Just curious how you guys wash your bike before you put it up or semi-up for the winter. Do you bear the cold or is there a safe way to not use a water hose. It's getting to cold for me to be out there with a water hose and bucket. It's my first bike it's only 3 months old and my first winter.

 

I'm just north of ya here in NH. Just gotta grin and bare it! Gave mine a good wash this weekend!

 

Well, I can tell you what I do...(may be right or wrong in others opinions) I usually have a good coat of wax on her before the final wash before hibernation for the winter here in NE Ohio. I know what you mean about being too cold this time of year!! That being said, I guess I bear the cold!! I will wash thoroughly, dry with chamois cloth, blow dry with leaf blower, return with chamois cloth and cover. I will ride to gas station the day before and fill up the tank. Also hook it up to the battery tender. Usually, its the first or second weekend of November....BRRR!

 

Fill your wash bucket inside the house with warm water.

 

Get a hot bucket of water, wash her down, rinse her off. I have an air compressor that I use to blow all the loose water out of the tight spaces.


Do yourself a favor and get a rag or a small paintbrush and apply a film of oil to the chrome and zinc plated parts. The more places you can put a film of oil the better. Wax is best for painted parts, but not metal. Make sure you cover the fuel tank with a doubled over blanket, then cover the whole bike with a bike cover. You won't believe how things will just accidentally fall on a gas tank when it is in storage and chip the paint. You can always wash oil off a bike, but you can't wash off rust.

 

When I retired, my boss gave me the best retirement gift I ever heard - he let me keep my keys to the shop. Heated floor, enclosed wash bay, plenty of room to leave the bike overnight to dry completely. Free to use any night and every weekend.
Would take my keys over a gold watch any time....

 

I always wash with Optimum No Rinse Wash and Wax, the stuff is awesome and no hose is needed so garage washing is no problem.

 

Lemon Pledge and a micro fiber cloth and put it my J&S jack. If I'm bored in the winter I'll wax and polish it more than once. My bike has only seen a water hose 3 times in the 6 years I've owned it.

 

If it's cold when I do the last wash, I run the hose into the house and hook it to the hot water in the laundry/utility tub. I always ride the bike after a wash to get it completely dry. For the last ride of the season, I bring a bottle of Stabil and add it when I top off before going home. I try to be realistic about when to put my road bikes up for the winter, so I don't wait until the daytime temp's are in the 30s. My DR650 doesn't get winterized, because it's always ready for a late fall, mid winter or early spring ride.

 

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