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EASY RIDER,<br />
METICULOUS DETAILER<br />
Nathan’s advice for those who want<br />
to detail motorcycles is: Start riding.<br />
Get on a bike and take it for a spin, he<br />
suggests. “In order to detail one, you<br />
have to have a passion. I get made at my<br />
competitors who detail motorcycles, yet<br />
don’t know anything about them. It is a<br />
‘passion” thing.”<br />
Spring and summer are his busiest<br />
seasons and can get between four to five<br />
bikes per week. It is so busy right now—I<br />
get customers wanted just a polishing to<br />
others wanting a complete detailing.<br />
Along with getting familiar with a<br />
motorcycle, Nathan also recommends<br />
getting extensive training. There is so<br />
much to know about a bike—so many<br />
different types of media. From the<br />
paint, to the chrome to the black wrinkle<br />
finishes—you need proper training.<br />
At Frontline Shine, a motorcycle<br />
detailing starts at $199.<br />
TERMS TO KNOW<br />
The following are motorcycle terms you might come across with your motorcycle clients.<br />
BACKBONE: The top tube of a CATEYE: A style of taillight. 2<br />
motorcycle frame where the tank is<br />
typically mounted.<br />
CENTERSTAND: A device used to<br />
2<br />
hold a motorcycle upright when it’s not<br />
BEAD: The edge of a tire that touches being ridden. Serves the same purpose<br />
the wheel. 2<br />
as a kickstand, except that the rear<br />
wheel is raised off the road surface. 2<br />
BOBBER: Bobbers are/were bikes that<br />
have been customized in a certain way. COWL/COWLING: Bodywork pieces<br />
Typical features include a stripped-down that cover the engine and transmission<br />
look, no front fender, low handlebars, a of a bike to improve aerodynamics and<br />
solo seat, and very spare instrumentation visual smoothness. These are the parts<br />
(if any). 1<br />
removed from a naked bike. 2<br />
BROOMSTICKS: Straight<br />
DRESSER: A large motorcycle<br />
handlebars. 2<br />
complete with a full touring package<br />
(fairing, windshield, saddle bags, and a<br />
BUCKHORNS: A style of handlebars<br />
comfortable seat). 2<br />
that pull back toward the rider, actually<br />
resembling a bull’s horns. 2 EXHAUST WRAP: Insulated cloth<br />
wrapped around exhaust pipes to retain<br />
heat and give an old-school look. Also<br />
known as heat wrap, pipe wrap, and<br />
exhaust tape. On cars it’s called header<br />
wrap. 2<br />
FAIRING: Bodywork at the front of a<br />
motorcycle designed to deflect wind,<br />
rain, and road debris. 2<br />
FARKLE: Doodads, kitsch, and<br />
add-ons that serve no useful purpose.<br />
Most serious bikers don’t use this term. 2<br />
FOOT PEGS: Pegs where a rider<br />
rests his feet. 2<br />
GARAGE ROT: When a motorcycle<br />
has been left in a garage, and/or was<br />
not stored correctly and the brake<br />
pistons are sticky, the piston rings are<br />
rusty as well as the gas tank, etc.<br />
GEARBOX/BOX: Slang for the<br />
transmission on a motorcycle. 1<br />
GOOSENECK: The stretched portion<br />
of the frame just behind the neck,<br />
originally used by homebuilders to<br />
stretch the length of the frame without<br />
altering its geometry. 2<br />
HIGHWAY BARS: Bras that connect<br />
to and extend away from the frame<br />
in a semi-circular arch. Highway bars<br />
allow for leg stretching room on longer<br />
rides, offer convenient mounting points<br />
for auxiliary lighting and they can offer<br />
26 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | VOL. 5, NO. 2 • SUMMER 2020
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