Washing the bike

[Maverick]

Got home last night and for the 1st time in weeks could still feel my hands when I got off the bike decided to give it a quick clean and washdown.

Man what difference a bit of shampoo and engine degreaser makes. I did not know the swingarm was silver, though mine was the special edition in black. Just hope I did not jet wash any of the important rust connectors that holds the whole bike together to pieces.(I read that over and over again and its a confusing sentence)

So how often do you wash your bike....?

[wheeliebin]

Wash Bike ? no, sorry don't understand :dontknow:

[landyandy]

Err ... it had a wash in October, then another at the weekend.

[YEN_POWELL]

Before every MOT whether it needs it or not.

[Northy]

When ever it gets a bit too dirty in spring. summer, autumn (weekly -depends ?)
Generally if the bikes wet when I get home ,its get a quick wash (cold water splash ).If dry I wait till the friday/weekend
In winter, if its salty I will give it a quick jet wash it off every night but just once week but nothing major. Just the worst of the grime and then another coating of WD40 / or waste oil. Come spring gets a good gunk/wash/polish.

Has any one used Muc -off or pro clean stuff ...is it any good.

What do use from under the kitchen sink ?

Northy

[Rolo]

God if I wash the bike the missus will want me to start washing, do the washing up, washing machines etc. Where will it end.!!!!!!!! brushteeth :pottytrain5: :thefinger: :toothy2: :tongue9:

[Muckybill]

Don't use fairy liquid its got salt in it.

[africatijn]

it is washed while driving in the rain isn't it?

:geek:

[iswoolley]

Don't use fairy liquid its got salt in it.
That's lucky, the roads around here have salt on them as well! :drunken:

[jabba]

My dog once raised his leg on mine does that count? :thumbup:

[jvaughan]

I wash mine after each time I use it. I usually go out for 2 - 3 hours at a time, so then its nice and hot, and usually greasy / salty / dirty.
always wash, wax , polish the alloy.
Then, when the engine and exhaust is still warm / hot, I give it a good spray with WD40 to coat all the electrical bits and cover the block with a film of oil. My Garage is dry and can get quite warm, so it helps.

I am a little anal when it come to cleaning my cars / bikes

[landyandy]

Hmm ... the old WD-40 trick, eh? I was under the impression that WD-40 contains additives that makes it evaporate? Or, has it done what you've required from it by the time it does?

[johnadams]

I wash mine when it gets muddy. I dont use power wash because I have seen damage to wheel bearings etc. Just use hose pipe and then bucket of car shampoo and lots of different sized brushes, follow up with ProClean which is very good, then coat it with GT85, better than WD40. This practice has developed from 30 years of cleaning off road bikes and often takes longer than the event itself. By touching every bit of the bike as you clean it you find which bits are about to/already have fallen off.

[jvaughan]

Hmm ... the old WD-40 trick, eh? I was under the impression that WD-40 contains additives that makes it evaporate? Or, has it done what you've required from it by the time it does?

yes it evapourates, but it does leave a film, gets rid of the moisture in electrical connectors, and smells nice ;)

[Northy]

John wrote , follow up with ProClean which is very good

How does its compare with Muc off or any of the special "wonder" cleaners.
I was thinking of getting some but there's some other stuff on Ebay at present much cheaper than proclean. Suppose I need to get some see what its like.

I've got off road bikes as well and tend just to power wash them (avoiding wheel bearing bits etc) as its only mud.


Northy

[paultheold]

Never wash it in the summer, spent all winter getting wet, so why make it wet in the dry season, remember if your bike is shiny in the summer, you might get mistaken for a summer rider.

Bikes are like undies never washed until they smell. :flower: :drunken:

[jvaughan]

Bikes are like undies never washed until they smell. :flower: :drunken:

ahh the smell of stale Wee .... Must be close to Bournemouth then :geek:

[Northy]

Sorry to drag up an old thread (better than starting a new one !)
Well I put my hand in my pocket and splashed out £4.50 for 1litre of proclean. This is normally used for dirt bikes.
My 11 year old @ was looking a grubby as just hadn't got around to cleaning it for a while.
To cut long story short it works ! :cheers: like gunk but it cleans muddy dirt , muck and brake dust and its makes cleaning very quick too.
Its does leave a flim on some bits but it may be due to fact I didn't wash it off properly. I wouldn't use it every time, its strips grease off the chain ! but does get into the pokey little places.
The result plus bit of a polish....
http://www.xrv.org.uk/getimage.php?id=489
http://www.xrv.org.uk/getimage.php?id=490



Northy

PS No finger prints on my fingers ,polished them off years ago

[iswoolley]

...To cut long story short it works!...
http://www.xrv.org.uk/getimage.php?id=489
Mmmm, shiney bashplate! :shock:

[Northy]

Have a look at the clutch cover as well !

(Still can't get the hang of uploading decent pictures)

Like I said I've no worn away my finger prints years of polishing bikes. Don't use drills just elbow grease.

Northy

[Phoenix]

Hi Northy its looking well
but a quick question whats the can I see attached where a big lumpy honda one should be!!!!
Phoenix

[Northy]

Its a micron end can plus connecting pipe ...tad noisy but I made up a insert to stop getting too much attention. Its as light as a feather compared to the original lump, suffers a bit during the winter (ally) but polishs up OK.
Purchased via Ebay from African swede :wink: from this forum

Northy

[Pussyhorse]

The last time I cleaned it was when I was replacing the damaged front end. I had to. Every time I went near the thing I ended up covered in ****e.

Last time before that was when the insurance assessor was coming round for a shoofty at it.

[jabba]

cleaned it gents first time since I have owned it used a power washer for wheel rims swingarm then moved on to wd40 as a degreasent with a scouring sponge.
Trying to decide whether or not to polish the alloy sump gaurd or spray it black looks good polished look good black sigh.

[paultheold]

Polished my sump guard last year when the bike was in bits, still in the loft in a plastic bag waiting to be refitted. :oops:

[xrv_jim]

http://www.xrv.org.uk/getimage.php?id=489


Coo, same as mine...'cept a lot shinier! Is that a powerbronze screen Northy?

[Ralphie]

All
I used a power washer on the wheels, swing arm, and under the guards/plastics etc to get most of the crap off. From reading this thread do you use WD40 - is that the houshold oil spray stuff, to ease the greasy gunk off the bike? What do you do, just spray it over the greasy bits and then rub it all off? I want my bike to be extra shiny the next time I stall it trying to impress the missus!
Chucky

[jabba]

Yep you can buy it anywhere its an anti sieze spray for threads or you can use it to get rid of moisture on damp electrics engines etc.
I use it as a degreaser its ace on wheels just spray it on and wipe off the crud.
The local power washer would not touch my wheels. Sprayed wd40 on it and the crap wiped straight off with a rag came up nice and shiny too.I also give all my switches locks includeing ignition wireing harness connections a weekly blast in the winter.
Or use it to clean off any extra oily sludge off my chain thats a messy job though.

[Northy]

XRVJim,
Re the screen, I dunno what make it is came with the bike , its German import ( the bike ) and there no marking on it

12 inch,
Give Proclean a try. I used wash my bike starting with Gunk for the oil / wd40 then hot soapy water for the mud/ dirty stuff . Then wipe down and quick polish if needed (I cleaning nut - years ago I used to win concurs for my bikes at rallies !).
With Proclean I just spray it on, have cup of tea , power wash it off as it remove both dirty mud and the grease based dirt. Saves lot of time , I'm not poking around with toothbursh and bashing knuckles etc .
I even used it on the alloy wheels of my car get rid of brake dust .


Northy

[jabba]

sounds good will do

[wheeliebin]

I've washed my bike :shock:

I've also caught your sick obession, 3 hours with the Autosol !

You know who you are !

(it's raining and I don't want to get the bike dirty................HELP)

[landyandy]

That's a coincidence .. I washed mine last night, and took off the engine bar too ( it was a tad lop-sided after its last trip along the road).

Have to say that, even though it's not been cleaned since November, it came up a treat, and I swear that it's now much faster too.