusk and even longer of meticulous cleaning and polishing all by hand, it still could use more upon much closer inspection and removal of certain parts... :thinking

Detail perfection, damn it!!! :passout:
 
RaskyR1 said:
Their coating is fine but there are also many other very good coating options out there to choose from too so don`t get caught up into their marketing hype/sales pitch too much. It sounds like they may have sold you on multiple coats/layers? How many were they going to apply? While there are some very good Ceramic Pro installers out there I`m just not a fan after seeing so many shady and unethical practices by many of their installers.

Where are you located? Personally, I would suggest comparing some of the other top pro coatings available, like CQuartz, GTechniq, Modesta, and Opti-Coat. Talk with certified installer in your area and go with the one that explains things best, talks about what coatings can and cannot do, and just seems the most honest. They all protect very well, while each excelling in their own way.

Just my $.02 ;)
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Completely agree, an for me most bikes take around 12 hours on average but if there is a lot of brightwork it can take 18 to even 30 hours but those are really very specialized jobs.
 
The Driver said:
Completely agree, an for me most bikes take around 12 hours on average but if there is a lot of brightwork it can take 18 to even 30 hours but those are really very specialized jobs.
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Mi Hermano ! I pray that you and yours are safe and protected from this virus thing..

Wow ! That is a lot of hours !

And here I was thinking that my 20+/- hours on a complete, perfect inside & out, from one end to the other; perfect paint, Vehicle Detail was a long time.. :)

I guess we really have to love the work, eh ? :)

Dan F
 
Stokdgs said:
Mi Hermano ! I pray that you and yours are safe and protected from this virus thing..

Wow ! That is a lot of hours !

And here I was thinking that my 20+/- hours on a complete, perfect inside & out, from one end to the other; perfect paint, Vehicle Detail was a long time.. :)

I guess we really have to love the work, eh ? :)

Dan F
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I hope everything is well on your end as well, NY is definitely getting hammered right now. Were I`am it`s pretty bad but we`re all stocked up.

I love doing anything, as long as they`re paying : )


Seriously though, I just want to get paid fairly for my hard work. If it takes me 5 hours so be, I`ll bill ya for 5 hours but if it takes me 30 it`s going to cost ya.
 
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