Washing your bike...How do YOU do it?

Hey,
Was just wondering the different ways that people use to wash their bikes. been thinking i use too much $$$ on getting mine cleaned (and i have no clue how they do it.) When i used to do it for myself id use a mild liquid detergent and loads of water but that was no good for getting some of the oily grime off. Plus it was TOO much work getting into all the nooks and crannies.I wonder if anyone used a pressure hose but i hear that can cause havoc with the electricals,though it would be the easiest method. But im ready to give it another shot so lets hear how ya'll manage to do it!

 

I know a couple of people that say don't even use a hose cause the pressure can be high enough to work water into the seals and through rubber and ruin parts. I usually use a bucket of water and wipe everything down and do all the hard to reach areas by hand. Then wax with Wizard's.

 

I use a lambswool hand mit for the body work. For wheels and dirty bits i use a paint brush as it gets into the nooks and crannies without being too harsh on the surface it's cleaning.
My bike is only 1 month old so i will try to maintain a pristine finish on it.:smile:

 

My wife bought a couple of those Enyo mitts a few years ago to do the right thing - you know - no detergents for cleaning the house. The mitts ended up in the cupboard until I liberated them! I find the microfibre gets bugs, brake dust and chain lube off really well. I use one mitt for the plastic and the other for wheels, swing arm etc.

Just need to use water to soak the mitts and then no more than a teaspoon of car wash - plenty of soap for the job. The other advantage of using the mitt is that I dont beat my fingers to death on hard edges (bit of a Woose:tongue.

I rinse off with the hose on low pressure and use one of those multiple spray nozzles that let you get the water on without any risk of getting into places you don't want it to be. Then its the o'l wax on/wax off!

 

I use a bucket since we are on level 3 water restrictions, and mr sheen on the plastics to really get a shine.

 

I'm one of those rider's who use the power hose in the car wash,I live in a condo so have no access to a garden hose,but I stand about 3 feet away from the bike.With the instruments I just have a mist showering the panels.I've only done this 3 times since having the bike since May when I bought the bike then wipe dry.But usually after a ride I always clean my bike with spray cleaner & polish a Honda product.This keeps my bike nice and clean and less clean up when I actully wash it.

 

Wash? Wash? We are supposed to wash these bikes? Sorry everytime its nice enough to wash it's nice enough to ride.

Okay I do wash occasionally at the car wash and I use a microfiber towel to dry it, I also occasionally use Honda polish. Seriously though, she gets washed about once a month, and I ride average on 1200 miles a month to include rain which is like washing.

 

For the oily grime crap I use some of that citrus based cleaner stuff, makes is ridiculously easy to remove. It's made under a few brand names, I usually pick it up at Walmart in the automotive section.

 

Just did my '94 for the first time last week. (Wait a minute, I just got my bike last week.) First small amount of Meguiars Carw Wash soap (Just a touch in about a gallon of water.) Used mitt to basically "sponge bath" the bike. Dried with "The Absorber" I started using this to dry when detailing several years ago, and swear by them. Finally, finished up with Zymol polish. (In the blue bottle.) Kinda pricey polish, but I love the way it applies and comes off. Maeks waxing very easy. Used Armor All Cleaner disposible "paper towels" in a tube. Perfect, cleans the rubber/plastic parts without making them shiny or slic. Finally, used Mother's "Plastix" for the windshield. Came out beautiful. Looks brand new.

 

I just wash mine with Maguire's car wash fluid and rinse it.....if it is really dirty. Usually I just use the Honda spray polish, which works great on the bike and helmet!

 

I have had a few bikes over the last 10 years...

Lots of water, lots of soap, lots of water, and a leather chamois to dry...

I haven't had a bike "get water past the seals" yet.

 

Oh yeah, forgot to mention. When I worked at a cycle shop in Santa Barbara, we used to use S-100 to clean all the bikes. I used it on my old BMW all the time, as well as my Vespas. It was basically spray on, let it sit a minute, srcub the extra greasy parts with a soft bristle brush, then hose off. It was like magic, and supposedly did not contain solvents and is environmetally friendly.

I would use it on the VFR, (if I had any...I don't currently) but only if the plastic was off. It is suppsosedly fine for paint, but I wouldn't take chances. (I didn't care on my BMW's 18 year old paint, but it never harmed the finish). Anyway, here is a link/description.
http://www.bikedepot.net/s1geltocycl.html

 

I simply use a bucket and rags for most of the bike...I wash a portion of the bike with one rag and then dry it off immediately with the other rag. For the greasy parts I spray S-100 (total motorcycle cleaner)...let it sit for a minute and then rinse off with a wet rag/or hose and then dry. After I wash I use a product called "protect all." This product is a foam that I spray into a rag....wipe on...and then with another rag...simply wipe off (wax on...wax off Danielson!!...ok…so I’m showing my age.) Anyway the Protect All can be used on all surfaces (to include the seat and minus this instrument panel). It really brings it to a shine and makes washing the bike that much easier as dirt and grime does not stick.

 

I use Simple Green (walmart) to clean any oily/grimy areas with an old toothbrush, works great. I also use it with a rag to wipe off the brake dust around each rim. The rest of the bike gets a soapy/wet towel as needed. Also, 3M plastic cleaner works great on windscreens. It actually makes it clearer. It made a big difference on my 92'.

 

When the bike is slightly dirty I use honda polish and plexus. When the bike is very dirty I always use the pressure washer at the car wash. I have washed alll my bikes this way and have never had a problem. Just use common sense. I dont hand wash at all. I spray wd-40 on the oily, greasy bits ( not tires, brakes etc.). I then wet the bike. I only use simple green at max or half strngth depending on how dirty the bike is. Let the bike soak for a minute and blast off the funk. I always bring two towels and dry the bike off. I then ride home and this blows most of the water off. then I spray wd-40 where rust or water may cause damage. The last step is to poilsh the whole bike with honda polish and plexus. The bike will look showroom. I know my method works cause I wash my bikes constantly, I cant stand dirty bikes.

 

Hmmm

I aquired a very Grimy VF700F and I have learned a ton about cleaning....

1) High Presure washer is good for:
a)Engine area
b)Wheels
2) High Presure washer is NOT good for:
a)Fork Seals
b)Painted cowls
3) For the engine and wheels I use Gunk Foaming Engine Cleaner. I should wear gloves but I dont and use a 3M sponge on the wheels and tires. I have slowly brought the wheels from a dull brown color to the original black with polished silver rims.. Looks awsome and it cleans the engine very well...
4) I use any ole' car wash in a bucket and most of the grease and grime comes off with minor elbow grease applied. Gentle rinse is then used.
5) I will then putter around and make the wife happy by doing the "house chores" to make her "shut-up" about me spending all this time on my bike....
6) Once "puttering" becomes tiresome and/or "boring" the bike is usually dry... I use NewFinish wax... This stuff sucks for Newer cars but for ABS it's pretty good... I refuse to use this crap on my car but for whatever reason it makes my Bike look good... I think it's the different kind of paint or it could be I put more effort in the bike....
7) I then take a quick ride and warm up the Chain. I then pull in and replace the chain lube that the high pressure wash removed....
8) I then "putter" around again making it look like I have done "Other" productive things around the house to make the wife happy.
9) I then Start the bike up and do a quick 2 hour ride....
10) After I get yelled at for caring more about my bike than the wife and kids I sit on the deck with a beer looking at my bike waiting for the night to come so that I can get up in the morning and ride my bike.....

That's pretty much how it goes...It's tough around here in New England/New Hampshire. Even in the summer the streets have left-over road salt from the winter. Hence, if you ride in wet conditions you want to rinse/wash your bike ASAP to maintaine it's pristine appearance...

 

You shouldn't be washing your chain with the high pressure wash. It ruins the seals and gets water into the lubed chambers.

 

Wash with Kitten wash and wax in a bucket , rinse with a gentle hose and dry with a clean soft bathroom towel and polish with Mr Sheen on everything cept tyres and brakes of course.
PO used non caustic truck wash and Mr Sheen , My bike looks like new after 70,000 kilometers in Aussie weather, where the sun can be a paint killer.

 

I keep my bikes spotless, washed after every lengthy ride. If it is just bug juice on the front end I soak a rag in steaming hot water and place it on the affected areas for a few minutes. This pretty much melts the bugs off and makes it all slide off much easier. Garden hose, pail, wash mitt, shammy it dry and wax er up Billy>

 

Washing Your Vfr

I used one of those water filter cartridge guns which goes on over the garden hose;and use Maguires deluxe gold wash ( lotsa lather) i wash with a microfibre wash mitt ( it releases dirt best when going back in the bucket minimizing the chance of sctratches on subsequent lather ups. I use a different microfibre wash mitt for the rims and never use the same one. Dry off with a shamois ( the imitation ones work fine also) then I get out my leafblower and at a distance I blow off any free water from under the fairings and hard to dry areas( not blowing in any way that could force water into areas you dont want) Then I use Mothers sealer and glaze( a paint sealant which also is good at filling in fine scratches if any) followed by Mothers carnuba paste wax ( Buy a good wax applicator pad which is easy to form around the edges) Only wax a smallsection at a time & buff wax with microfibre cloths. Plexus for the plastic windshield ; and wax and buff the rims as well. I use chain cleaner and chain wax instead of lube . works great and no sling . Mothers showtime spray detailer I use often to maintain showroom shine ;