How often do you wash your bike

[oldbike54]

 Just curious . With apologies to Jeff , the old girl got a bath this morning , some degreaser , soap , even a toothbrush was employed . Not gonna claim the Jackal is spotless , but at least now the chrome is somewhat shiny and the engine sorta looks , well , at least not greasy  Come on fellas , fess up , are you a freak for clean , kinda care , or time spent cleaning could be spent riding or chasing momma around the house 
 
  Dusty

[jackson]

Somewhere between every 4-8 weeks, depending on whether I rode on wet roads.  I won't intentionally ride in the rain but occasionally encounter roads in the mountains near my home where there's been a recent rain shower.  If the wheels get very dirty (I have chrome wires and they don't usually get very dirty), I wash the entire bike but if the wheels aren't very dirty, I just spray some water (from a spray bottle) on the painted surfaces and then dry off with a microfiber towel: Then, I spray on some Griot's Garage Speed Shine and wipe with a clean microfiber towel or 100% cotton t-shirt or cloth.  I have a black bike and surprisingly, it looks really clean 99% of the time (despite the lack of attention).

[ITSec]

It gets washed every time it rains...

Oh, wait - I live in Las Vegas now. OK, to be honest, it gets washed every 8-10 weeks or so, or if I go on a longer ride where there are bugs and road grime. Not very often, really.

[Arizona Wayne]

Well, since I don't often ride in rain and even then they don't get that dirty, not very often.     Still, they get compliments.    There are riders and then there are poseurs.   

[Arizona Wayne]

  I have a black bike and surprisingly, it looks really clean 99% of the time (despite the lack of attention).
[/quote]



I have found the same thing.  Most think a black bike is the kiss of death for cleanliness but I find it just the opposite. 

[BMWDavid]

I wipe down the front areas of the bike and gas tank after every ride. We have lots of bugs in rural Indiana. I use a wet cloth and then dry with another towel. I then use a Swiffer on the wheels...does a pretty good job. Maybe once/twice a season I'll do an actual wet wash using S100 Total Cycle Wash.

I never ride in the rain.

[cloudbase]

Two or three times a year, generally done by some high school group that's having a car wash to raise funds for their activity.

[lucydad]

Dusty,

Pix or it didn't happen. 

I clean off dead bugs every ride, like today, especially with the heat.  Bug guts and heat = ruined finishes.  We get lots of rain and so I get the grime washed off fairly frequently. Pretty bikes please the eye. 

[guzzisteve]

V700-never since 1990, cleaned the rims w/greasing wheel bearings, cleaned out bell housing w/fixing oil leak
Cali2-2yrs ago for sidecar rally
98EV- 3yrs ago w/I put touring fairing on.

"If the bike is too shiny & the clothes are too new, stay the f&%k away!"

[Kev m]

You don't really have a selection for me.

To be honest, I DO LIKE THEM TO LOOK GOOD.

But I'm also a lazy bastard.

Generally speaking they get "WASHED" 2x per year - once in the Spring, once in the Fall.

But IF I get caught in the rain and it's an awful mess, I may make an exception and wash one again mid-season.

AND I confess, I do clean the paint with pledge every now and again mid season.

AND I plexus the windshields/headlights/turn signals etc.

AND I have been known to hit the frame, or parts of the motor or the like with a pledge soaked rag from time to time, or brakekleen chrome, or something else to clean something that's messy.

But mostly, just twice a year.

[sib]

I have to admit that I did wash my '13 Stone once, after the oil filler/dipstick unscrewed itself and spewed about 1L of oil all over the rear 2/3 of the bike.  Other than on that occasion, my bikes get washed only before I take pics to post on my Craigslist for sale ads.

A thick layer of bug carcasses plastered over the front parts does give a bike a certain credibility.

In contrast to the above, I keep my helmet visor scrupulously clean.  Go figure.

[Doug McLaren]

Usually once a week, especially during the winter months when the roads are covered in salt. Maybe less so during finer summer weather when there has been little rain.

"Washing" takes the form of one bucket of hot soapy water liberally applied by sponge then a couple of buckets of cold, clean water expertly aimed to rinse the suds off.

[Vince in Milwaukee]

When I was younger it was once a week or once every 2 weeks, and that included the BMW.  Now, I'm happy to do it once a month.  I also like to do a serious detail a bit after the season starts and get another in before I put them away.  I have a soft haired paint brush that I use to get between the Guzzi's fins.  I'm a fan of Turtle Wax and apply and take off by hand.  The mags also get the tooth brush treatment.  When I have the time, and am properly motivated, I really make them shine. 

[charlie b]

Well, I do wash the dirt off every now and then.  But, that's the reason I painted it flat black.  No reason to shine it up.  If the paint gets ugly I get out a spray bomb and paint over the bare spot.  Right now the crash bars look like sh*t.  They started out chrome and I didn't scuff up the shiny bits well enough before I sprayed them.  So, rock pits, bug parts, scuffs from me when working on the bike (they make good hand holds and tie downs for a number of things).

And, I can see some of the original red paint peeking through the paint on the front forks.

Maybe it's time to take it apart and paint it again......nope, I'd rather go out and ride it.

I guess that's my problem.  If it is nice enough out to wash it, it's nice enough out to ride it.  Easy choice  :)

[RinkRat II]

 I must concur, a black bike really does look cleaner most of the time. It's Meguiars  quick detailer for me about once a week depending which bike I ride.

 And yes Dusty, I voted

   Paul B

[Lannis]

 To me, washing and toothbrushing a bike is a Sisyphean labor that has no end.   My driveway is compacted gravel a mile long - if I labor on my bike cleaning all the dirt off and it's shiny and beautiful, by the time I ride out to the end of my driveway to show the world what a lovely bike I have, it's covered with dust (or splattered with mud, if it's raining).

It's just not worth it to me.    I'll go over the moving bits that need lubing, and the plastic and clear bits with a spray can of Honda spray cleaner to keep the paint from corroding off from bug guts, but that's just so it'll stay in one piece ....

Lannis

[Green1]

Its a Stelvio,when it changes colour I hose it down,i am way better at keeping the windshield clean

[tazio]

All bikes previous to Stelvio, OFTEN.

The Stelvio?
....The Twelfth of Never.
Why? I don't know. Maybe flat colors, maybe it looks "worldly" dirty,
but probably to keep the electrical components healthy

I will tell that on my last charity ride (all H-D's and our guzzi), my wife was asked point blank "Why don't you wash that thing?"
Good question...mmmmm??

[Scud]

Guzzis get washed on an as-needed basis - so I picked the closest option. From a practical perspective, this translates to after any rain or bug-infested ride. But my washes are mostly "spot-washes." I just clean the dirtiest spots. I rarely do a full detail. I am more likely to do a thorough cleaning prior to any maintenance or repair. I like working in a clean environment - and not worrying about dirt falling into holes.

Husqvarna gets washed after almost every ride. But it gets DIRTY!!!

[Bobolink]

Riding in the rain is the closest I get to washing my bike. I do, however, clean specific areas when I need to work on it.

[beetle]

Sometimes the bug guts gets a wipe. It hasn't seen a hose for more than 12 months. I used to wipe it down after every ride and wash it once a week. Then I dropped it. Now I can't be arsed.

[roofus]

You don't really have a selection for me.

To be honest, I DO LIKE THEM TO LOOK GOOD.

But I'm also a lazy bastard.

Generally speaking they get "WASHED" 2x per year - once in the Spring, once in the Fall.

But IF I get caught in the rain and it's an awful mess, I may make an exception and wash one again mid-season.

AND I confess, I do clean the paint with pledge every now and again mid season.

AND I plexus the windshields/headlights/turn signals etc.

AND I have been known to hit the frame, or parts of the motor or the like with a pledge soaked rag from time to time, or brakekleen chrome, or something else to clean something that's messy.

But mostly, just twice a year.

That pretty much sums up my situation!

[BigDave in PA]

AND I confess, I do clean the paint with pledge every now and again mid season.

I use pledge too. My neighbor has a different brand so I recommended that he use LEMON pledge.   

[normzone]

My wife has instructed me that she prefers me to ride the bike over cleaning it.

[Jose Mendez]

Wash... Twice a year. otherwise I just wipe my EV down.

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

i usually wash before I ride, never after, I will hit the coin-op on the way out of town.. Just blast off the tins, fairing, and wheels/tires..

I'll wash almost every time after I've gotten caught in the rain on my previous ride

If I haven't got caught in the rain or coming home in the dark by the river (holy bugs!), then I generally wash it when it looks dirty?? maybe every 8-10 rides or something like that?

I don't have a hose at my house, so most of my washes are buckets & towels with a pump sprayer.  It's more of a euro-style detail job instead of normal American Gunga Din inspired affair

One thing I am fanatical about is helmet cleanliness... I cannot stand a dirty helmet.  The Shoei gets a full Pledge massage and buffing before every ride.

[ratguzzi]

my bikes generally get washed when I ride in the rain.......
JB

[rodekyll]

The dirt is what holds the paint on




gratuitous glamour shot

[LongRanger]

After every extended ride. If I just out for a few hours, then no.

[jackson]

The dirt is what holds the paint on




gratuitous glamour shot

Is that an automobile tire on the rear?