terrible mistake

[John A]

It was awful and I suffered terribly. I washed the bike, I used S100 which I generally don't like but it works. You have to really rinse or the crap is on there forever.I was on the dryout run and lost spark. Had to push it home, 1/4 mile and its hot already this morning. I believe I had drifted from Ken Hand's teaching but I'm back in the flock now, I'll be washing if it rains on it. Ill need to waterproof my plug leads better too.

[Lannis]

S100 adverts were always very off-putting to me.

They generally used a picture of a guy cleaning his bike with soap and water, telling his friends that he wouldn't be able to go riding with them today (their bikes were ALREADY clean - THEY'D used S100!) because he had to spend the day cleaning his bike.

I thought "Do people like this really exist?   And if they do, do I want to be one of them?"

Lannis

[rocker59]

S100 adverts were always very off-putting to me.

They generally used a picture of a guy cleaning his bike with soap and water, telling his friends that he wouldn't be able to go riding with them today (their bikes were ALREADY clean - THEY'D used S100!) because he had to spend the day cleaning his bike.

I thought "Do people like this really exist?   And if they do, do I want to be one of them?"

Lannis

The kind of guy who uses S100 then hits the road, leaving his buddy behind?

[Aaron D.]

Yes actually. Especially the one with the girlfriend looking at the washer guy.

[Dilliw]

I've quit washing my bikes with water and instead started using Mequiars Ultimate Wash and Wax Anywhere.  Makes for an easier chore too.

[Matt Story]

If you must clean...

'Awesome' household cleaner works for me like S100, at 1/10 the price.  You can find it in most dollar stores.  It is a multipurpose cleaner and degreaser which is meant to be cut with water at 10:1 or more.  It's so cheap I use it full strength.  Dowse a cold bike with cleaner.  While you wait for it to emulsify your oil and grease, grab a brush and scrub the caked-on stuff.  Rinse with hot water if possible.  Repeat if you missed some. I haven't found any materials to be damaged by the cleaner.

Edit:

Reading the bottle just now, it says "Do not use concentrated on glass", "Do not use on leather".  I've never tried it on either.  Also the standard "Test in a hidden place"  It doesn't specifically mention aluminum as either something you can use it for, or as a caution.  I searched a bit and found others cautioning against its use on aluminum.  My anecdotal experience is that its OK for brief contact.  I think I'll keep it off polished aluminum from here out.

[John Ulrich]

Never apologize for a good cleaning!   

[John A]

We used to clean the exterior of corporate Citations with Fantastic Industrial. Good stuff but get the industrial. I guess Cessna figured an A&P couldn't screw up too much with it.

[Dilliw]

If you must clean...

'Awesome' household cleaner works for me like S100, at 1/10 the price.  You can find it in most dollar stores.  It is a multipurpose cleaner and degreaser which is meant to be cut with water at 10:1 or more.  It's so cheap I use it full strength.  Dowse a cold bike with cleaner.  While you wait for it to emulsify your oil and grease, grab a brush and scrub the caked-on stuff.  Rinse with hot water if possible.  Repeat if you missed some. I haven't found any materials to be damaged by the cleaner.

Edit:

Reading the bottle just now, it says "Do not use concentrated on glass", "Do not use on leather".  I've never tried it on either.  Also the standard "Test in a hidden place"  It doesn't specifically mention aluminum as either something you can use it for, or as a caution.  I searched a bit and found others cautioning against its use on aluminum.  My anecdotal experience is that its OK for brief contact.  I think I'll keep it off polished aluminum from here out.

Awesome  has 2-Butoxyethanol as an active ingredient, probably the highest concentration for the lowest $$$, and as you said it's ok for brief contact only or it will etch.  If I use it I either dilute it or rinse it thoroughly. 

Makes a great carpet and upholstery cleaner and while it's not PBA approved I use it to clean my bowling ball.

[rodekyll]

I run my plug wires through plastic tubing.  It helps.

[FGO]

Once I had some cosmetic damage on my 02 Cal SS, I quit washing it other than cleaning bits needed to service it. I also scrape the dead bees and insects out of the fins every few years.... No problems for me.  And cheap theft deterrence

[rodekyll]

I was seriously considering waxing the trike when I got back to St. Paul.  Now I'm rethinking the thought.

[Lannis]

Yes actually. Especially the one with the girlfriend looking at the washer guy.

That one was really bad.   Here's the girl on the Sportster, standing there geared up with her hand on her hip ready to go, and her testosterone-deficient boyfriend squatting on the ground with a bucket and rag is shrugging her off, telling her he can't ride because he has to spend the day cleaning his Big Twin.

The advert must work.  It tells me more about that side of the culture than I could have guessed.

Lannis

[rodekyll]

I was at mile zero of the Alcan prepping for the run north when a group of chrome bikes pulled in to the parking lot.  With no apparent conversation, the guys went into the motel to register and the girls got out the steel wool and soap and went to work on the chrome.  In another hundred miles they were going to look like mud people anyway, so it was a perfect waste of time.  Me, I got some sleep.

[Two Checks]

You know the old saying...form before function...

[rocker59]

 It tells me more about that side of the culture than I could have guessed.

Lannis

What does it tell you?

I see a company offering bikers a quicker way to wash their bikes.  Saving time on a chore like washing a bike sounds like a good plan to me.

I'm not sure I'm understanding your outrage at a product telling the world it will save them time on a dreary task...

[rodekyll]

I think it's more amusement than outrage.

[Chuck in Indiana]

If you're going to use S100, and I do..  don't let it sit on anything and spray liberally with water to get every last drop of S100 off. If you don't, you'll have rusty and corroded stuff. Don't ask me how I know.

[malik]

If you don't wash your bike every now & again, how are you going to find that odd loose nut or bolt, or keep an eye of the deteriorating Italian chrome on your rims? I use truck wash CT18, but thoroughly clean then oil the fork tubes afterwards, & toss some ACF15 on the alloy bits.
Mal - 30,000km into the trip around Oz & have washed the bike twice. The first wash found a disappeared screw from the number plate assembly.

[JJ]

If you're going to use S100, and I do..  don't let it sit on anything and spray liberally with water to get every last drop of S100 off. If you don't, you'll have rusty and corroded stuff. Don't ask me how I know.

Agree with Chuck about S100.  Lately however, I have opted for a bucket of warm water and good rag.   Towel dry when finished.  Simple, quick, and easy!

"A clean bike always seems to run better than a dirty bike!"

[Lannis]

What does it tell you?

I see a company offering bikers a quicker way to wash their bikes.  Saving time on a chore like washing a bike sounds like a good plan to me.

I'm not sure I'm understanding your outrage at a product telling the world it will save them time on a dreary task...

Outrage?  Hardly that ....

[kirkemon]

I switched from S100 to Griot's Spray-on Car Wash
and I hit the heavy places with Simple Green Motorsports:
http://simplegreen.com/products/extreme-motorsports-cleaner-degreaser/

[Nic in Western NYS]

Honda Spray Wax and a soft rag.  Diluted Simple Green on the rims, otherwise no water. 

[Arizona Wayne]

I got spoiled by working at an Air Force Base where we steam cleaned w/soap our equipment when we overhauled it.  Far as I'm concerned that's the only way to go.  Now hardly ever wash my bikes/scooters.  Been around Tex too much.  Here in Aridzona we don't have many bugs or stuff in the air so it's not hard to fugetabout. 

[John A]

I wash occasionally to keep the corrosion down and find stuff that has fallen off or is about to, like Malik has pointed out. I've noticed that if I take a piece of equipment to someone for service, I get a better job if it's clean. If I wad something up that has full coverage insurance, it seems I get a better settlement if it was clean prior to the wreck. That may not be true but it seems that way. I found why I lost spark, one of the leads was broken at the coil end. They are good wires, stainless, that came from the Funny Car before we went to 44 amp mags like the fuel cars run. One broke from a ham fisted mechanic. I didn't take pictures so it didn't happen.

[Chuck in Indiana]

 

I wash occasionally to keep the corrosion down and find stuff that has fallen off or is about to, like Malik has pointed out.

this

[old as dirt 2]

stop using towels to dry your bikes. its a wast of time and you can never get all those hidden spots.

Use a leaf blower, works great and pushes water out of areas you can't even see.

Great on cars as well.

[sbaker]

I just go to the do-it-yourself car wash... Spray, foam, brush, rinse.... clean!!!!

[blackcat]

I use a decent dish soap detergent like Dawn and some Simple Green. My bikes are usually clean as I like them that way.

[jreagan]

stop using towels to dry your bikes. its a wast of time and you can never get all those hidden spots.

Use a leaf blower, works great and pushes water out of areas you can't even see.

Great on cars as well.

Don't you mean pushes water INTO areas you can't even see?