CVO - Hate Cleaning
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,630
Likes: 185
From: Mountain West, Big Sky Country
CVO - Hate Cleaning
how many people hate 1.) cleaning your bike period, 2.) really hate cleaning your CVO. I have a 12 FLTRXSE, skunk model.
I am not much on cleaning my bike anyway, I much prefer to ride it, however with seasonal storms yesterday and flash flooding, not much choice today but to stay in an avoid the water. So took the opportuntity to install Daymakers, and clean the bike.
DayMaker install was fairly straight forward and resprents a decent upgrade in lighting, although i am not certain i would spend $700 for the part and another $200 for the install. I got them on sale at the dealer and with chrome cash, and installing myself, my total cash outlay was less than $200. Biggest issue i had with the install was trying not to scratch anything and aiming the headlights after install. Still think they are aimed a bit low but that can be adjusted if necessary.
As to cleaning the bike, have close to 9K on the clock since purchase 14 Months ago and this is my first wash and wax. Dealer has washed a couple of times when in for warrenty work but this is my first time. Got to say, washing will not be one of the fun activities i associate with this bike as it has just too much crap to clean and then dry and polish.
How many CVO owners have a similar experience as mine, too much chrome crap to clean, too many painted parts to wash, dry and polish. A CVO is a great bike and I really like mine but i will be looking for some place to get it detailed once a year as i would rather ride than clean.
Does anyone use a service to detail their bike? Do they do a good job? How often do you have it performed? Other feedback?
I am not much on cleaning my bike anyway, I much prefer to ride it, however with seasonal storms yesterday and flash flooding, not much choice today but to stay in an avoid the water. So took the opportuntity to install Daymakers, and clean the bike.
DayMaker install was fairly straight forward and resprents a decent upgrade in lighting, although i am not certain i would spend $700 for the part and another $200 for the install. I got them on sale at the dealer and with chrome cash, and installing myself, my total cash outlay was less than $200. Biggest issue i had with the install was trying not to scratch anything and aiming the headlights after install. Still think they are aimed a bit low but that can be adjusted if necessary.
As to cleaning the bike, have close to 9K on the clock since purchase 14 Months ago and this is my first wash and wax. Dealer has washed a couple of times when in for warrenty work but this is my first time. Got to say, washing will not be one of the fun activities i associate with this bike as it has just too much crap to clean and then dry and polish.
How many CVO owners have a similar experience as mine, too much chrome crap to clean, too many painted parts to wash, dry and polish. A CVO is a great bike and I really like mine but i will be looking for some place to get it detailed once a year as i would rather ride than clean.
Does anyone use a service to detail their bike? Do they do a good job? How often do you have it performed? Other feedback?
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
From: Louisiana
I hate to clean my bike, but love the way it looks after I've spent hours cleaning it. The problem is that after I clean it I don't want to ride it. Then I decide to hell with it, I bought it to ride not look at!! So if I have to clean it a bit more often, then that's what I have to do, or just ride it dirty which is what happens more often than not. It's ok to ride a dirty CVO if somebody doesn't like it let them clean it.
Thread Starter
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,630
Likes: 185
From: Mountain West, Big Sky Country
glad to see i'm not in the minority, as you can see from my 1st post, I have washed once in 9K so i'm not wearing the paint off it by washing and drying. Probably would wash it more often if i could find a service to perfom the task, oh well, rather ride than wash. Maybe i will change my bike's name from Pepe' to Pigpen.
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: NH
Get yourself some bug slide, I clean mine after every big ride, takes roughly 10 min to get the bugs off. Looks good, the more you use the stuff the easier the bugs come off, after several times nothing sticks to it. Major wash once a week and blow dry with a hogg blaster, I guess I feel diferently about my ride, lots of money spent, I want it to look good too.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,369
Likes: 472
From: CC TX
I wax the hell out of my CVO, what exactly is Bug Slide? and where do you find it?
I wash the bike if it gets dirty, otherwise I wipe as needed. Full wash/wipe and polish generally takes about an hour.
I wash the bike if it gets dirty, otherwise I wipe as needed. Full wash/wipe and polish generally takes about an hour.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,066
Likes: 9
From: Duluth, GA
Figure I spent that kind of money on the bike...I want it clean for the most part. Actually washing the whole bike is rare for me...more along the lines of wiping as needed and washing it only if it gets major dirty. Been using Pledge Polish on bikes forever and find it is pretty easy to get the bugs off after having that on the bike.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Western South Dakota
I figure that if you can afford a CVO to begin with and like a clean bike but don't like to clean then you can probably hire a detailer to do it for you.
Did you ever consider that?
How about your home, who cleans that for you?
Did you ever consider that?
How about your home, who cleans that for you?
I'm OCD about both bikes, they get washed at least twice a month, more if they are rained on, and waxed once a month. I ride plenty so it doesn't take away from riding time. I'd rather have clean bikes than watch TV. We live near the ocean and I've seen the pitted chrome of friends bikes that are not very old.