Bike cleaning survey

[rtbickel]

I do request a throw away from housekeeping

[Darren Williams]

And by that I hope you mean:

"... a hot wet hotel towel (a worn out one given to you for bike cleaning by the desk) on the windshield for the bug guts .... "

Otherwise it will soon be 1968 again in hotel/motel attitude toward motorcyclists!   

Lannis

I carry my own towel for wiping down the bike.

[oldbike54]

 Keeping a motorbike covered in Yak Fat keeps corrosion to a minimum , although all of the neighborhood dogs will start hanging around ...

 Dusty

[guzzisteve]

My brother uses LPS spray in the fall, covers the whole bike. Rides in the salt during winter & cleans it off in the spring.

[John A]

not sure about that one, but you might try Simple Green?
https://simplegreen.com/products/all-purpose-cleaner/

simple green is corrosive to aluminum. A better choice is Industrial or Heavy duty Fantastic which is not corrosive to aluminum

[Lannis]

I do request a throw away from housekeeping

Well, I thought that was probably true but ... well ....

I've found more and more places actually offering me one even if I don't ask.   And the ones I ask always give me one.    Something that places didn't used to do years ago, like letting you park your bike under the front portico ...

Lannis

[yogidozer]

simple green is corrosive to aluminum. A better choice is Industrial or Heavy duty Fantastic which is not corrosive to aluminum

I did not know that

[Kristian]

Fanatic? You are. Cleaning a bike is the best way to get it to not work.

Nonsense. Ask any professional racing crewchief, aircraft maintenance manager, military mechanic of all types, or even your wives, whether cleanliness is next to Godliness.

It is. Thorough cleaning is paramount to catching issues before they become problems. As bonuses, it maintains your stuff in top condition for later, much easier, resale or trade-in. When I see filthy, poorly maintained bikes/cars for sale in the majority of ads, it never surprises me they don't sell.

I grew up with an engineer father (auto engineering) and uncle (thermodynamics); and mechanical cleanliness was instilled in me from the time I could help wash cars every week, around age 7 forward--even during the winters in Denmark. You can pretty much always eat off any part of any car or motorcycle I own; I always reap the benefits of admiring glances and immediate resale at top dollar.

[Ncdan]

Nonsense. Ask any professional racing crewchief, aircraft maintenance manager, military mechanic of all types, or even your wives, whether cleanliness is next to Godliness.

It is. Thorough cleaning is paramount to catching issues before they become problems. As bonuses, it maintains your stuff in top condition for later, much easier, resale or trade-in. When I see filthy, poorly maintained bikes/cars for sale in the majority of ads, it never surprises me they don't sell.

I grew up with an engineer father (auto engineering) and uncle (thermodynamics); and mechanical cleanliness was instilled in me from the time I could help wash cars every week, around age 7 forward--even during the winters in Denmark. You can pretty much always eat off any part of any car or motorcycle I own; I always reap the benefits of admiring glances and immediate resale at top dollar.

Spot on Kris, well spoken.

[Huzo]

The bike is one of two things I can think of that is as much fun washing afterwards as it was getting "dirty" in the first place.
(As it were)
I'm reminded of an old Woody Allen movie where he was playing the part of an eccentric old artist, who used to drag women in advanced stages of undress covered in paint, over the canvas to create his masterpieces.
He was heard to say that although creating the works was fun, it was washing the brushes afterwards that he really enjoyed the most...!

[Fontain25]

Nonsense. Ask any professional racing crewchief, aircraft maintenance manager, military mechanic of all types, or even your wives, whether cleanliness is next to Godliness.

It is. Thorough cleaning is paramount to catching issues before they become problems. As bonuses, it maintains your stuff in top condition for later, much easier, resale or trade-in. When I see filthy, poorly maintained bikes/cars for sale in the majority of ads, it never surprises me they don't sell.

I grew up with an engineer father (auto engineering) and uncle (thermodynamics); and mechanical cleanliness was instilled in me from the time I could help wash cars every week, around age 7 forward--even during the winters in Denmark. You can pretty much always eat off any part of any car or motorcycle I own; I always reap the benefits of admiring glances and immediate resale at top dollar.

True, I worked with Merlyn Plumlee in the '80s who would go on to win 7 world championships for Honda.  He would wash his personal racebike before then after working on it everyday without even riding it.

[vintagehoarder]

Fanatic? You are. Cleaning a bike is the best way to get it to not work.

I'm with ya!

[Toecutter]

Trying to keep my bikes clean is a losing battle. Spotless in the garage is "covered in mud" within 2 km of home.

I hose it off when it gets bad. That's about it.

[kballowe]

Usually, get out the garden hose and add car wash soap to one of these and attached it to the end of said garden hose.
Then dial it one way or another, until you see suds.  It knocks off a lot of dirt, right away
.
.
.

.
.
.
Keep it wet for a few minutes and then run over it with a wash mitt and then rinse.
Then dry off the shiny parts with a cotton cloth. 
Thread-bare cotton t-shirts work well.

Paint brush works pretty well for detailing. 
WD-40 and a paint brush for the greasy bits.

[Dilliw]

My bikes get a thorough bath once a year and yes I'll use the little brushes if need be to get the hard spots.  After their bath they both get a treatment of ACF-50 and the Griso's exhaust will get another treatment of OptiGlanz  when I see it again.

However, during the year I keep a bottle of Waterless Wash and Wax and a micro towel nearby and "clean as I go."  This works great IMO.  The product has a caution against matte finished paint but I contacted them and they say it is fine for the Griso as long as you don't do a hard buff or anything. 

https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3626-Ultimate-Waterless-Wash/dp/B006FUT0CS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523904464&sr=8-3&keywords=Meguiar%27s+Ultimate+Waterless+Wash+%26+Wax&dpID=41XolMmpcnL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Then occasionally spray a little Pig Spit on the black parts.  Learned that from a Harley guy.  They know lots of tricks as their bikes have to look their best at the bar every weekend :)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VJR3GO/ref=sxr_zg_dy_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3525596382&pd_rd_wg=74Zoq&pf_rd_r=0TH35Z3ANYH88D2J3C1H&pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B000VJR3GO&pd_rd_w=LYOrT&pf_rd_i=pig+spit&pd_rd_r=c21b8129-d755-4872-a55b-acb11e97a2bf&ie=UTF8&qid=1523904856&sr=1

[TimmyTheHog]

Just a little lite hearted survey.
Does your bike cleaning kit include a tooth brush, Q tips, off set handle brushes or other unconventional tools?  Just checking to see if I�m the only fanatic here when it comes to cleaning up my Calvin.

you not the only one.

although I don't always comb thru the bike that detail after every ride, I do once a month as I ride thru some heavy bug infested area on the way to work and back...

Gotta love those kettle farms

[JJ]

QUOTE:
Does your bike cleaning kit include a tooth brush, Q tips, off set handle brushes or other unconventional tools?

  Man...and I thought I had "OCD" (lol)

My motto:  "A clean bike always seems to run better than a dirty bike..."

These days, I generally try and AVOID the hose and water, especially around the motor, electrical components, etc., so I used Simple Green, and other hand sprays cleaners, Speed-Shine, de-greasers, etc. :1:

[sidmonsters]

Soap and hose my Stelvio because I ride it all year and hope to get road salt off it.  Strangely, that means I never wash it in fair weather except for rain rides!  Washed my bone stock 2014 V7S last November because I'm considering selling it (4400 miles).  Haven't posted it or advertised but open to rational offers from list members if interested.
Steve

[v7john]

er... I pressure wash my bikes. There I said it. However, I'm very careful where I point that thing and stand back. A couple of times a year I'll really give 'em a good going over using a variety of brushes gathered over the years and I've got something that looks like an over-sized electric toothbrush with a selection of heads to clean all those flanged borrani rims.

[pressureangle]

I really, really hate cleaning.

But as stated, there is no better way to find whatever it was that would have left you walking.

I get them toothbrush-clean once, then just hit the high spots for a while until something tougher than dust sticks, then back to the toothbrush.

[twowings]

It just gets dirty again within 5 miles...and here in Oklahoma, thanks to the prevailing wind it's TEXAS DIRT, dammit!!! 

[nighthawk]

Do any of you remember the name of a product that you would mix with cleaning solvent or kerosene and could use as a degreaser ; but when rinsed with water it turned into a detergent-like cleaner?

If you meant Gunk it truly was the king of products. I don't think it's available(at least in the old formulation) anymore. Things looked new after rinsing, great stuff.

[JJ]

I really, really hate cleaning.

But as stated, there is no better way to find whatever it was that would have left you walking.

I get them toothbrush-clean once, then just hit the high spots for a while until something tougher than dust sticks, then back to the toothbrush.

After a 750-900+ mile "Road Trip", you do need to clean "THE BUGS" off the bike anyway...but it is a pain, or a labor of love...depending on your perspective...

One time in Datil, NM at the state Guzzi Rally in mid-August, we encountered a "SWARM" ,(literally like hundreds of thousands...) of grass-hoppers all over the road...that was fun cleaning them off...and they smelled when plastered on the hot engine / exhaust!!

[Toecutter]

"and they smelled when plastered on the hot engine / exhaust!!"

Around here we have a LOT of swampy/marshy areas. I don't even know what the bugs are, but as dusk hits, they come out by the millions and commit suicide by headlight. Thick enough that car windshields are literally opaque, wipers can't keep up, and cars start to overheat from the layers upon layers of bugs cooked to radiator... and the smell? Like you woke up in a swamp.

On the bike... things are even worse.

[Tom H]

Something I never thought to use on paint as a cleaner. Windex.

My HD has that denim/ matte black paint and I wanted to know what to use to clean it and Windex was the recommended cleaner to use. It cuts oil and bugs and does a good job.

Tom

[yogidozer]

I hope you guys are washing your hands before you touch your bike! 

[Toecutter]

Might be a decent thread to bring this up...

I used to work for a Bush Plane outfit in the far north. All clear plastic and plexiglass had to be cleaned with Pledge, and never glass cleaner... something to do with hazing and fogging. Since then I always use it on my visors and flyscreens.

[Toecutter]

I hope you guys are washing your hands before you touch your bike!

Kind of related... a couple years back, my wife posted a pic online of our bikes after a camping trip. Thick mud, top to bottom, everywhere. The first response? "I've never seen a dirty Guzzi before".

Maybe the cleaning is part and parcel with Guzzi ownership in general?

[kballowe]

Around here we have a LOT of swampy/marshy areas. I don't even know what the bugs are, but as dusk hits, they come out by the millions and commit suicide by headlight. Thick enough that car windshields are literally opaque, wipers can't keep up, and cars start to overheat from the layers upon layers of bugs cooked to radiator... and the smell? Like you woke up in a swamp.

On the bike... things are even worse.

I am somewhat familiar with that scenario.  In fact, (more than once) I swear that there were flying hamsters.    WHACK ! Ewwwwwwwwww !!!

[pressureangle]

Around here we have a LOT of swampy/marshy areas. I don't even know what the bugs are, but as dusk hits, they come out by the millions and commit suicide by headlight. Thick enough that car windshields are literally opaque, wipers can't keep up, and cars start to overheat from the layers upon layers of bugs cooked to radiator... and the smell? Like you woke up in a swamp.

On the bike... things are even worse.

In S. Fla, we get Love Bugs twice a year. They've migrated up from S. America since the 1930's, so if you're on the Gulf Coast you know them.
They contain some sort of fat that turns to epoxy pretty quickly in the sun, and I always thought fish smelled but it actually gets on the fish from the love bugs.
The only defense from a LB swarm is to wash the vehicle with dish soap and leave it to dry, then next time you wash they come right off. Not great for your wax job. The other thing is PAM non-stick cooking spray. That's a bastard to wash off in it's own right.

When I ran a fleet maintenance department in Okeechobee,  we had a 5000psi power washer that would take off paint but would not take off the worst of the love bugs.