I must be getting old. I am not into shiny clean motorcycles, and, for the past 5 years, around this time of year when it stays cold in Pennsylvania, I've washed my bike with S100, rinse off, wipe dry, add fuel stabilizer, ride and top off tank, ride home, and then wipe down with S100 rust preventer. FWIW, I only put about 5,000 miles a year on the bike.

I am wondering if the washing and wiping down with rust preventer even does anything, other then remove some road grime/grease, that could otherwise be wiped down in Spring. I also wonder if washing the bike down just causes more oxidation, such as water getting in places it wouldn't normally get in, unless in a torrential rain.

Does anyone who lives in the colder northern states not wash their bikes prior to storage?

 

We always wash our bikes before we put them away for the winter. In the spring they are already clean and ready for their 3 coats of pre-season wax.

 

I don't! Wait whats winter storage?

 

I can't imagine it would hurt the bike to wash and prep it. Seems the bugs and gunk would be easier to get off without an additional couple months in them.

 

People actually put their bikes away? Interesting.

 

I have NEVER "washed" my bike

I wipe it down with a wet rag to get the bugs off

wax it once in a while so the bugs and crud don't stick so bad

polish the chrome once in a while

still looks brand new following this routine

I would rather ride it than try to keep it spotless all the time

 

Yeah I guess if I wasn't going to be riding for a while I'd probably go ahead and give her a good going over, but mine never sits that long. Not as gung-ho as I used to be but 40's is still riding weather for me and that happens fairly often here in KY during the winter.


LiiT

 

I guess it calls for your definition of wash. I don't usually bring out the hose and give it complete wash down. I do wipe down the paint and chrome and spray some anti-rust stuff on the bolts. The only time I break out the hose for a complete wash job is when I've been riding is some extremely muddy/dirty conditions.

 

I had mine at the car wash last week giving it the winter wash down. I gave it an extra cycle on wax mode. Also changed all three oils at the same time.

Hold on... are you sitting down... I used synthetic oil.

 

Keep my bike ready to go most the winter, but once the salt and sand get real bad (usually around January) I start detailing the whole bike.