Proper washing procedure...

roguegeek · January 27, 2005, 10:16:06 AM

What is the proper washing procedure for a GS500E? Should I use soap? How rich of a solution should I make? Do I use any kind of degreaser on the engine? Can I use a hose? Should I not used pressured water? What should I keep away from? How can I dry it down? Is there anything to check after the wash? Does anything need lubricating? Etc...

As much detail as possible is appreciated. Thanx.

Daniely · January 27, 2005, 10:48:13 AM

I just wash mine like i do my car, get a nice scrubby brush and a bucket of dish soapy water. Hose off the bike and scrub everything (except the chain). I even scrub my engine. Then spray it all off and dry it with a towel. The one thing you need to be wary of though, ride it as soon as your done to get the water off your chain. Also, take your seat off after your done, cause water may pool on your fender. Just my $.02

Cal Price · January 27, 2005, 10:51:34 AM

Yup, bucket of warm water and a drop of washing-up liquid. Owners manual says don't use a preasure washer but hose should be no problem if you realy must. I find a bucket or two about right.

JetSwing · January 27, 2005, 10:53:25 AM

Quote from: roguegeekWhat is the proper washing procedure for a GS500E? Should I use soap? How rich of a solution should I make? Do I use any kind of degreaser on the engine? Can I use a hose? Should I not used pressured water? What should I keep away from? How can I dry it down? Is there anything to check after the wash? Does anything need lubricating? Etc...

As much detail as possible is appreciated. Thanx.

you must love your gs very much...most people don't even wash their bikes.

airbrush · January 27, 2005, 11:04:33 AM

if you leave it out in the rain does that count as washing it???

tdan553527 · January 27, 2005, 11:17:13 AM

Yea, just wash it like your car. But I use my leaf blower to dry it off.

roguegeek · January 27, 2005, 11:51:22 AM

Quoteyou must love your gs very much...most people don't even wash their bikes.

Hehe. Well, first bike. Just picked it up on Tuesday. Want to take care of it as much as possible.

stefman722 · January 27, 2005, 12:04:52 PM

I use a bucket and a sponge with warm water with car soap. I rinse it off with a hose first, its not very powerful, i dont get it near the exhaust or intake, then I wipe it down with the water and sponge, then to get the soap off, i re-rinse it with the hose again, then i dry it off with chamois. Then comes the Wax and my cotton towels. Then for my last step. I micro-fiber it clean. haha. Lots of work, takes me about 40 minutes each time i wash the bike, but it really pays off. The nice shinny blue paint, i see my reflection it in as if it was a mirror after the wax. Looks great.

Daniely · January 27, 2005, 01:19:39 PM

I'm givin mine a final nice kick butt wash before the new owner comes and picks it up for his wife. Its gonna be all stock again

, but she will like it. PLUS im giving the GS community a chance to buy almost all th emods off my bike, lol.

luksi · January 27, 2005, 03:55:21 PM

Somewhere in the manual it says to lift the seat and cover the air filter...I guess to keep water from getting in...I just stuff a plastic bag inside...not sure if you really need to worry about it....if you do this be sure to remember to remove bag or...

gs500fromnb · January 27, 2005, 05:59:48 PM

wash like a car... just dont spray water where you dont need to.

Trick for chain cleaning.... engine degreaser, spray on chain, let set for a few minutes, spray off with hose or pressure washer, then wash bike, then go for a small ride to dry it all up real good, come back with a dry and warm chain so you can wax or lube it. Best trick I ever learned. Cost a little bit extra in engine degreaser but it saves me tons of time in keeping the chain mint.

My Name Is Dave · May 04, 2006, 08:26:56 AM

Yeah, I'm gonna bring this one back...

I'm clear on the washing procedure for the GS, as it really isn't that complicated. But I have a question specific to the '04+ models: Do you wax the plastics? Excuuuuuuuuuuse me if that's stupid, but I'm a stupid guy

I have some Meguiar's 3-step wax that I got for my car and I'm thinking about using it on the GS this weekend. But I need to know if people wax their fairings, or just the metal parts...which means the tank, I guess. I'm pretty sure you don't wax the frame. Or do you? Oh shiza, now I'm hungover AND confused. Great...

Sincerely, Cpt. Stupid.

Dave

Onlypastrana199 · May 04, 2006, 08:49:45 AM

The paint on the plastics is clearcoated so its ok to use normal wax on them, Not sure if the graphics are clear coated because I have an E and my graphics lasted about a day before I peeled them off. They werent clearcoated. Idk how the wax will effect them. I use turtle wax ice or pig snot, whichever I happen to have at the moment

Mother's brand makes a plastic polish, stuff kicks a$$ and its not too expensive. Costs about the same as a bottle of turtlewax. Its for clear plastic though and a bit abbrassive. I used it on my ZZR's clear windshield but not on the tinted one.

My Name Is Dave · May 04, 2006, 08:53:15 AM

Quote from: Onlypastrana199 on May 04, 2006, 08:49:45 AM
Mother's brand makes a plastic polish, stuff kicks a$$ and its not too expensive. Costs about the same as a bottle of turtlewax. Plus its got conditioners in it that actually helps prevent them from getting brittle. I used it on my ZZR and on my dirt bike. No scratches on the ZZR and it made them paint shine just like the metal. The dirt bike was to keep the plastics from breaking when I fall

Is that right? Well then, I may have to invest. Wax on ye olde tank (and frame, perhaps?), and plastic polish on me fairings. Thanks, Pistachio!

Dave

Onlypastrana199 · May 04, 2006, 09:00:03 AM

Yeah when I went and looked at my bottles I used the mothers for the windshield, DON'T use it on youre fairings. I have find the brand i was using on the fairings, let me go poke around in the garage

scratch · May 04, 2006, 09:02:11 AM

Wash back to front. Rinse front to back (so you don't get water up the tailpipe).

Onlypastrana199 · May 04, 2006, 09:19:50 AM

Ok I just went and looked at everything I had. I have Meguiar's PlastX Clear Plastic Cleaner & Polish, Mother's Plastic Polish, and One Grand Plastic Cleaner & Polish. The One grand was the one that I used the most. The Meguiar's I just tested on the my yz125 and it seemed to work pretty well, but its all scuffed up anyway. I tried the Mother's too, didnt see any immediate scratching or removal of clear coat but I think itd be a bit too abbrassive for my taste and over time might cause trouble.

The Meguiar's is $6
One Grand is a gallon jug for $7 (sometimes you have to use multiple coats but I use it on brake lights, directionals, reflectors, guage cluster, everything plastic)
Mother's is $5

galahs · May 04, 2006, 09:38:40 AM

I've waxed my plastics on my F (because its the paint not the plastic your waxing) with Meguiar's Gold Class pollish.

Works great!

Makes it easier to wash later as the bugs just glide off.

I've also waxed my helmet!

galahs · May 04, 2006, 09:45:50 AM

opps forgot to add (and to press "modify my post") I wash my bike using car wash from a bucket.

I try to use as little as water as possible so it doesn't drip into places it shouldn't.

I also run really lightly so not to scratch the paint (many times lightly is better than getting stuck into it with force!)

After washing it, I rinse the bike with a spray bottle of water.

Then dry it with a chamois

oh yeah, And I have been known to wax my frame!

My Name Is Dave · May 04, 2006, 09:48:01 AM

Quote from: Onlypastrana199 on May 04, 2006, 09:00:03 AM
Yeah when I went and looked at my bottles I used the mothers for the windshield, DON'T use it on youre fairings.

Yeah, NOW you tell me...

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