Step six: Polish

The machine needs to be dry for this – polish doesn’t work on a wet bike. Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t need to apply polish by the gallon. All that does is leave white lines between the panels and around graphic stickers and fairing bolts. Apply polish to all the bodywork and the wheels, but don’t do black trim and obviously keep it off parts like brake discs. Unless you enjoy the experience of sliding up and down the seat every time you brake or accelerate, keep it off the seat as well.

With the bike coated in a dull layer of white streaks, don’t buff it off. Leave the polish as it is until the very end as it will stop you staining the bodywork through the next couple of stages.

Screens can quickly become " cobwebbed " – covered in small scratches, which show up in sunlight. If yours is like that, careful attention with polish can remove or reduce the effect. Just rub it carefully into the screen in a polishing motion and inspect the results.

Recommended polish: Autoglymn Show Shine £5.99