Advice on best way to clean my XT660R properly...

Not sure if this is the right section...

After 25+ years of owning cars and bikes, I am no novice to detailing or bikes but my Yamaha XT660R has me slightly puzzled. For sure, it has been a long riding season with not much TLC but the dirt really seem to stick to this bike. Bought it new and have bern riding it since April, almost 100% paved roads. 3500 km so far.
I have washed with my usual car wash, mild detergent, sponge and still the grime is in every spot unless I have REALLY scrubbed there. Stainless exhaust and cans look like concrete, engine block is all smudge (wording?) - even rims and frame were hard to get clean.
My to other recent bikes (both bought new) Honda VT750C2 and Yamaha XJ6 were much easier to get clean.

Is it an effect of cheaper paint and surface on the XT or is it the way the dirt spray up from the road on a dual sport? Something else?

For really hard grime, I will spray on some Simple Green and let it sit for a few minutes. After that I can take a brush to non painted surfaces to help the cleaner. Then once you get it all brushed you can hose it off. I would re-lube the chain after you do this, but it should be clean.

On behalf of everyone in the USA, screw you OP.

Now I get that warm, fuzzy feeling again...

I should probably pass that greeting on to Vermillionx for recommending a product not sold in Sweden.

US - Sweden: 1-1 so far.
My bike is still dirty, though.

Like this!



Note, not actually an XT660R.

I was hoping you wouldn't take that too harshly.

Fail. lol

Oops. Well I hope he enjoyed riding that awesome bike looking for the cleaner I recommended.

I will look for it on english and german evilbay!

Salt in that dirt??? They do that here for dust abatment on the gravel roads but the paved roads also have a lot of residual early in the year. And later in the fall if it freezes at night they'll be spraying for us to ride over during the day.

Turns to concrete,sticks like hell and hard to clean for sure. Only thing I found so far that cuts through it is CLR. CLR as in Calcium/Lime/Rust remover. May not be available your way but similar products should be.

Thanks for the tip, but it is not salt. I do not ride much gravel at all and (incredibly enough) we still have not had any frost this autumn/winter until two days ago. (The day after I cleaned up my bike to store it.)

Simple Green might do the trick - it is just that dirt did not stick that hard to my other bikes. Same roads, same speeds, same season even.

Simple Green maybe but I think it may not be the best for anodized parts if your bike has some. I think it etches them.And a warning on the bottle not to use it on plastic instrument panels. But they do sell the "Powersports" Simple Green....I have used that one without etching anything.

http://www.simplegreen.com/products_extreme_motor.php

You may have better luck on your side if you can find "Autoglym" motorcycle cleaner. British product and works so very well but I am out and my supplier doesn't stock it anymore. And their "cleaning wax" is also very good, may clean and protect your engine and make it easier to clean later.

Thanks for sharing this information.

Eh! You are over there....PEEK metal polish is also a very good product. "By appointment to her Majesty the Queen......"

Yeah atomicalex you are absolutely right about it.

Not sure what country you are in (fill in your location!), but grab a bottle of Mr Clean (green bottle), mix it 50/50 with water in a spray bottle and spray it on a dry dirty bike. Let sit for 15 minutes and hose off.

Works wonders on rubber, especially tires. May need to do two or three applications, but a wasted looking tire will soon look like it just came out of the factory.

Works on all other parts as well.

Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie
"BTW, I don't do style. It's a dirt bike, not some girlie dress-up thing." -

Thank you for all the replies.
The other post said "Sweden", but I have now updated my profile as well. Thanks.