Just curious to see what everyone uses on there bike and the way they go about it. I'm wanting to clean mine up soon. It seems like everybody keep their bike spotless and I don't want to be the only one on the road with a dirty bike! I just saw a big scratch on my tank yesterday, I wiped rain off with a golf towel and I think I scratched it with the rivet in the towel. Not one of my fine moments.

 

I tend to trust professionals, the more suds the better!

t

 

hot dish soap and the hose

 

I generally go with soap and water.

 

If you wax your bike, then dont use dish soap or detergents, they consider your wax to be grease and take it off!!! Me and most of my friends try a different carwash once in awhile but always go back to Turtle Wax Zip Wax Carwash, its cheap and does a great job. Always easiest if you have a bike jack to lift it up and some toothbrushes to get in the tight spots and a wash mitt instead of a sponge which may pick up a pebble and drag it across your paint, and a leaf blower to dry the bike. Good Luck with your choices.
Ive learned from experience how fast the paint faded on my car from using dish soap.
Dave 2004 XL1200C

 

Bike Brite. It's a spray on cleaner that most dealers carry. It gets to those hard to reach places. Then I use my air compressor to blow all the water off.

 

I use a 50/50 mixture of S-100 and water. Spray it on. Rinse it off, and blow it dry. Works great, quick and easy. Does a great job

 

My dealer has that too. How long do it let it sit before rinsing off. I also notice that they have the foaming spray can S100 too. Ever tried that one, I haven't yet.

 

OP; There's no real science to washing your bike...jusrt use common sense ( like no golf towels ). Most use regular vehicle soap (get at Wally World, or any car part store), micro-fiber towels and car wax. For wax, I use Meguiars Techwax 2.0...good stuff.

Also, if bike/motor's pretty grubby, get the S100 spray at HD...hose bike down, spritz over dirty areas and spray off before washing bike. Don't let the S100 dry on bike b/c it will leave residue...spray-off before it dries.

Good luck & enjoy!

 

I use Meguiar's products for most upkeep on the automobiles.


I also really like the carnuba wax they make. I use Meguiar's for all my painted finishes.

For the chrome I use:
It is kind of nasty stuff, but I really like the shine and protection it gives to the chrome.