Bike cleaning

[drduimstra]

Any suggestions to clean a bike from to top to bottom and what products are good to use to clean it?

[pandymai]

youre going to get a LOT of different opinions on this. haha

i've wrapped my seat, gauges, and headlight with a trashbag and just went at it with a pressure washer before haha.

i just wash mine like i wash a car (mine is naked so it makes it a bit easier)

for wheels i dilute a bit of degreaser and scrub with a soft sponge

for the chain i clean with super diluted simple green or wd-40 and lube with tri-flow.

[007brendan]

how do you clean between the engine fins.  I find that no matter what I try to do, it still looks dirty.

[pandymai]

how do you clean between the engine fins.  I find that no matter what I try to do, it still looks dirty.

pressure washer! haha iif i go that deep into it, i'll cover the carbs/filter/boots as best as i can then blast at the motor with a pressure washer from the back towards the front so water goes away from the carbs.

[DoD#i]

Given the choice between shiny fins and bearings/seals without water and dirt blown into them by a pressure washer, I'll take grubby fins. Suit yourself. Naturally, I'm sure your mhad skillz prevent any pressure washer water getting anywhere near any bearings or seals as you blast away near the cam cover gasket, but we ohld filks can't manage that level of belief in our own near god-like abilities.

I have a GS - it's for riding. If I wanted a bike to polish, I'd have a Harley.

[tt_four]

The only thing I've ever really used to wash a bike is my driveway during a rain storm.

I know you can buy engine cleaning tools anywhere for about $12 that hook up to an air compressor, if you have one. It's a wand that just blows air, and has a little hose that you put in some cleaner, and I believe as the air sprays through it, it will suck in some of the cleaner with it, so it's almost like a pressure washer, but with air instead of water. Someday I'll probably buy one, but for now it just seems like I'd try to clean things in my basement and just end up with a fine layer of simple green all over everything I own.

[gregvhen]

The only thing I've ever really used to wash a bike is my driveway during a rain storm.

I know you can buy engine cleaning tools anywhere for about $12 that hook up to an air compressor, if you have one. It's a wand that just blows air, and has a little hose that you put in some cleaner, and I believe as the air sprays through it, it will suck in some of the cleaner with it, so it's almost like a pressure washer, but with air instead of water. Someday I'll probably buy one, but for now it just seems like I'd try to clean things in my basement and just end up with a fine layer of simple green all over everything I own.

My teacher has one that ive used before. i wouldnt reccomend buying it, its not worth it. unless you get a really strong solvent/degreeser/soap. the pressure is not really enough to knock off anything that just putting your thumb over a hose couldnt get anyway.

[Homer]

We have the technology!
We can rebuild him!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I618NY/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0000DF0RB&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=03PA5KGSGCSRKBCVRJXD

[the mole]

I just put on my SCUBA gear and go through a normal car wash. Keeps my mask clean too.

[mister]

Equipment:
Bucket
Sponge
Towel

Directions:

Fill bucket with plain tap water. Add nothing to it. Just water. Not even warm. Straight from the cold water tap.

Dunk kitchen sponge in water. Wring it out so it's not dripping everywhere. Wipe down bike in segments...

Do tank. Then dry with towel. Do right side frame, rear plastics, exhaust can, engine cover, etc., then dry. Do right side then dry. Front guard, forks, etc., dry. Rear plastics if still there, including tail light. Dry.

Throw sponge in bucket. hang towel. Go back inside for cup of tea/coffee.

Times taken: 5 minutes.

Michael

[tt_four]

I did used to clean it a little. I would clean the tank and tail plastics on my last bike, and sometimes even wax them so they were shiny. The rest of the bike was a lost cause though. I rode it in the rain constantly, so there was no keeping up with it. The motor didn't even have air cooling fins on it, but the dirt would still get baked on and I wasn't going to fight with it.

[jp]

I picked up a wand that sprays a pattern similar to the high pressure ones at the quarter car washes, but it just hooks up to the garden hose. It uses liquid car wash, and works well for about 90% of the dirt & grime on the bike. For anything tougher, I use concentrated Simple Green or a solvent degreaser. Harbor Freight has sets of brushes for a couple bucks that can get in between the fins for any baked on stuff. I usually only do that once a year. I spray down the whole bike, including the gauges. As long as you don't get too close with the nozzle, and use some common sense about exactly where, and how long you spray directly, bikes are pretty waterproof.

[gregvhen]

carb cleaner takes off about anything if your looking for something to clean concentrated areas, i used once for the area directly behind the front wheel, in front of the cylinders.  with the lines that run long ways with the bike.  There was nothing that could get the dirt and grime off of there until i used carb cleaner. havent had a problem since 

[sledge]

how do you clean between the engine fins.  I find that no matter what I try to do, it still looks dirty.

pressure washer! haha iif i go that deep into it, i'll cover the carbs/filter/boots as best as i can then blast at the motor with a pressure washer from the back towards the front so water goes away from the carbs.

I have got a spare set of bearings for the headstock and both wheels here, wanna make me an offer? Carry on with the pressure-washing and it wont be long before you will be needing them........assuming of course the switchgear and chain dont die a death first