Cleaning - Honda CRF450R Owner's Manual

13. CLEANING

Clean your CRF regularly to protect the surface finishes
and inspect for damage, wear, and oil leakage.
When washing your CRF always use water or water and
a mild detergent (such as dishwashing liquid) to avoid
discoloring the seat and decals.
CAUTION:
• Avoid spraying high pressure water (typical in coin-
operated car washes) at the following areas:
Wheel Hubs
Engine Stop Button
Muffler Outlet
Under Fuel Tank
Drive Chain
Under Seat
Brake Master Cylinder
Front Fork Dust Seals
1. After cleaning, rinse your CRF thoroughly with plenty
of clean water. Strong detergent residue can cor-
rode alloy parts.
2. Dry your CRF, start the engine, and let it run for
several minutes.
3. Lubricate the drive chain immediately after wash-
ing and drying your CRF.
4. Test the brakes before riding your CRF. Several ap-
plications may be necessary to restore normal brak-
ing performance.
WARNING
• Braking performance may be impaired immediately
after washing your CRF.
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Aluminum Frame Maintenance
Aluminum corrodes when it comes in contact with dust,
mud and road salt.
To remove stains, use Scotch Brite Hand Pad #7447
(maroon) or equivalent.
Wet the pad and polish the surface using strokes paral-
lel to the length of the frame.
Clean the frame using a wet sponge and a mild deter-
gent, then rinse well with clean water. Dry the frame
with a soft clean cloth, using strokes parallel to the
length of the frame.
CAUTION:
• Do not use steel wool to clean the frame as it could
damage or discolor the frame surface.
• Muffler stain remover (Scotch Brite Hand Pad #7447-
maroon) is for removing stains on the non-coated
aluminum frame only.
Exhaust Pipe Maintenance
The exhaust pipe is titanium and stainless steel, but
may became stained by oil or mud.
Remove heat stains with a liquid kitchen abrasive.