Spring Cleaning....

This may sound like a dumb noobie question, but any tips on cleaning up the bike?

Any/all advice will be welcome and appreciated!

Thanks!

 

Wash, wax, ride.
I'm spoiled, mommy let me get a pressure washer when we bought her car back in 01. What a toy!
Cleans everything in seconds. Just gotta watch the electrical stuff.

 

Pressure washer? Seriously?!?! I thought a pressure washer would kill the bike. I'm guessing that you don't use it on high?

I read somewhere that to remove baked on plastic from exhaust pipes (like from shoes) you can use a nickel because it's softer than the metal on the exhaust so it won't scratch...

I'd like to find the guy that posted that on the internet and kick him in the junk! Don't ask me why I know that doesn't work!

 

I have a 2500 PSI pressure washer and I go to town. Don't want to use the tight pattern on paint though, or get too close with the fan - you can blast the paint off. Great for getting the heavy dirt (read oil encrusted dirt from leaky rocker cover and oil pan drain bolt) off.

 

I do something you might like to try. Makes vehicle and bike washing a cinch.

I use a Miracle-Gro Hose Connection Siphon.

The Brass In-line siphon, draws-up concentrate and mixes with the Garden Hose water at a rate of 16:1 ... So, whatever you draw-up into the Hose Water needs to be a concentrate to be mixed right with Hose water.

I use DAWN Dish Washing Detergent cut 50:50 for the concentrate. When you are "Wetting-down" the bike, all-over, while doing the wash ... you're spraying-on DAWN Suds. The strong stream you are spraying is filled with Scrubbing-Bubbles.

All the greasy spots just get cleaned-up without a lot of Elbow Grease needed to get the job done.

 

I do it with the bike running. I wash at one of those coin pay booths and I want to make sure I can get home so I keep the bike running.

It's nice for the engine degreaser and power rinse.

 

I really like the Miracle-Gro with Dawn's scrubbing bubbles idea! That makes complete sense to me...

Of course, it's a shameless plug for Miracle-Gro, Dawn dishwashing liquid, and a freudian plug for SC Johnson bathroom cleaner (the "real" Scrubbing Bubbles!)

I may have to give that a try. That sounds too good to be true.

Thanks!

 

Man I've been wanting to buy a pressure washer for so long, I can buy them at cost, I just have no room. Anyway, when washing with high pressure you also don't want to consentrate hard spray at your wheel hubs or steering bearing area, you can get a water mix in your wheel bearings and it can cause them to fail.
To clean a really filthy under and front engine area brake parts cleaner takes all oils , road and gas deposits right off.

 

Amen brother, keep the stream away from bearings! Oh yeah, did I mention electrical connections? I did? Oh, I'm having a moment. High pressure wand with an adjustable tip is the E-ticket.

 

I have an idea that will make us both happy. You buy the pressure washer at cost, send it to me, and I'll store it for you. I have LOTS of room!

 

engine degreaser, pressure washer, I like the dawn Idea, Some never dull to shine up the chrome, some good meguires was, and you should be all set, and A good saturday of drinking beer while you clean.

But You do a good cleaning in the spring the rest of the summer is quick wash and goes.