Weird question perhaps, but historically unless my bike is really cruddy I usually clean by going over the bike a wet towel (rinsing often) followed by a cloth of polisher as I go; no full hose down. Goes way quicker that way because here in the desert where its dry 95% of the time mostly it just gets dusty with some bug shrapnel, not muddy or anything. I find hosing down the whole bike creates nice work removing water spots that the actual cleaning part. Plus this way there no water to get into things.

AnywayI'm curious if folks find a benefit to hosing down their whole bike rather than the method I described above.

FWIW I ride my bike more than wash it, not hung up on keeping it showroom shiny all the time, but I like to knock the dust and bugs off it once a month or so.

 

In Phoenix, I'd rather be hosed down right about now, and not really care what the bike looks like.

 

I have never found it necessary to hose my bike down. If I go over it with a moist cloth I can always get it pretty clean. I suppose if I got stuck riding in the mud or something like that it might be necessary to hose down, but I avoid these types of situations.

 

It's real quick and easy to wash with a hose and blow dry with a leaf blower.

 

When I do serious wash job, I use a bucket of soapy water and the hose the soap off. A quick clean, I use a spray bottle with a little soap in it. And I use a microfiber cloth.

 

If you're picky about the finish like I am, then it's best to hose the dickens out of it before you touch it with anything. Hosing it down removes much of the dust and grit. The dust and grit acts as an abrasive that will put tiny scratches in your paint regardless of what type of cloth you use. It's like fine sanding your paint. Take your car or bike to a business parking lot some night and look at it under the commercial lighting. Depending on the amount of damage from rubbing dirt into the paint, you'll see big swirls created by millions of tiny scratches. Anyway, the best soap and the best micro-fiber cloth in the world will pick up the grit and scratch as you rub it into the paint.

It's impossible to have a grit-free surface before you start using a cloth, but why not minimize the damage by rinsing it off first?
.

 

Once a year, whether it needs it or not.

Get a big towel good and wet with hot water. Drape it over the windshield and fairing to soften up the bugs. Hose it all down, wetting everything. Spray Simple Green all over the engine and down underneath where it gets all grungy. While that's working, pull the luggage, then take a bucket of soapy water and a rag and go over the paintwork. By then, the bug spooge on the front comes off easily.

Hose off the whole thing. Dry it with a shammy, put the luggage on.

If I'm feeling particularly motivated I'll hit the nasty stuff underneath and back by the swingarm with a rag and kerosene.

 

I hose it down, then wash it using a mitt and a bucket of soapy water, then rinse it off with the hose.

I have a small shop vac that I use to blow dry it (hose connected to the vac exhaust) followed by a wipe down with a towel or cloth.

If I'm just cleaning bugs off the fairing, windshield, tank etc., I use an aerosol can of S-100 wax/cleaner.

 

I sudsy wash from the tank and seat down, detailer and microfiber cloth wipe above that. I don't like to get water on the switches.

 

My sentiments exactly. Rubbing is sanding. I prefer the smaller grit.