| Author | Message | ||
     Biffdotorg |
So before anyone flames me on this one, I will explain what I tried first. I had a 200 mile round trip planned yesterday to see the folks and knew it would rain on my return trip. I thought, the bike needs a wash, so let 'er rip! As I had assumed, by the time I was ready to head home, the skies had started to fall. Put on the rain gear and boot covers and put on 100 rain-soaked miles. With the right gear, it really isn't that bad. On that note, who has some recommendations on using a pressure washer to clean up a bike? The obvious would be to avoid the key holes and bearings. Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance. | ||
| Froggy |
Don't use anything more powerful than a garden hose. (Message edited by Froggy on September 07, 2010) | ||
| Andymnelson |
I pressure wash mine all the time, I just avoid all the obvious spots and I've never had an issue. | ||
| Zane_t |
What I like about Uly's is they're the kind of motorcycle that doesn't need to be washed often. I wait till mine is so cruddy I can't stand it any more, then the garden hose comes out. I realize some folks don't have access to a garden hose and have to resort to a pressure washer at self serve car washes. Then, of course, take extra care and be like me and don't wash it very often. | ||
| Blasterd |
The annual birthday wash is coming up for mine in Oct! | ||
| Ejbeert |
i pressure wash the deck the aluminum siding on the house the concrete sidewalk a sudsy bucket a wash mitt tire brush garden hose on drench not pressure lawn chair tall cool one to watch it dry while listening to detroit tigers attempt baseball just call me ol fashon | ||
| Cityxslicker |
run through puddles to get the big chunks off, turn around and repeat as necessary | ||
| Teeps |
Wash a Uly; what's up with that? Clean as you go... that is when a tire is replaced, the wheel gets cleaned, etc. I have been known to wipe it down occasionally using Original (formerly Honda) Spray Cleaner & Polish. | ||
| Gusmiami |
Buy some S100 bike cleaner, rinse down the bike, spray it on, brush the wheels down and other areas with any grime then rinse off. Stuff works great. | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Watch the S100 stuff and read the directions carefully. That stuff can etch a lot of different surfaces. | ||
| Ourdee |
I take it in from time to time for rear bearings, rusty muffler, missing tooth on the belt, or windscreen bolts. That is when they clean it. | ||
| Gusmiami |
I usually use it on the engine, wheels etc and use a microfiber mitt and car washing soap for the seat and plastics. But you CAN spray it all over the bike. Just don't let it sit too long. Works for me. The stuff is one of the best products i've ever used to wash a car or bike. By the way, you don't need to apologize to anyone for wanting a clean bike. Like I said in another post, nothing wrong with a little pride in ownership.  | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
A lil graphite for the fuel tank key hole, 'specially if you often ride in the rain. | ||
| Cyclonedon |
On that note, who has some recommendations on using a pressure washer to clean up a bike? The obvious would be to avoid the key holes and bearings. Any other suggestions? avoid the decals! Don't ask me me how I know that. | ||
| Gusmiami |
I personally wouldn't go anywhere near the bike with a pressure washer. | ||
| Ratbuell |
+1. You couldn't pay me to use a pressure washer on my bikes. ...and yes, I *do* clean some of them. It's just the Uly that has never seen the business end of a garden hose. It's kinda like my Jeep - it just looks better with a patina. | ||
| Pontlee77 |
I just use garden water but i found in a supermarket a degreaser stuff for the kitchen ( in Spain), that is not agressive, it even cleans the brake dust that gets on the front wheel, it make it so easy that with even a finger the grim goes away, so i spray all the lower bike with it engine, swing arm brakes wheels and then rinse with garden water and the bike cleans up great, i even use that stuff to clean my hands when i get them full of grease and grim, and is not agressive to any part of the bike | ||
| Ratbuell |
Easiest way (and safest) to clean a Buell? Get a spray bottle. Fill halfway with water. Fill the rest of the way with Simple Green. Wet the bike with a garden hose. Spray it down with the SG/water mix. Get all the nooks and crannies, it won't hurt anything. Let soak for a minute. Get a mitt, wipe off the chunks and bugs. Rinse. Take it for a ride and blow-dry it  Note - NEVER put simple green, or ANY chemical cleaner, on a HOT bike. Heat plus chemicals can equal etching. In my experience, SG is less likely than most to have problems...but use common sense. If you don't want to touch it, neither do the chemicals. | ||
| Towpro |
In my early days of dirt bikes, I discovered that straight simple green will make that shiny dirt bike plastic dull real quick. Then I discovered that Armstrong No Wax floor polish put that shine back on the plastic But I never understood why they make polish for no wax floors? | ||
| Mnrider |
+1 on Ejbeerts method. I don't like to use any chemicals Sometimes the Twins win though. | ||
| Motorfish |
I`ve used automotive wheel cleaner with good results. Spray on a cold bike, scrub the real greasy areas, tooth brush, hose off. I never used it on paint. Works well, and pretty cheap. I have used S100, also, and it is good stuff too. | ||
| Johnboy777 |
I'm very particular on what I use to wash my baby - that's why I use Johnson's baby shampoo. It has a no tears formula too.  | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
You mean people actually wash their bikes, how odd. | ||
| 7873jake |
If you don't want to spring full $ for the S100, the Honda-Bright wash in the red container used to be cheaper than the S100 and was, at one time, a tad larger than the S100 container. It also used to say in very small letters on the bottle "from the makers of S100". This is an example of the product, the first link I found that had a picture and price, and not an endorsement of anyone, anything, anytime, anywhere. http://www.parkeryamaha.com/hondabritecleaner20oz. aspx Now, the S100 polishing soap on an old wet boot lace makes a great polishing compound for bikes with laced wheels, like old Triumphs. Soap up the lace and wrap it around the item to be polished and then pull to and fro. Works on tight areas on fork legs and the like too. Less clean up than Simichrome. (Message edited by 7873jake on September 08, 2010) | ||
| Ourdee |
A shiny bike is the sign of a sick mind.  | ||
| Ratbuell |
Don't tell my S2. I even hit it with quick detailer while it was warming up this morning. Snap Red looks poopy with dust all over it, LOL. | ||
| Motorbike |
I must really be sick then, I wash mine all the time. A little dust doesn't bother me but I can't stand bugs splattered all over the front of the bike. I just use a warm bucket of water with car wash soap, a soft sponge and a garden hose sprayer set to a fan spray pattern. I use soft terry cloth bath towels (I had to buy my own just for this sort of thing) and compressed air to dry it off. I immediately take it for a spin after washing to dry the brakes and any other areas that I missed. (That's my excuse anyway). Thanks. | ||
| Biffdotorg |
Thanks for all the responses. I use the wash mit and soap method as well. I have to use some sort of wheel cleaner as the brake dust is horrible. I had just gotten a new pressure washer with soap dispenser, so I was just checking before trashing my bike. I can really control the spray pressure quite a bit, so it still may be a good option for sudsing it up and rinsing on low pressure. I'm riding a run this weekend with a few hundred other bikes and a dirty bike shows my individuality, but I actually like it to shine at those times. All you MN riders, watch for the Dirty Red XT at the Flood Run this weekend!! Say hi if you come by. | ||
| Etennuly |
If you happen to end up with dried bugs on your bike's frontal parts that make you want to scrub them off, which is not a good idea, just leave the bike set out over night uncovered. The dew will soften up even the nastiest of dried on bug snot. I then use Dawn plain dish soap in warm water then rinse. Ride some more and repeat as necessary. Pressure washing the bike? Nah, not enough surface to make getting the machine out worth the effort. | ||
| Metra6924 |
The closest I get to pressure washing is 60mph in the rain. A couple of hours should do it. That's happened twice this year. The first one washed off the the bugs that accumulated this summer, the second took care of the dust from the gravel roads I was on a week before. I'll admit I did get bored one day and actually washed the bike, but only with a bucket of soapy water and an old H-D (spit) t-shirt. I'd rather ride than clean! |
