[Kias]

All this talk about Pledge, and no one (That I could find) has ever mentioned Protect All.

I found this review: http://www.protectall.com/prreviews/roadrider988.pdf

With my interest piqued, I looked at their website http://www.protectall.com a little more and found a trial size for 1 buck, shipping included. How can ya lose with that!? So, I ordered it, and it's now on it's way. I'll write a full review with a direct comparison against Pledge with poster size high resolution pictures. (Along with smaller pics of course)

I've actually never heard of Protect All before, and not to be confused with Armor All Protectant (Which I personally wouldn't use any where!) So it's something new to me. Would like to know if anyone else has ever used it before.

 

[Randy]

I have heard of it but never used it, first question of course is how do the prices compare.
That is just about bottom line for me since I enjoy cleaning & touching up my bike
I don't care how long a product should last or if it protects a little better
since I am always redoing it anyway.
Of course that's me and not everyone has the time so a comparison should prove very useful. 8)

 

[Kias]

I forget how much I paid for my can of pledge, but I'm gonna say $3.50 for 12.5 ounces. So that's ~.28 cents an ounce for pledge.

Protectall is $13.00 for 16 ounces, which makes it .81 1/4 cents an ounce.
They also have a half gallon jug for $38.00 which comes out to .59 3/8 cents an ounce.

They have a gallon jug too, but they combine it with other items, so I can't figure the price out on that.

Definitely more expensive if price is all you're looking at. I do understand that!

 

[pauljo]

That article is from 1988. Not to say that anything has changed much between the two products since then, or with motorcycle / scooter surfaces, but an up-to-date test is probably warranted - and Rob is on the case!

Two things are starting to turn me off on the Lemon Pledge (I'm on my second can with the scooter).

The article mentions a slight petroleum film that you see as an oil slick when the light is just right. That's a fact. I've noticed that on the front fender of my dark blue AN650 - and it isn't attractive.

The other was the big swarm of yellow jackets that I attracted when using Lemon Pledge at one rest stop on my trip last week. They were very aggressive, and several crawled right into my hump bag where I was storing the Lemon Pledge can and wiping towel. That was no fun.

The Honda Spray Cleaner & Polish is good - it is sold in both a large can and a small can. The big can is good to keep in the garage for end of ride cleanup. The small can is handier to carry when travelling. The product cleans well - all surfaces, including windscreen & helmet visor. And it is quite popular with motorcyclists. It claims to be the "Ultimate Detailer in a Can"

In fact - Rob - if you want to really one up that old article, get yourself a can of Honda Cleaner Polish and make it a 3 way test! I do think the Honda product is new since 1988. Ron Ayers has the 14 oz can for $4.50, which is just slightly higher than Lemon Pledge - and a lot less than ProtectAll. A local Honda Dealership should have it as well.

My bet would be that the Honda Product is better than Lemon Pledge, and almost as good as ProtectAll - and the clear performance / cost winner.

 

[Kias]

I'll zip an email off to Donna. A lady in our Greyhound Group who works at Naults Honda, and my wife said she thinks her maiden name just happen to be Naults. Get my drift?

She's actually pretty funny. She gives me crap for not buying a Honda, and I give her crap for Honda not having any "Real" bikes or scooters with the exception of the Gold Wing and the Dirt Bikes. Anyway, I'll see if I can finagle a can of Honda cleaner from her, one way or another.

...and I too can confirm the oil slick look with pledge. I still use pledge, but that's starting to annoy me.

No bees yet though! I do have a nest of Bumble Bees in my garage every year. They don't bother me, and they'll actually keep other more aggressive bees away, so I let them do their thing, and they let me do my thing.

 

[Monterey10]

Pledge

I know the dealers were using pledge big time til Honda stepped
in and said they didn't want "Lemon fresh" on their plastics. Honda
came out with a spray cleaner polish for $4.95 or $5.95 depending
on the shop you go to.

I'll never use water on a bike again. The cleaner strips away dirt
faster than other produtcts w/o introducing water into the sensitive
parts.

The one problem with the product is that it strips away your Maguires
wax job as well. )-;

You can get mini cans of this stuff if you're traveling. They're pretty
usuful.

 

[pauljo]

...and I too can confirm the oil slick look with pledge. I still use pledge, but that's starting to annoy me.

No bees yet though! I do have a nest of Bumble Bees in my garage every year. They don't bother me, and they'll actually keep other more aggressive bees away, so I let them do their thing, and they let me do my thing.

I didn't notice the "oil slick" thing until I had gone through my first can. Maybe it's a build up issue - or maybe I hadn't seen it in the proper light before. It takes sunlight - you don't notice it in the shade or in the artifical light in the garage. But in the proper sunlight, it looks nasty.

Bumble Bees may be OK. It was Yellow Jackets that swarmed me. And they were also the critters that made me get away from using Lemon Pledge back in the eighties. They are much more aggressive, and can sting you multiple times. Unlike a bee, they don't leave their stinger behind and they don't die after stinging.

 

[Brian]

I didn't notice the "oil slick" thing until I had gone through my first can. Maybe it's a build up issue - or maybe I hadn't seen it in the proper light before. It takes sunlight - you don't notice it in the shade or in the artifical light in the garage. But in the proper sunlight, it looks nasty.

AFAIK, Pledge is designed to build up a "protective finish" on wood furniture, but not a heavy wax build-up like some furniture polishes.

Over time it could build up on our bikes to the point that you'd see a refractive dispersion in certain lighting conditions.

I wash my Burgman with detergent regularly, and apply the Pledge after it dries. That should remove the old Pledge each time.

I've only done this twice, since it's a new bike, but haven't seen an "oil slick" so far.

 

[Randy]

I wash my Burgman with detergent regularly, and apply the Pledge after it dries. That should remove the old Pledge each time.

That may be the reason I have not seen an oil build up myself, I use Pledge to shine and help protect the finish

 

[pauljo]

I think the color of the scooter comes into play here too. You are more likely to see this "oil slick" effect on the darker colors (blue & black), and less likely to notice it on the silver color.

 

[JD]

I agree about showing up on dark colors. I use it on my Vento, which is yellow, and I see no streaking or buildup. My dad uses is on his black CB750 and I can see it on there.

 

[Richard]

Bumble Bees v Yellow Jackets

Given a choice, I'll take the Yellow Jackets. Here in Ontario, Canada there are yellow jackets at every open air refreshment booth and they never hurt anyone who isn't stupid enough to try to swat them.

On the other hand, I've had bumble bees come out of their way to sting me. One day a few years ago I was in the US channel of the St. Lawrence in the 1000 Islands. I was mid channel so I was about 1/2 nautical mile from both shores. A bumble bee came out from the north shore stung me in the back and proceded on his way. I have had other similar experiences with them so beware. :roll:

 

[pauljo]

I've seen yellow jackets get pretty aggressive, particularly in the Fall season. One year in Connecticut I was stung three times by them - three separate incidents - during the month of September. One flew in my car window when I was stopped at a light, stung me on the arm, and flew away. I had done nothing to aggravate it. The others stung me while riding, so I guess I invaded their air space...

 

[Brian]

The worst thing about yellow jackets, as well as other wasps and hornets, is that they can sting you again and again.

A bee can only sting you once, and then she flies away and dies. (Yes, she. Males are drones, and don't sting).

 

[seatec]

I just used the Honda cleaner and it works great for cleanup, dont think Ill try the pledge. As for yellow jackets i enjoy killing them, they are always building a nest around my house, I attack them with garden hose, WD 40, and firecrackers tied to end of stick, lite it and push it in nest and BOOM. I have no trouble with bees, even if they land on me I do not kill them, but will go out of my way to get a hornet :shock:

 

[pauljo]

I just used the Honda cleaner and it works great for cleanup, dont think Ill try the pledge.

I'm done with Pledge - went back to the Honda Polish & Cleaner product. Couldn't stand the ugly "oil slick" sheen that I was getting on my dark blue 650 with Pledge - particularly on the front fender.

Washed the scoot yesterday using Honda Brite (it is really S100). Just spray on and rinse off thoroughly. Cleans the bike real nice, including all that black brake dust deposit on the wheels. Got rid of the Pledge "oil slicks" too.

This morning I'll wipe the entire scooter down with the Honda Polish & Cleaner. Then hopefully it is just minor touch up until Scootercade!

 

[DonRich90]

I tried the ProtectAll years ago and wasn't impressed with it. As I remember, they were one of the first products that was developed to be used on a dirty bike without washing it first. It was ok - just nothing special.
I saw a demo of the Honda Spray Polish & Wax at Americade in the early '90s and have been using it ever since. Easy- on and easy- off and leaves a great shine with some wax protection. Honestly, I haven't waxed any of my bikes since I started using the Honda spray and my bikes have always been in show condition, even the black ones. I've used it on my black '90 Vette just for car shows, before they came out with Detail Sprays
(and it worked great).
After reading about the problem with Pledge's "petroleum film", I suspect that it could be caused by the chemicals that are intended to be absorbed by wood but remain on metal or plastic surfaces.

 

[Goldwingrider]

Honda polish is good

but I use Cycle Care 33 on my Wing and on my wifes Burgman. It is more expensive than the Honda Polish but a little goes a long way. It does not leave any residue or film.[/img]

 

[JD]

Re: Honda polish is good

but I use Cycle Care 33 on my Wing and on my wifes Burgman. It is more expensive than the Honda Polish but a little goes a long way. It does not leave any residue or film.[/img]

Where can you buy Cycle Care 33? I would be interested in trying it. 8)

 

[Goldwingrider]

Sorry about that. Their website is http://www.cyclecare.com. They make all kinds of cleaning and polishing stuff...