How Do You Wash Your Bike?

Scelder

Lithuanian motovlogger
Jul 6, 2016
20
3
3
25
Lithuania
I ride a
Daelim Roadwin 125
Hose it down, use automobile shampoo with a sponge and wash it with water again :)
 

SmokyOwl

Hey dude, your hair is on fire.
Jul 3, 2016
48
16
8
Southern Wisconsin
I ride a
KZ1100 A2 Shaft
Soak heavy stuff with water first to loosen it up. Then soap & sponge, again if necessary. Rinse off & dry with microfiber towel. Once a month I use claybar & hand wax.

First time I washed....used the garden hose. Then it wouldn't start....so I don't do that anymore.
 

SmokyOwl

Hey dude, your hair is on fire.
Jul 3, 2016
48
16
8
Southern Wisconsin
I ride a
KZ1100 A2 Shaft
What's clay bar?

It's pretty much exactly like it sounds....it's essentially putty. You use detail finish spray where you'll be using it, and glide the clay bar over the lubricated surface. It pics up goo and debris from like bugs & tree sap from the pits of the clearcoat, essentially prepping it for a better finish of wax. If the clay bar grabs onto the surface, it's removing some gunk, and you want to keep gliding over the surface until it's slippery. I used it on my 3 year old car and the only surface that really made a difference was the roof....but on my 33 year old bike, holy crap was it filthy.

If you drop it on the ground though it instantly become useless and must be thrown away. It's used on cars quite often; I know both Meguiars and Mothers have nice little packages with the clay bar, the detail spray, and a microfiber cloth usually for around $20.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00063X7KG/?tag=yoursiteranke-21

I don't know if claybar can be used on plastic surfaces though. I found myself being much more careful when filling up with gas, as ANY leak of gasoline on the tank takes away the waxing job and leaves marks.
 
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AmpdMoto

Check Me Out on Youtube
Aug 28, 2015
166
126
43
34
I ride a
Harley Davidson VRod
Fastest way to get a clean bike:
Step 1 - Spray entire bike with can of scrubbing bubbles foaming cleaner
Step 2 - Drink a beer
Step 3 - Rinse bike off
Step 4 - Drink another beer
Step 5 - Repeat process for any missed areas

Learned this method from some old school bikers at a rally.
 

Sidewinder

Sidewinder2180
Mar 29, 2016
332
88
28
44
I ride a
2011 Honda Shadow VT750RS
I use a pressure washer, then soap and sponge it down, then I use a horse hair brush too scrub the cooling fins and everything else hard too get too, pressure wash again. Then I use an electric leaf blower and the air compressor too blow the bike off, then wipe the rest down with a towel, then Polish with a microfiber cloth. Looks like new every time lol really it looks new all the time.
 

R-Rated

Remember to Have Fun! - Solar Bear 2020 Champion
Aug 4, 2016
4,199
4,700
113
Middle Tennessee USA
www.R-RatedCustoms.com
I ride a
2014 Harley Davidson (FLHTK) Ultra Limited
Just wondering how you do it. What products are best? easier to spray it down or just get the dirt spots with a sponge?

I found Mequires has a good wash. I use a mitt and then dry it with Synthetic shammy.

I only worry about washing it when the front of the muffler gets dirty.
 
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XeonGhos7

Rookie Rider
Sep 5, 2016
28
4
8
India
xeonghos7.com
I ride a
Suzuki GSX-150F
I follow the rule of Clean-Wash-Warm-Lube

The wash takes place every weekend during the monsoon or every other weekend when it's not monsoon

I clean the chain first, then wash the bike. Dry it with a blower and let it sit for a while. Then I warm up the chain while the bike is on center stand since my bike has one. Then I lube it and baam! It's done
 

JoshAFJ

Because Motorcycle
Sep 21, 2016
394
156
43
Cincinnati, OH
I ride a
07 Kawasaki Ninja 650R
In the 3 years that I have ridden I have never washed my bike :/ I feel bad for it, but oh well.

I do plan on taking it down to a car wash bay thingy and spraying her down good soon. I have some road rash that I am going to be sanding down and painting once it gets a little colder and I'm not riding as much.
 

Redbeardsv

Wannabie Member
Sep 26, 2016
7
0
1
Portland, Oregon
I ride a
2005 sv650s
I have used sprayway foaming glass cleaner to dry wash with microfiber rags. I have never let mine get so dirty that it needed to be hosed off. My bike doesnt like water at all.
I have been a professional aircraft detailer for the last three years, and this is the same method we use to clean aircraft too. Most of the aircraft I work with get cleaned every time they fly though. We only wet wash and degrease something if it hasnt been washed in a really long time, or it sits outside mostly
 

MotoMisc

Move along, nothing to see here!
Sep 16, 2016
124
32
28
I ride a
Cbr 954, cbr f4 stuntbike, fiddy =)
When I see it rain, i ride ;)

No but seriusly, using soap, spunge and high pressure water :)
 

Cndn Ray

Wannabie Member
Sep 18, 2016
15
6
3
Berlin, Germany
I ride a
2006 Kawaski Ninja ZX10R
Ye ol bucket n sponge. I also have a scrub brush from ikea for the rims, it works wicked to get in those hard to reach spots!
Then i got a polishing head which attaches to a drill for the exhaust :D That shit's gotta shine!!!
 

DutchyDoes

Wannabie Member
Sep 18, 2016
16
3
3
46
I ride a
Honda CBR 954rr Fireblade
Honda CB550 Four
Just some hot water, a soft sponge and that's it! I do this after every ride.
Every app. 1000km I use a simple degreaser for all parts around the chain section and wheels.
I've got my bike app. 8 yrs and it still looks like a beauty queen! ;)
 
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MotoMisc

Move along, nothing to see here!
Sep 16, 2016
124
32
28
I ride a
Cbr 954, cbr f4 stuntbike, fiddy =)
Just some hot water, a soft sponge and that's it! I do this after every ride.
Every app. 1000km I use a simple degreaser for all parts around the chain section and wheels.
I've got my bike app. 8 yrs and it still looks like a beauty queen! ;)

Aww my bike would live a happy life in your hands ;D Need to start wash my more :(
 
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BlackMamba

WINNER!
May 17, 2015
714
221
43
33
Derby Eastmids UK
I ride a
Dl650 Vstrom
I wash mine twice a year on before the salt goes down one when the salt is gone. the time in between is filled with ACF50 spray to neutralize the salt.
 

Djibalz

Wannabie Member
Nov 8, 2016
22
5
3
40
Jakarta, Indonesia
I ride a
Honda CB500X
Bajaj Pulsar 220 (I bore it up to 280cc)
I use car shampoo for the painted parts (tank, side panel, windscreen, etc) and a dishwashing cream soap for othe parts (tires, swing arm, forks, exhaust etc).

I also use normal water, a sponge, and a brush for scrubbing.

It takes longer time but I am more satisfied with the result better than I use a pressurized water.
 

DFG

Dat Foreign Guy
Dec 26, 2016
57
16
8
North Carolina
I ride a
2015 Suzuki Hayabusa
I just use a bucket and sponge, only thing I do is put a plastic bag over my phone charger cable but aside from that just spray her down soap her up and rinse it off.

In between, because I have a black bike. I use the Turtle Wax Black Jet Black detailed kit.
 

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