For most bikers, getting the bike ready for winter means storage and a battery tender ;D For those of us who brave the winter conditions its more about how to keep the salt and general crap from the roads off the bikes.
Now some of you are aware that I only clean my bike 2 - 3 times a year. I would also say that my bike (once clean) is in a good to excellent condition.
The three products I use are Wonder Wheels (http://www.carplan.co.uk/index.cfm?product=82), ACF 50 (http://www.acf-50.co.uk/motorcycle.htm), and S DOC 100 Gel (http://www.sdoc100.co.uk/products/sdoc100-motorcycle-gel-total-cleaner) cleaner. Start off by giving the bike a good old wash using S DOC 100 which gets rid of most of the muck. I normally use a sponge to scrub in and remove dirt before washing off. Then its onto the wheels with Wonder Wheels which removes most of the grime. Finally I liberally spray ACF 50 on hard to reach areas, and then apply it to a sponge and ensure the wheels have a good coverage and then move onto the rest of the bike (and I mean more of less everything here - panniers, exhaust, fairings etc. The only item that doesn't get covered is the brakes and brake discs).
And that's it. The ACF 50 provides protection against rust and that evil enemy of winter: salt. Each week during winter I'll spray on ACF 50 and that's it. The bike will get dirty but when I come to clean it again, the dirt will clean easily as there is an oil protection underneath.
I'm having to post this from my iPhone while I'm away because I'm out in the middle of nowhere in a field virtually! However I have to agree that ACF50 although not the cheapest product out there is worth it's weight in gold. I use it religiously during the cold and wet months. Other than that I just use Muc Off which is ok.
I never SORN my bike as some do because you do get some decent riding days even through winter. Also riding through the winter months when there are additional hazards to contend with sharpens up your skills.
Interesting stuff .... we all clean bikes differently !
Lots of hosing off, a bucket of water laced with Auto Glym, sponge it all on, everywhere ... hose it off, drip dry ,wheel into garage, shammy, then polish with all sorts of Auto Glym stuff stand back and admire ! I wax the paintwork and the wheels which keeps the winter shite at bay and just makes it easier to clean the next time. Bike used most days throughout the year to get to work, unless there is snow on the ground, and it still looks great.
i confess that i am a fair weather rider and nowt gives more pleasure than cleaning your bike. there's a forum out there for the obsessive types that goes into fine detailing and i'll be lying if i said i don't follow their tips!
the way i clean is more like lord ristys. the other way of smearing oil all over somehow makes me want to vomit :o nothing beats good old polish and wax