To Wash or Not to Wash? - Page 5

bwringer · 11-06-2012, 11:04 PM

I'm a "never washer" (that's what rain is for), but I keep the chain scrupulously clean, and I'm meticulous about maintenance.

Filthy Vee. Clean chain.

atomicalex · 11-07-2012, 04:21 AM

Once or twice a year, the plastic comes off and goes in the bathtub for a good soak, wash, and wax. The hose comes out pretty regularly for rinses, and there are occasional spot waxes.

I like washing my bike. It takes a lot less time than washing my car. I'm incredibly, erm, focused (yeah) about washing the car. The Passat takes about six hours by the time I get all of the parts off and individually scrubbed, polished, clayed, and waxed. If I pull all of the rubber parts, add another two hours for peanut butter and silicone oil.

sloweddy · 11-07-2012, 06:04 AM

Sorry for being juvenile - but using peanut butter & silicone oil on your rubber parts ( for 2 hours) sounds a little kinky

WRW9751 · 11-07-2012, 06:22 AM

I was a service manager in a Yamaha Triumph BSA dealership as a young man. One of my polices was if you brought me a very dirty bike to be worked on you could take it up the street to the car wash or you could pay shop rate for one of my guys to wash it! It makes it so much nicer to work on a clean motorcycle or anything, its worth it to keep them clean! (IMO) I'm a washer! But I'm not afraid to get them dirty!

Barry · 11-07-2012, 06:32 AM

Street bike, not so much. I like it clean, but I will ride it dirty.

Dirt bike, REALLY needs to be cleaned properly after every ride that involves mud. Dust, dirt, not so much. Critical part is keeping the mud from drying on the forks. The seals hit dried mud and it wears them out unecessarily fast, or just destroys them right there. Pro-tip for that: When done riding in mud, if you are not going to wash, push the forks all the way down through their travel a couple times to get the wet mud off before it dries.

Barry

atomicalex · 11-07-2012, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloweddy

Sorry for being juvenile - but using peanut butter & silicone oil on your rubber parts ( for 2 hours) sounds a little kinky

It's not. The peanut butter absorbs and removes any wax residues that are discoloring the black rubber parts, and the silicone oil works as a plasticizer so that they don't get crumbly later on. It's far less exciting than it sounds.

EricD10563 · 11-10-2012, 08:55 PM

I wash mine mainly because I'm a OCD type, there is a benefit though IMHO you'll find leaks, bolts that need to be tightened, screws in tires etc.. it's a good way to go over the bike, just saying.

11-06-2012, 11:04 PM	#61
bwringer Gimpy, Yet Alacritous Joined: Jan 2008 Location: Indianapolis Oddometer: 1,721	I'm a "never washer" (that's what rain is for), but I keep the chain scrupulously clean, and I'm meticulous about maintenance. Filthy Vee. Clean chain. __________________ 1983 Suzuki GS850G, Cosmic Blue 2002 Suzuki Vstrom DL1000, Midnight Blue 2005 Kawasaki KLR650 - Turd II, The ReTurdening "Do not crinkle your food wrappers loudly. Be considerate to others, or I will bite your torso and give you a disease."

11-07-2012, 04:21 AM	#62
atomicalex silly aluminum boxes Joined: May 2012 Location: Detroit & Düsseldorf Oddometer: 595	Once or twice a year, the plastic comes off and goes in the bathtub for a good soak, wash, and wax. The hose comes out pretty regularly for rinses, and there are occasional spot waxes. I like washing my bike. It takes a lot less time than washing my car. I'm incredibly, erm, focused (yeah) about washing the car. The Passat takes about six hours by the time I get all of the parts off and individually scrubbed, polished, clayed, and waxed. If I pull all of the rubber parts, add another two hours for peanut butter and silicone oil. __________________ Katherine - F650GSa

11-07-2012, 06:04 AM	#63
sloweddy Tree Hugger Joined: Aug 2009 Location: Corvallis, Oregon Oddometer: 54	Sorry for being juvenile - but using peanut butter & silicone oil on your rubber parts ( for 2 hours) sounds a little kinky __________________ Klaatu barada nikto

11-07-2012, 06:32 AM	#65
Barry Just Beastly Joined: Oct 2002 Location: Fredericksburg, Va. Oddometer: 6,478	Street bike, not so much. I like it clean, but I will ride it dirty. Dirt bike, REALLY needs to be cleaned properly after every ride that involves mud. Dust, dirt, not so much. Critical part is keeping the mud from drying on the forks. The seals hit dried mud and it wears them out unecessarily fast, or just destroys them right there. Pro-tip for that: When done riding in mud, if you are not going to wash, push the forks all the way down through their travel a couple times to get the wet mud off before it dries. Barry __________________ Tail of the Dragon at Deal's Gap... Avoid it now, do a trackday. Do not do business with Myrtle West Cycle... Not a reputable vendor by a long shot.

11-10-2012, 08:55 PM	#67
EricD10563 Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2009 Location: Central Arizona Oddometer: 390	I wash mine mainly because I'm a OCD type, there is a benefit though IMHO you'll find leaks, bolts that need to be tightened, screws in tires etc.. it's a good way to go over the bike, just saying. __________________ In one year I rode 18,589 miles on an island that's 72 miles long. That's 50 miles a day everyday for 365 days. I think I'll go home now. 69k miles and still riding http://travelwithe.com/blogengine.net/

11-07-2012, 06:22 AM	#64
WRW9751 Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2011 Location: Ankeny Iowa Oddometer: 184	I was a service manager in a Yamaha Triumph BSA dealership as a young man. One of my polices was if you brought me a very dirty bike to be worked on you could take it up the street to the car wash or you could pay shop rate for one of my guys to wash it! It makes it so much nicer to work on a clean motorcycle or anything, its worth it to keep them clean! (IMO) I'm a washer! But I'm not afraid to get them dirty!

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