Wash me baby!

Ok, so when it comes to my car, nothing but Meguires 3 step car care for me. But with my bike, I have kept it mostly to dusting her everyday, and keeping her clean before she needs a washing. SO I wanna know how you all do it, what is your preferred brand of wash, wax, etc.

What is your magic touch, enlighten me, oh guru-ous ones!

Mr. Clean Auto Dry with a cloth diaper as a washcloth. New, one time use for washing, then gets relegated to household duties, never again to touch the bike.

Meguiars Gold Class Wax, followed by Meguiars Sealer Glaze

WD40 to clean the rims followed by a good wash off to cut the residue

Leaf blower to get the water off the bike once finished washing. The Auto Dry does not spot, but I still like to get rid of the water completely.

Honda polish for all the black plastic, etc.

Leaf blower huh, I bet that is a sight!

i just take all the plastics off and hop in the shower with them. we scrub down together, then sprall out all over the house. then i go with some wd40 and plexus and clean the bike all naked (the bike ) and get her looking good. then a coat of plexus on the plastics if im lazy, or any hard carnuba wax should be more than enough.

i never take a hose too it, but if i had a leaf blower to get all the water out i might.

:lol: Thank you soooo much for that visual, I am a very visual person, and I can just see you in the shower with your plastics, HAHAHAHA!

I never take water to her either, that is why I was wondering, but I do have an AIR COMPRESSOR, God what is wrong with all you boys, YOU NEED POWER TOOLS! That is all I ask for for X-mas, then they always get lost in teh break up, somehow men always assume the tools are theirs, but I always have the essentials, like my AIR COMPRESSOR!!!!

YAY AIR TOOLS!

This may seem a little intense but, I am when it comes to my "rocket".

I first start with washing down the driveway (on a slant). I put up my pop up pit tent, to create a constant shade for my girl (CBR1000RR) of course.

Place down my piece of green indoor outdoor carpet.

Then I bring out my Two stands and roll out my girl and lace her on her stands.

Next I go get my detailing cart (grey rubbermaid maid cart) full of all my goodies.

Honda Polish (made in America) smells so good not that Canada mixtuire that we have read about?

Liquid Cleaner (From Honda Shop)

Honda degreaser

Simple green

Meguiars Soap

Mothers wax & polish

Black max blk rubber spray cleaner (for lines and black parts)

Soft towels from hotel trips

Chamois for drying

I use blower dryer for those hard to reach spots and also air hose & compressor

Q tips, tooth picks , old tooth brush (to get gunk or extra wax from cracks)

Mothers chrome and stainless polish

Detail duster to brush her off when all done

LP tire paint pen to touch up PIRELLI on that beautiful black rubber (White)

Windex glass cleaner for the mirrors, drys up fast and seems to work better than Honda spray polish on glass.

Last thing I do is cover up around the chain area with old sheet, hand spin rear tire and lube the chain with lube use the little chain lube tool to keep as clean and neat as possible.

Last I usually lay on the ground next to her looking and starring until someone walks by or comes out of the house and says "what the hell are you doing" you are crazy!! Then I go for a ride!!!!

Am I crazy?

This may seem a little intense but, I am when it comes to my "rocket".

I first start with washing down the driveway (on a slant). I put up my pop up pit tent, to create a constant shade for my girl (CBR1000RR) of course.

Place down my piece of green indoor outdoor carpet.

Then I bring out my Two stands and roll out my girl and lace her on her stands.

Next I go get my detailing cart (grey rubbermaid maid cart) full of all my goodies.

Honda Polish (made in America) smells so good not that Canada mixtuire that we have read about?

Liquid Cleaner (From Honda Shop)

Honda degreaser

Simple green

Meguiars Soap

Mothers wax & polish

Black max blk rubber spray cleaner (for lines and black parts)

Soft towels from hotel trips

Chamois for drying

I use blower dryer for those hard to reach spots and also air hose & compressor

Q tips, tooth picks , old tooth brush (to get gunk or extra wax from cracks)

Mothers chrome and stainless polish

Detail duster to brush her off when all done

LP tire paint pen to touch up PIRELLI on that beautiful black rubber (White)

Windex glass cleaner for the mirrors, drys up fast and seems to work better than Honda spray polish on glass.

Last thing I do is cover up around the chain area with old sheet, hand spin rear tire and lube the chain with lube use the little chain lube tool to keep as clean and neat as possible.

Last I usually lay on the ground next to her looking and starring until someone walks by or comes out of the house and says "what the hell are you doing" you are crazy!! Then I go for a ride!!!!

Am I crazy?
I can't believe there's actually someone more (or as) anal-retentive than me. :shock:

My bud and I share a garage just for the bikes and all their cleaners and hardware (stands, tools, etc.). :D

I am impressed.

It should be noted though that I do my wash/detailing of the bike over the course of a 24 hour shift, and usually have 10-12 hours into it each time

I saw the name of this topic and it's author, and got all excited about clicking on it, hoping to be the first to raise my hand, and.....it's about bikes? :cry:

SheSpawn...you tease! :wink:

Since I'm already here....
I use Armour-all car wash ( or Meguiars ), and hand dry it with one of those "The Absorber" man-made chamois things, and run the motor until it reaches operating temp after wards to help dry.

I also use Castrol wheel cleaner when needed, as it seems to need less elbow grease to get off chain-lube and brake dust. Castrol says it's safe for painted wheels, and i have had no probs so far.

I have also found that Armour-all orange cleaning wipes seems to get chain lube/grease off that beautiful swing-arm with little effort, and no discoloration of the clear coat. They smell good too.
Please note however, that i never leave any aggressive cleaners on any longer than absolutely necessary, and always rinse the area thoroughly with water. If in doubt, test the cleaner on some place hidden, or better yet, just use some elbow grease instead of the cleaner.

Is it me, or is washing a bike twice as hard as washing a car? All those nooks and crannies....

Washing a bike before a ride seems strange to me, since the bike should have been stored in such a way as to NOT get dirty, but i know people who do it. I also know people who wash a bike after EVERY ride. I don't, as i would wash the paint right off! It just depends on how dirty it is, and mainly how many dead bugs have collected. I wanna get those off as soon as possible, as they are bad for the paint/clear-coat. In a pinch i will use a damp cloth to remove the dead bugs on the front faring when i don't have time to wash the whole bike.
The exception is when i get caught in the rain. I always wash it ASAP, since, as you all know, they end up looking like a dirt-bike after a ride in the wet. I can't stand the thoughts of it looking like that!
The last paragraph was basically a long-winded way of saying that i only wash it when it needs it.....DUH!

All of the "car guys" ( and gals ) seem to like Meguiars wax, so thats what i use. Gives a beautiful shine, for sure.

I have used S100 before, and it seemed to work as advertised, but the stuff is pricey, so i just use a little elbow grease instead.

EVERYONE seems to like the Honda spray polish, so i guess i give that a try soon.

Question for you guys: Why do i seem to get more dead bugs on the tank near my crotch ( no, it's not just flies! ) than on the front faring? I'm not bowlegged.

[quote="DG rider"]I saw the name of this topic and it's author, and got all excited about clicking on it, hoping to be the first to raise my hand, and.....it's about bikes? :cry:

SheSpawn...you tease! :wink:

Same here DG.

The Mr. Clean no-spot wash setup is the shiznit! I use a very soft terry cloth for washing. Rinse w/ Mr. Clean filtered gun, blow dry w/ air compressor (I gots lotsa tools too :wink: ) then Rain-X wax. This stuff is great... very shiny and it makes the bugs wash of soooo easy next time around! WD-40 for the wheels, lube the chain w/ 90w synthetic gear oil, run in gear for a few minutes while holding a rag against the chain to remove excess lube...then I go back out and giter dirty again :twisted:

[quote=DG rider]I saw the name of this topic and it's author, and got all excited about clicking on it, hoping to be the first to raise my hand, and.....it's about bikes? :cry:

SheSpawn...you tease! :wink:

Same here DG.

The Mr. Clean no-spot wash setup is the shiznit! I use a very soft terry cloth for washing. Rinse w/ Mr. Clean filtered gun, blow dry w/ air compressor (I gots lotsa tools too :wink: ) then Rain-X wax. This stuff is great... very shiny and it makes the bugs wash of soooo easy next time around! WD-40 for the wheels, lube the chain w/ 90w synthetic gear oil, run in gear for a few minutes while holding a rag against the chain to remove excess lube...then I go back out and giter dirty again :twisted:

Dude, please, seriously. Please PLEASE do not run the bike in gear to wipe the lube off. I am up to 23 severed finger calls I have responded for due to this very practice. Please, take the time and do it with the engine off and very carefully still.

Please. It is horrible when I go to these calls and see guys with fingers gone, knowing they will not ride as they know it ever again.

I only know of one patient that still rides, he had his Interceptor LBS setup reversed to allow the pedal to have 80 percent braking on the front and 20 on the rear instead of vise versa.

He is a danger to ride near.

Others have lost too much finger to brake, one had to have his whole hand amputated from infection.

Please, just say no.

Please, take the time and do it with the engine off and very carefully still. I second that. I have caught my hand lightly in the chain while turning it by hand, and as you can imagine, it hurt like hell. And this was just spinning the wheel very slowly. I can see how easy it would be to lose some digits like this. I have never been crazy enough to do it in gear with the engine running.

Well thanks guys SOrry for the tease :twisted: but I had to find a way to get your attention!

I second the notion taht washing a bike is harder than a car, it is a LOT harder! I am going to ive her her first wet wash this weekend. Washing vehicles is like meditation for me, adn after this week, I REALLY need it! I wish I had a camera, I would take pics for all your help, I'll make a deal with you all, as soon as I come across my camera, I will take bike washing pics for all your help..... muwahahahahah, ooo I can't wait, this will be fun!

[quote=DG rider]I saw the name of this topic and it's author, and got all excited about clicking on it, hoping to be the first to raise my hand, and.....it's about bikes? :cry:

SheSpawn...you tease! :wink:

Same here DG.

The Mr. Clean no-spot wash setup is the shiznit! I use a very soft terry cloth for washing. Rinse w/ Mr. Clean filtered gun, blow dry w/ air compressor (I gots lotsa tools too :wink: ) then Rain-X wax. This stuff is great... very shiny and it makes the bugs wash of soooo easy next time around! WD-40 for the wheels, lube the chain w/ 90w synthetic gear oil, run in gear for a few minutes while holding a rag against the chain to remove excess lube...then I go back out and giter dirty again :twisted:

Dude, please, seriously. Please PLEASE do not run the bike in gear to wipe the lube off. I am up to 23 severed finger calls I have responded for due to this very practice. Please, take the time and do it with the engine off and very carefully still.

Please. It is horrible when I go to these calls and see guys with fingers gone, knowing they will not ride as they know it ever again.

I only know of one patient that still rides, he had his Interceptor LBS setup reversed to allow the pedal to have 80 percent braking on the front and 20 on the rear instead of vise versa.

He is a danger to ride near.

Others have lost too much finger to brake, one had to have his whole hand amputated from infection.

Please, just say no.



I actually did think about the fact that the rag can get caught up in the chain or sprocket, and I actually do hold this rag wadded up in a tight ball...my thinking was that nothin to get hung up on, and if it did get caught on the chain, the ball would just leave my finger tips.... the bike is only at idle speed. I'm hopin you aren't picturing me holding a rag wrapped around the chain whith the chain running through it. I are smarter then that :D

Car wash soap, hose, water, towel.

Keep it simple.

Well thanks guys SOrry for the tease :twisted: but I had to find a way to get your attention!

I second the notion taht washing a bike is harder than a car, it is a LOT harder! I am going to ive her her first wet wash this weekend. Washing vehicles is like meditation for me, adn after this week, I REALLY need it! I wish I had a camera, I would take pics for all your help, I'll make a deal with you all, as soon as I come across my camera, I will take bike washing pics for all your help..... muwahahahahah, ooo I can't wait, this will be fun!

Do you Promise!?!

What is your magic touch, enlighten me, oh guru-ous ones!I do a rain dance, and hit the twisties roads with a decent down pour.

Make sure to do your wheelies, need to rinse the underside too :D

I have washed my bike once now, only because it was covered by salt from a fire hose off a ship :roll:

Well thanks guys SOrry for the tease :twisted: but I had to find a way to get your attention!

I second the notion taht washing a bike is harder than a car, it is a LOT harder! I am going to ive her her first wet wash this weekend. Washing vehicles is like meditation for me, adn after this week, I REALLY need it! I wish I had a camera, I would take pics for all your help, I'll make a deal with you all, as soon as I come across my camera, I will take bike washing pics for all your help..... muwahahahahah, ooo I can't wait, this will be fun!

Oh my Dear Lord!

Let me know if you can't find it, I will see about getting a camera to you!

BooYah!!!

Sounds like some new desktop wallpaper to me :twisted:

:banban:

Three words............Meguire's Meguire's Meguire's............there is NO substitute. I usually wash the bike with Meguirs car wash soap, towel dry with a soft cotten towel, take a spin around the block to blow dry, give it a wipe down with Meguire's final inspection with a soft towel, touch up any scrathes with Meguire's Scratch X and give final coat of Meguire's carnuba.

I use a California car duster inbetween. :thumbup:

Hey you going to wash that bike or what Kat?


You got me jonesin for some bike wash pics!!!

Rinse bike with water.... apply Turtle Wax Car Wash/water mixture from a bucket with a car wash sponge...S-100 on the rims (not the rubber)... rinse with water...dry with non-abrasive cloth...hit plastics with Honda Spray polish...No need to get too crazy

Just a quick question i have an air compressor in my garage but i never tryed of "blowing" the bike dry...if i do so i suppose i should do it from a distance or i will be damaging the paint?

zymöl

come on Kat...where are the wash pics Damn it. is cold here :D

its farkin cold, no friggin way, you gotta wait

its farkin cold, no friggin way, you gotta waitWhat?....Afraid of a little "nip" action? :lol: :lol: :lol:

oodie doodie i can't wait to see that booty :D



:salute: it would be my duty to please dat booty :salute:

oodie doodie i can't wait to see that booty :D



:salute: it would be my duty to please dat booty :salute:

i have never seen someone that needed a girlfriend more than me.



car wash, shammy, and go ride. ill wax it ever once in a while.


you guys know that your bikes are not cleaner because you spend half a day cleaning them. it just means your slow and have too much time divoted to not riding.

I get to take my bike to work, so when we are slow, I clean the living shit out of it. I like getting overtime to play with the bike. It is a good thing.

Dirty bikes are the devil's playground.

When you really get in there and clean the bike, you become really familiar with where things are, and you are more apt to see anything that might be wrong and need attention. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard someone say "I was just cleaning my bike and I noticed that the__________is broken, worn out, etc."

True Dat Bro

city of compton!

True dat Man.

Hey- I live in Wiscompton!

Thats cool man I live in Pittcompton.
b

I wait until it rains and get a towel to dry.

A clean bike is a WELL known bike !

oodie doodie i can't wait to see that booty :D



:salute: it would be my duty to please dat booty :salute:

ha I love that movie...

I've got debt no you like it in dabutt

its farkin cold, no friggin way, you gotta waitWhat?....Afraid of a little "nip" action? :lol: :lol: :lol:

No, more like pnumonia. Hello its freezing!

wash and wax before every ride.

Everytime I get home from riding I use Meguires Quick Detailer. Its great you can spray it on anything from aluminium, paint, plastic, and in 15mins thw whole bike is clean. This really cuts down on having to wash it with water.

wash and wax before every ride.

I ride everyday at 5 am to get to work, so that just ain't happenin'

Kat use the Quick Detailer 15MINS!!!!!!!!

I actually have that stuff and it is awesome, but by the time I get home from these wet, cold dirty back texas roads, using the detailer would seriously scratch the hell out of my baby. As it stands, she gets washed whenever it gets above 50 long enough for me to get her washed. Even if its 5 minutes I gotta hose her down.

As a matter of fact, just last week I got yelled at for washing my bike and not the dishes, LOL.

wash and wax before every ride.

I ride everyday at 5 am to get to work, so that just ain't happenin'

thats what your mans for :wink:

Really... LDH why you slackin....... OH you mean my husband DOH!