Winter clean up
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 467
Likes: 46
From: North Texas
Winter clean up
Ok guys its getting that time of year for good detail and i just wanted to get some views on the best products to clean the road grime/dirt/dust from the engine and under carriage of my bike.
A little background. Used to live where the roads where paved and keeping a bike clean was easy. Now I live on a dirt road in North Texas and out in the country a bit so i have well water. Unfortunately the well water is very salty (over 3,000 PPM) so i cannot wash the bike at home.
I generally use Original Bike Spirits and micro fiber towels to keep the paint and chrome clean and shiny (works great). As i was changing my fluids last weekend i was really disappointed with how much road grime/dust/etc i had let build up on the engine and under carriage. I know wash it more ;-).
So, as i mentioned that i cannot wash the bike at home with my water, i am looking to see if there are any great spray on, foam up products that will clean the grime from the engine with minimal scrubbing. I will probably be doing this at a spray car wash and won't have a lot of brushes, etc that i might have if washing at home.
Some products i was thinking about:
S100, Simple Green, etc... I have used Gunk on a older car engine but not sure it would be good on a Bike.
Yes, yes you could call me lazy but really looking to see if there is anything y'all are using that might make this type of engine cleaning easy.
Many thanks
A little background. Used to live where the roads where paved and keeping a bike clean was easy. Now I live on a dirt road in North Texas and out in the country a bit so i have well water. Unfortunately the well water is very salty (over 3,000 PPM) so i cannot wash the bike at home.
I generally use Original Bike Spirits and micro fiber towels to keep the paint and chrome clean and shiny (works great). As i was changing my fluids last weekend i was really disappointed with how much road grime/dust/etc i had let build up on the engine and under carriage. I know wash it more ;-).
So, as i mentioned that i cannot wash the bike at home with my water, i am looking to see if there are any great spray on, foam up products that will clean the grime from the engine with minimal scrubbing. I will probably be doing this at a spray car wash and won't have a lot of brushes, etc that i might have if washing at home.
Some products i was thinking about:
S100, Simple Green, etc... I have used Gunk on a older car engine but not sure it would be good on a Bike.
Yes, yes you could call me lazy but really looking to see if there is anything y'all are using that might make this type of engine cleaning easy.
Many thanks
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 233
From: North East, MD
If you can't use water then you probably don't want to use S100 or Simple Green. One of my fellow riders uses Turtle Wax Bug and Tar remover exclusively to clean his V-Rod. His bike always looks great. I think about any of the detailing sprays out there would do a good job for you.
I would be careful about grinding surface grit into the paint. Perhaps spraying the detailer on and very lightly wiping the surface for the first go 'round.
You might consider buying a few 5 gallon containers of bottled water and using those to was the bike.
I would be careful about grinding surface grit into the paint. Perhaps spraying the detailer on and very lightly wiping the surface for the first go 'round.
You might consider buying a few 5 gallon containers of bottled water and using those to was the bike.
Last edited by rwven; Dec 5, 2017 at 11:36 AM.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 111
Likes: 17
From: Outer Banks, NC
Go somewhere that has a hose with good water.
Use the aerosol can of S100. Make sure the engine is COLD when you spray it on. Soak the whole bike with it, and hose it off really really well with a good high pressure hose. (NOT a power washer)
once it all cleaned up dry it and spray detail it with BugSlide or some other spray detailer.
*MAKE SURE THE ENGINE IS COLD* If not, you will get white haze on the black powder coating on the engine.
*do NOT let the S100 dry up on the bike.
Once you finish spraying the whole bike down with the S100, immediately rinse it off. It does not take long for it to eat through all the gunk, road grime, and other crud built up on the bike.
Use the aerosol can of S100. Make sure the engine is COLD when you spray it on. Soak the whole bike with it, and hose it off really really well with a good high pressure hose. (NOT a power washer)
once it all cleaned up dry it and spray detail it with BugSlide or some other spray detailer.
*MAKE SURE THE ENGINE IS COLD* If not, you will get white haze on the black powder coating on the engine.
*do NOT let the S100 dry up on the bike.
Once you finish spraying the whole bike down with the S100, immediately rinse it off. It does not take long for it to eat through all the gunk, road grime, and other crud built up on the bike.
Last edited by Heloguy; Dec 5, 2017 at 11:41 AM.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 273
Likes: 50
From: Stow, Ohio
You may want to try one of the waterless car washes, such as Griot's Garage, I haven't use it myself, but I have used some of there other products
https://www.griotsgarage.com/product...fType=&from=fn
https://www.griotsgarage.com/product...fType=&from=fn
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,291
Likes: 211
From: Independence, Missouri
Quite a pickle to be in. After washing and detailing in town, you have to ride home on the dirt road and get it all dirty again.
When I first read your question, I was thinking a smart azz answer would be to get some bottled water, but then I thought maybe that is the answer.
Could you buy some gallons of water, as Rwven suggested, or have a larger container you fill in town and transport home in a 4 wheeler, then use a new garden sprayer to rinse the newly detailed bike?
Also, let me reiterate what others have advised, do not use a product like S100 without thoroughly rinsing on a cool engine. Don't ask me how I know.
When I first read your question, I was thinking a smart azz answer would be to get some bottled water, but then I thought maybe that is the answer.
Could you buy some gallons of water, as Rwven suggested, or have a larger container you fill in town and transport home in a 4 wheeler, then use a new garden sprayer to rinse the newly detailed bike?
Also, let me reiterate what others have advised, do not use a product like S100 without thoroughly rinsing on a cool engine. Don't ask me how I know.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 233
From: North East, MD
Quite a pickle to be in. After washing and detailing in town, you have to ride home on the dirt road and get it all dirty again.
When I first read your question, I was thinking a smart azz answer would be to get some bottled water, but then I thought maybe that is the answer.
Could you buy some gallons of water, as Rwven suggested, or have a larger container you fill in town and transport home in a 4 wheeler, then use a new garden sprayer to rinse the newly detailed bike?
Also, let me reiterate what others have advised, do not use a product like S100 without thoroughly rinsing on a cool engine. Don't ask me how I know.
When I first read your question, I was thinking a smart azz answer would be to get some bottled water, but then I thought maybe that is the answer.
Could you buy some gallons of water, as Rwven suggested, or have a larger container you fill in town and transport home in a 4 wheeler, then use a new garden sprayer to rinse the newly detailed bike?
Also, let me reiterate what others have advised, do not use a product like S100 without thoroughly rinsing on a cool engine. Don't ask me how I know.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,156
Likes: 198
From: Ill Annoy
I'm assuming that your drinking water at home is filtered, yes? If so... why would you worry about using 10-15 gallons or so to wash the bike at home? Seems like it would be minimally expensive, and so much easier...
Not trying to be a smartass, just curious. I hope you're not drinking salt water!
Not trying to be a smartass, just curious. I hope you're not drinking salt water!
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Road Master
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 233
From: North East, MD
I'm assuming that your drinking water at home is filtered, yes? If so... why would you worry about using 10-15 gallons or so to wash the bike at home? Seems like it would be minimally expensive, and so much easier...
Not trying to be a smartass, just curious. I hope you're not drinking salt water!
Not trying to be a smartass, just curious. I hope you're not drinking salt water!
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,151
Likes: 328
From: Southern Utah, USA
I live in the boonies too and have about 1.5 miles of dirt to get to the asphalt. My water is not salty but HARD! and leaves unbelievable water spots, I done a couple of things...
1.) I put a tap on the discharge side of our soft water maker, run a hose out the garage door and wash it there, blow it off with a leaf blower or run it to the shop and hit it with the air compressor then towel it off immediately. SCORE: 7
2.) Wash it at the coin car wash in town and use their soft water rinse. Towel it off immediately. REALLY the best way I've found to get it cleaned SCORE: 10++
Running back up the dusty 'ol dirt road...it's dusty but not dirty, I roll up to the shop and hit it with the air and it's pretty much good to go...back down the frigg'n dirt road and be dusty again.
Ya gott'a give up something living in the country...
1.) I put a tap on the discharge side of our soft water maker, run a hose out the garage door and wash it there, blow it off with a leaf blower or run it to the shop and hit it with the air compressor then towel it off immediately. SCORE: 7
2.) Wash it at the coin car wash in town and use their soft water rinse. Towel it off immediately. REALLY the best way I've found to get it cleaned SCORE: 10++
Running back up the dusty 'ol dirt road...it's dusty but not dirty, I roll up to the shop and hit it with the air and it's pretty much good to go...back down the frigg'n dirt road and be dusty again.
Ya gott'a give up something living in the country...
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 467
Likes: 46
From: North Texas
Thanks for the input guys.
We do have 5 gallon water delivered for drinking. I suppose I could use one of those but do not have a way to pressurize it for spraying off.
I think i will go with taking to the car wash spraying the engine down with S100 foam after it cools a bit. The main thing i need to get off is the built up road grime.
I have a compressor at home that i can use to knock the dust off.
May need to get a 12 volt yard sprayer pump (~$100) and rig it up so can use a 5 gallon drinking water bottle to spray it off after washing.
We do have 5 gallon water delivered for drinking. I suppose I could use one of those but do not have a way to pressurize it for spraying off.
I think i will go with taking to the car wash spraying the engine down with S100 foam after it cools a bit. The main thing i need to get off is the built up road grime.
I have a compressor at home that i can use to knock the dust off.
May need to get a 12 volt yard sprayer pump (~$100) and rig it up so can use a 5 gallon drinking water bottle to spray it off after washing.