How Do You Wash Your Bike?

Discussion in 'General VFR Discussions' started by Big_Jim59, Apr 22, 2014.

  1. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    I know this sounds like a really elementary if not stupid question but how do you go about washing your VFR? Do you have a process? Do you use the pressure washer at the car wash or do you wipe it down with a rag? Do you pull the plastics? If you use the pressure washer are there places you avoid?

    In all my years of owning bikes I have either ridden shitty looking bikes, where washing them was a waist of time or I lived in less than ideal conditions (mud road) where washing a bike was a waist of time or in the case of my BMW, there was so little of it to get dirty that, a quick blast at the car wash was all that was needed. I am really at a loss here as to the best way to keep my VFR clean and pretty.

    I got back from my South Texas trip and there were oily grease smudges on the paint, road dirt on everything and the instrument panel was very dusty and grimy. I really want to take a stab and a better looking bike.
     
  2. ridervfr

    ridervfr Member

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    like to get the bug guts off with a hot paper towel from my shop sink. Use a micro fibre towel on wind screen with plexus (shameless plug.) stopped using pledge on my stuff (thanks to BB) I use a water bottle on mist and clean the area then use Meguires carnuba. Do wheels wtih a rag and either WD-40 or even pledge (has its uses.) If I get caught in a nasty rain and the bike looks like shite, I will take a garden hose and a toilet bowl brush to it limiting it to where the swing arm is and under tail etc. Like to wipe the pipes as they get heated with road grime tend to get baked oot. Sure I am missing some stuff here, the bug thing is the main deal though, and your fork legs, get them dead bugs off or your gona be in for new fork seals. :thumbsup:
     
  3. mofo

    mofo New Member

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    I've owned my bike for almost three years and have washed it as many times. I do clean bird shit as soon as I can, but in reality, this color -asphalt black- makes no big difference if the bike is washed.
    Have used a rag soaked in warm water and simple green car wash soap in all my other bikes. It works well for road crap and bug carcasses. Clay bar and wax makes wonders on a shiny paint.
     
  4. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    The yellow seems to cry out for some cleaning. I did wipe down the wheels with a little diluted Simple Green and I noticed how chipped and beat up the finish is, like years of tire changes have taken their toll. Maybe I'll try a cleaning wax type product on the actual finish. This "giving a shit what my stuff looks like" is all new to me.
     
  5. mofo

    mofo New Member

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    If you have a car wash supply store -as opposed to an auto parts store- try getting a cleaner wax there. I used to use Meguiars with excellent results, forgot the number that is formulated for light colors, but I'm sure they'll steer you in the right direction. As you may already know, use a microfiber cloth instead of cotton.
    Let me know if you need help getting rid of swirl marks.
     
  6. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    I wash mine same way as my truck with automotive soap and a microfiber mitt. I have used high pressure hoses, (very carefully around the chain), but it doesn't really clean that well. When this jug of automotive soap runs out, I am going to go back to using dish washing liquid. Used that for many years and it was good as anything and a lot cheaper. Rinses well too. If it is good enough to remove greasy cooking stuff and soften you hands at the same time, its good enough for your bike too Madge.

    I am very fond of Meguiars products as well.

    After the wash, and for pre waxing use their Professional Fine-cut cleaner #2. It works great for removing that baked on shit that your washing did not, any oxidation and other greases and grime really well. It also removes any swirl marks and minor scratches. You know it is really good stuff when you can polish your black vehicle and remove all the swirls easily.

    Meguiars also has a Cleaner Wax #6 that works fairly good. But two in one products I tend to shy away from.

    Now their wax, Meguiars Hi-Tech Yellow wax is a carnauba type wax #26 is fabulous. Gives the paint a very high gloss shine and super easy to apply after using the #2 cleaner. Very tough and long lasting. Wipe on and wipe off with light buff. I recall many years ago on my black Jimmy, I hadn't quite cleaned it enough with the cleaner on a certain spot and waxed over that area with the #26. I thought, no problem, just polish that wax off and do it over again. Well that wax took some polishing to get through it to the painted surface below.

    Up under the fenders I don't get excited about. Life is too short for that. When I was working, I rode on some pretty nasty shit so was washing this damned thing about once a week for close to 6 years.

    I just pulled my wheels off and did this to the surface hoping that the brake dust would clean off those white wheels easier after applying cleaner and good wax like someone here said. That was a fuggen chore, especially the front wheel cause the rotors had to be removed and re-installed.
     
  7. Lint

    Lint Member

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    I wash with automotive wash, I follow up with S100 on wheels and engine parts. I use a two step process to remove swirls and the I use Klasse http://www.autogeek.net/klasse.html?gclid=CNuQ9Lz69b0CFcaCfgod45wArA and I top that with a high quality carnauba whicxh does wonders for the depth of the paint. Even a light color can gain depth and it makes a big difference. I have heard and seen amazing results with this: http://www.3dproducts.com/detailing...chemicals/hd-speed-all-in-one-polish-sealant/

    Here is a link to my bike. It is not a trailer queen. I commute, ride weekends and just ride to ride. http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/gallery/member/25798-lint/

    VFR.jpg

    Let me know if you have questions. S100 is good for degriming your bike. Microfiber is your new best friend. Paper towels are very abrasive. Dish soap can hurt the paint over time. Even cotton towels are abrasive. I use a leaf blower to get the bulk of the water off of the bike, works really well in all the nooks and crannies.
     
  8. DaHose

    DaHose New Member

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    Automotive wash liquid, microfiber mitt and elbow grease.

    Although I have a deionized resin filter system that means no drying. I just attach the filter, do the final rinse and walk away.

    Jose
     
  9. Pliskin

    Pliskin New Member

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    I use to detail cars, but that was some time ago. Technology has certainly come a long way. But just a few general comments.

    Power washing - I'd avoid at all costs, unless you were strictly using it on the wheels/chain. Obviously, you'll need a good lube on your chain if you've just power washed it. I never use a power washer except in the winter to remove the salt on the undercarriage of my cars/truck.

    Prep - Keeping the surface wet that you are washing is the key. Soak the bike well before you even put a sponge to it. Keep it wet, and don't wash it in direct sunlight.

    Dish Detergent - great to use if you want to really strip it down and remove lots of grime, but it will also remove wax. If you plan on waxing the bike, then fine. If not, I would not recommend.

    Plenty of quality car wash detergents out there.

    Drying with a clean, soft microfiber towel works. I never use towels that have been through the wash/dryer with fabric softener or "bounce" sheets. Those products are oily, for lack of a better term.

    Check out a "clay bar" kit. Less than $20. After you wash, mist your fairings, headlights, etc, and wipe that clay bar back and forth (follow the simple directions). You'll be amazed at the amount of fine particles the clay bar picked up that did not come free in the wash.

    Pledge - Fuck Pledge.

    Wax - Plenty of choices. Mothers and Meguiars are good stuff, IMO. I usually use a Meguiars Gold Class carnuba, followed by an application of their "Ultimate Quick Detailer".

    Using quality products will keep bug guts and such from really sticking. After the first quality wash/wax, its easier to maintain the bike after that.
     
  10. Arnzinator

    Arnzinator New Member

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    For cleaning hard to reach places (wheels, engine bay, etc..) I use paint brushes. They come in a variety of shapes & sizes, can be found anywhere and are cheap. Use with cleaner/ degreaser of your choice for hard to reach places w/o the need for using high pressure water. If the brush has a metal ferrule, wrapped that in duct or masking tape to prevent any scratching. A good quality brush will last damn near forever.

    Great for working around brake rotors.
     
  11. PawnBoy

    PawnBoy New Member

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    I use hot soapy water in a bucket(dish detergent) and a few clean soft rags (usually ex t-shirts). I usually make a couple passes over the bike. A quick rinse with the hose to get everything wet and start the bugs soaking, then a quick application of soap to everything and removal of the easy dust and dirt. Then another final soapy pass, starting at the top with the dash, windscreen and mirrors, scrubbing the stubborn bugs and making an effort to get into the nooks and seams, finishing with the greasy and gritty wheels/swingarm/chain area. Then a final rinse and dry with a clean towel rag.
     
  12. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Pressure washers can be really handy to wash a bike. All sorts of tips (final orifices) , sizes and output. There are some bigass pressure washers that are the size of a VW Bug that are used to strip eooxy off steel boat hulls. An airless paint spray rig can also be used. There's a physics thing called "the inverse square law" used to determine the "strength of light" at various distances. Same thing holds true with a pressure washer. Bottom line is back off. The velocity of the water at 6" is greater than at 6'.

    For the asphalt crud that gets tossed up on the fairing in the front of the bike and the frame and header ect on the rear of the bike. I use GUNK. I mix my own from the concentrate at 10:1 with #2 Diesel.

    For the heavy stuff, Wallys and Costco have gallon jugs of a concentrate that is essentially the same thing as the spray bottles of stuff that you pay 3-4 pesos for in the supermarkets only the stuff from
    Wallys or Costco will make when diluted aboot 15 gallons.

    Strupping wax.. Just like Snakeman sez..

    For cotton rags which is what were really good before micorfibre was available were diapers from one of the laundry services. Soft like a baby's buns..

    For my own bikes for areas like the dash panel, bars wheels ect. I use an old worn high quality 4" flagtip paintbrush.

    A good drill is put the (if ya got one) up on the centerstand then adjust the chain. Wash the bike as needed and then fire the bike up and shift it into first and let the water spin off the back wheel whilst drying the rest of the bike. iMO chain lube does not have to be applied to the side of a chain. With the bike still running and in gear a couple of shots of chain lube direct on the contact points of the rears sprocket and the chain is sufficient.

    This does not apply to Son of Woof who will likely drop his bike again and never see his Wahine with the big tits again.

    The polymer waxes are good too. Two coats are best. The chem is sort of like waterbourne housepaints or clearcoats. The polymer chains take time to link or cure. Get rid of all the old wax, The factory paint on cars and bikes in the last 20 years is tough stuff. Apply the polymer "wax", buff it off and wait a day. then apply a second coat. Good to go..
     
  13. Gator

    Gator Insider

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    I have not washed any of my bikes with water in many years. I just use Honda polish and everything stays clean and nothing sticks except love bug guts which come off easily with a little spray of the polish and a soft cloth. The dirt bike does get the pressure washer while being very careful of chain and fork seals and not spraying up close. I use a block off for the intake and a plug in the can.
     
  14. ricky

    ricky New Member

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    Ride it in the rain. I do clean the bugs off the front occasionally.
     
  15. kj4eoz

    kj4eoz New Member

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    Wash my bikes like my cars . However I wash my bikes after every ride . EVERY . That's why my 1992 XJ600 still looks new . But my VFR I wash it after every ride and wax once a week during riding season. I use car wash soap . Dry it with a shammy then wax
     
  16. Big_Jim59

    Big_Jim59 Member

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    This has been my philosophy for a long time. I was thinking that since I ride the VFR more and the Norton less I do more riding and less wrenching so it stands to reason that I might start doing a bit of cosmetic "polishing" since I now have the time. I have thoroughly read all your posts and thank you for the advice. Like I said this is all new territory for me.

    It's funny, my dad was big into cars and had nice cars but I never remember him washing or waxing them or teaching me anything about automotive cosmetic care.
     
  17. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

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    Years ago I used to take my '83 to the quarter car wash, (power spray) until I tried to get the rear axel out one day. When it finally came out is was caked with soap, NO MORE POWER WASHES since. Simple green, an old paint brush and a gentle rinse for the greasy parts.
     
  18. digitallyhip

    digitallyhip New Member

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    Wash?

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  19. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

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    This has turned into a great thread! As a pedantic car and bike washer I am very taken with the idea of using a paint brush for fine cleaning and a leaf blower for the dry-off. I've stuck with a diluted car washing solution and brush after a thorough hosing and then a good hose off after. Then dry with a chamois, follow up with Turtle Wax for paint and Armor All for black plastics and rubber (not the tyres for obvious reasons!).


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  20. duccmann

    duccmann Member

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    Wash with dish soap, if there's any bug splats on the screen I get a towel run it under hot water and lay it on the screen for 5 minutes. Never power wash and when it comes time to rinse off soap or just wet her down, always do it with a wide spray and fast never stop moving hose side to side. Greese on the swing arm or wheels WD-40 0n a rag. When it comes to any tar or greese on paint....lighter fluide....evaporates 1-2 seconds
     
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