No spots !
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 887
Likes: 1
From: Spring, Texas
No such thing as a cleaner that does not leave spots. Spots are from the water. Unless you are rinsinig the bike with filtered water (very doubtfull), then the best you can do is invest in a good leaf blower and make sure you blow all the water off before it can dry.
Here is what I have always done on all my rides and it works great.
Wash the bike in sections. Once you get one section washed, rinse it and move on to the next section. The whole time you do this, you need to keep the parts you cleaned already, wet by continuously spraying the whole bike every time you rinse off a section.
Once the entire bike is clean and still wet, fire up the blower and start blowing the water off starting from the top down. Keep walking around the bike and blow until there is no more water to blow.
This how I do it and I usually don't have to polish anything! I then let it sit a good hour or two to let any hidden water to evaporate or it will run down the bike when you ride. It usually takes me about 30 - 45 minutes to clean the bike.
This is good enough for every day riding but if you want that "Car Show" clean and shine, you still need to polish every now and then. Nothing like polished chrome to make that bike POP!
Here is what I have always done on all my rides and it works great.
Wash the bike in sections. Once you get one section washed, rinse it and move on to the next section. The whole time you do this, you need to keep the parts you cleaned already, wet by continuously spraying the whole bike every time you rinse off a section.
Once the entire bike is clean and still wet, fire up the blower and start blowing the water off starting from the top down. Keep walking around the bike and blow until there is no more water to blow.
This how I do it and I usually don't have to polish anything! I then let it sit a good hour or two to let any hidden water to evaporate or it will run down the bike when you ride. It usually takes me about 30 - 45 minutes to clean the bike.
This is good enough for every day riding but if you want that "Car Show" clean and shine, you still need to polish every now and then. Nothing like polished chrome to make that bike POP!
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
From: MN
If the bike is not very dirty I just use a little diluted windex to clean the bugs off, then wipe on Turtle Wax Ice and then wipe it off. Looks ready for show! This is on the paint and the chrome. I like simple 
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,645
Likes: 1
From: Orangetown, NY
Use very warm water and a micro fiber towel to get rid of the bugs. Then use Original Bike Spirits spray [formely known as Honda Polish] or Turtle wax Ice but imo Bike spirts works the best for polishing.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 154
Likes: 7
From: Eau Claire, WI
First the bugs come off using Bugs Be Gone by Sea Foam. Then I use Wizards Mist N Shine on the entire bike. I do this after every ride, takes about 15 minutes. That is usually all I need to do to keep her looking good!
If I happen to get caught in the rain or if I feel it's time to give it a good scrub down, I use Wizards car wash soap followed by the leaf blower treatment! I then give it a coat of wax with Turtle Wax Ice. Once a month or so it just has to be polished up real good! I've spent more than 2 hours doing this...
If I happen to get caught in the rain or if I feel it's time to give it a good scrub down, I use Wizards car wash soap followed by the leaf blower treatment! I then give it a coat of wax with Turtle Wax Ice. Once a month or so it just has to be polished up real good! I've spent more than 2 hours doing this...
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Don't use a nozel at the end of the hose. Just let the water "flow" out and it will run off like water on a duck.
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Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: Plainfield, Illinois
I learned this the hard way. NEVER wash the bike in direct sunlight! Leaves nasty water spots that take forever to get off!
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
From: Randolph, WI
+ a billion. Use warm water on a micro fiber. Do the tins first then crash bar, engine footboard etc.. Then wax. Or if you have all the time in the world, use ultimate compund, polish, ultimate wax on your buffer. I'll be doing these steps this coming week before the bike trip to Poopy's! Yea!