Wash or Wipe down ?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,077
Likes: 11,100
From: San Diego, CA
Washing isn't going to hurt your bike.... it's pretty waterproof as some have pointed out...
Detailing 101... anytime you wipe your paint with anything, you are causing micro scratches (swirl marks). Except for a freshly well-polished finish, every paint finish has them. The color of the paint, the length of time since a good polish, and the care taken when wiping the bike will all contribute to how visible the swirl marks are... but they are there...
Whether to wipe or wash depends on the amount of dirt.... You need some kind of liquid solution to suspend the dirt, to minimize the swirl marks. When you are wiping it off, more fluid = less chance of swirl marks..
If my bike is just dusty, I clean it with a liberal use of detail spray and a clean microfiber towel...
If it's got dirt/grime, I use a water hose, bucket, and soap to get all the dirt off.... then dry & detail spray/wipe.
Twice a year I wash, clay bar, two-step polish, and follow up with a good sealer/wax....
My bikes don't always look like new, but when I have the time, I polish them up good, and try to maintain that finish for as long as possible...
But hey, you gotta ride'em or what's the point!
Detailing 101... anytime you wipe your paint with anything, you are causing micro scratches (swirl marks). Except for a freshly well-polished finish, every paint finish has them. The color of the paint, the length of time since a good polish, and the care taken when wiping the bike will all contribute to how visible the swirl marks are... but they are there...
Whether to wipe or wash depends on the amount of dirt.... You need some kind of liquid solution to suspend the dirt, to minimize the swirl marks. When you are wiping it off, more fluid = less chance of swirl marks..
If my bike is just dusty, I clean it with a liberal use of detail spray and a clean microfiber towel...
If it's got dirt/grime, I use a water hose, bucket, and soap to get all the dirt off.... then dry & detail spray/wipe.
Twice a year I wash, clay bar, two-step polish, and follow up with a good sealer/wax....
My bikes don't always look like new, but when I have the time, I polish them up good, and try to maintain that finish for as long as possible...
But hey, you gotta ride'em or what's the point!
Last edited by hattitude; Jan 25, 2017 at 11:05 AM.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,132
Likes: 228
From: Garland, TX
I usually just wipe mine down like you. I have actually hand washed it once in the 1.5 years since I've had it. Other than that, it gets washed by the dealer if I ever take it in for warranty work.
I wipe mine down fairly often with Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Detailer and a microfiber. Takes me all of 10-15 mins over a beer in the afternoon or a coffee in the AM. Usually gets a wash a few times a year which is most often after a multiday trip or after riding in rain just to get the road grime off. I find the 10-15 mins with detailer spray fairly often keeps it looking like I want it.
I have never really understood the folks that say they spend all their time riding and not cleaning. Each one of those folks I have met personally it turns out I put as many or in most cases more miles a year on the bike and yet I still find that 10-15 mins to keep my bike clean. Yet to find the person that rides so many hrs every day that he does not have 15 mins of down time
I have never really understood the folks that say they spend all their time riding and not cleaning. Each one of those folks I have met personally it turns out I put as many or in most cases more miles a year on the bike and yet I still find that 10-15 mins to keep my bike clean. Yet to find the person that rides so many hrs every day that he does not have 15 mins of down time
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 6,067
Likes: 1,946
From: Somewhere on the Bourbon trail
I wash mine about once a month during the main riding season, as I ride year round. This gets any crud out of the nooks and crannies. Then just wipe down with a damp cloth and microfiber in between.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 230
Likes: 28
From: The Banks of the Olentangy
I usually wash mine once a month. It keeps all the grime outta the many nooks and crannies on the Limited. It's kinda cathartic for me and it helps notify me if anything needs attention. Between washes I detail with liberal amounts of JaxWax and Honda Cleaner. Seems to do the trick for me
Tourer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 280
Likes: 10
From: Botha,Ab,Canada
I pretty much power wash mine weekly as we have a wash bay at work. It gets soo grimey riding back & forth to work and my well water at home leaves water spots shots so using a hose and bucket is out of the question in my opinion.
Wash it, blow it dry with compressed air, then go over it with detain spray and a micro fibre cloth. It's back to pretty much showroom in about 1/2 hour
I did pick up Candy Coat at Bikefest in Vegas last fall so once this snow melts I'll be giving that a try and see if it stays any cleaner
Wash it, blow it dry with compressed air, then go over it with detain spray and a micro fibre cloth. It's back to pretty much showroom in about 1/2 hour
I did pick up Candy Coat at Bikefest in Vegas last fall so once this snow melts I'll be giving that a try and see if it stays any cleaner
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