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Cruiser
Posts: 235
Kincardine, Ontario, Canada | Okay, I'm not know for washing my bike regularly. But when I do, I want it clean when I'm done.
I'm finding that old bug juice is hard to remove from the aluminum panels. I've tried bug remover, but the surface is more porous than a painted smooth area, so it likes to hang on to that dirty bug.
Ideas? |
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Cruiser
Posts: 141
| "Simple Green". Spray on wait 5 minutes hose off. the majority of the goo will fall off! What doesn't go on the first rince easily comes off with the spong. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 235
Kincardine, Ontario, Canada | I'm going to try that, thanks |
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Cruiser
Posts: 141
| Tis the season in our neck of the woods. I believe Ive got bugs an inch thick to get rid of tomorrow. Thanks to the adirondacks Ny ,vermont , New Hampshire and of course Maine. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | i use the S-100 stuff. spray it on there wait 3-5 mins and hose away... then i use a bucket of soapy water to wash her down real good. Then and this is the part i like.. i use that MR CLean auto dry to do the final rinse.. I love that thing! I just let it dry either in the sun or how ever and it is almost completely spot free afterwards. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 99
Kansas City, Ks | I use Honda Cleaner or Thunderbolt Polish..
Oddly enough just the other day I was cleaning the bike and was actually debating the painting that I wanted
to do to the aluminum panels due to them be so easy to clean!! |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 20
Aberdeen SD | What really works good is get a pack of citris wipes they come in a sealable package you carry with you they just wipe right off even if they ahve been on for awhile also works on the windsheild can be gotten at about any place walmarts $ stores |
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Tourer
Posts: 367
Cottage Grove, Mn | chrome'em |
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Cruiser
Posts: 141
| I like that too! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Hartland, , WI | I use Bug Slide...it works great...it builds up a nice surface over time too so they keep coming off easier. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 238
SF Bay Area | Simple Green and S100 are acids... if you have any flaw or defect in the clear coat on your aluminum panels these chemicals will turn your panels dark gray due to the chemical etching. Don't get me wrong... I use S100, but not on my aluminum parts, unless they are painted... I do not the stuff near my engine fins. If you do get the stuff on a bare aluminum part, you will need to rinse the stuff off completely, or it will corrode and etch the metal.
I use either ProtectAll or Honda spray polish, spray liberally/soak it well, and remove the liquified bugs with an old diaper. Kinda gross, (the bugs, not the diaper!) but it works. If you coat your cleaned aluminum panels with something like Mother's carnauba wax, it make future bug cleaning easier, often only needing a wet rag.
Finally, here's a thought... I have successfully used a coin op spray car wash gun to clean dried bug guts, seems to work well, without any chance of scratching the surface finish. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 235
Kincardine, Ontario, Canada | I remember last year coming back from Montana, this gas station had some bug cleaner in the squeegee pail. Something like Dinosaur bug remover or Dino Clean, I can't remember what it was called, but it was pink and it cleaned the front of the bikes real good. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| I use the Honda spray cleaner for just quick cleanup of the entire bike (takes the bugs and guts right off) and I use Simply Green for washing the bike type cleanup. Simple Green is completely bio safe and will not harm any part of your bike, painted surfaces or otherwise. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 247
| i am not known for cleaning either. if it is nice enough to clean it is nice enough to ride. i simply take a used terry towel, wet it well, and spread it flat onthe windshield and the rest of the front of the bike. come back out in the morning and wipe off the bugs. really sticky bugs might take a secong application of towell. never found anything easier than this. |
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Tourer
Posts: 301
Buffalo Grove,Ill | I use extra strength 409 on the whole bike works great on everything including the bug guts ! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 257
Under the Rule of Jedi - Masshole | Before this turns into an "Oil" thread, just a little clarification. Not to say your wrong Mike, I know you better than that, and value your info.
But for anyone unsure if this will hurt the aluminum, try it somewhere it won't show incase it does discolor.
Simple Green is a base not an acid. It has a pH of 9.5 +/- .3. A pH of 7.0 is neutral anything below is an acid anything above is a base.
Also have a look at Simple Green MSDS here:
http://www.simplegreen.com/pdfs/09A_msds_simple_green_pad.pdf
Couldn't find a MSDS for the S100
Oh and in case you don't know, MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet. Pretty much if not all products have one.
Edited by Member No. 1 2009-06-01 4:17 AM
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Tourer
Posts: 447
Northeastern Penna. | I don't know what bug n tar remover you tried first, but Turtle wax spray bug n tar remover
works great. RainX has a new product- bug n tar remover gel. |
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Tourer
Posts: 460
Centennial, CO | Heh heh...this is WHY I LOVE this forum. If you are every wondering about the details...YOU guys/gals have the answers...to the nth degree. I LOVE IT! Keep it up! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 235
Kincardine, Ontario, Canada | I have unsuccessfully use the Harley Davidson Tar and Bug remover, but it's too weak. Okay for the windshield, but really doesn't touch the stuff on the Aluminum |
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Cruiser
Posts: 85
| Buy yourself a box of no-name brand dryer sheets. The stuff they impregnate the sheets with not only softens clothes but disolves organic matter like bugs. Just dampen the dryer sheet and wipe it over the surface, the bug guts will begin to disolve and the water turns a bit of a milky color, then just wipe it away with a fresh damp microfiber cloth. I know this sounds odd but it works and I know this because I live in Northern Ontario so believe me I have some experience to back up what I say. This insn't something I came up with, I picked it up off another bike forum before I had my Vision. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 257
Under the Rule of Jedi - Masshole | Nepper - 2009-06-01 8:54 PM
Buy yourself a box of no-name brand dryer sheets. I've heard that to.
From a google search:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf742433.tip.html
I had a big spot of road tar on my car. Here is the solution and it worked beautifully!!! Wet the spot, take a new dryer sheet and rub it on the spot. Came right off!!! Won't damage the paint and took little to no effort to get it off. Also works on those nasty old bug guts on the front grill!
Or here:
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/dryersheets
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=dryer+sheet+... |
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Cruiser
Posts: 137
Houston, Texas | My sister lives in Florida and every May and October the 'love bugs' are swarming; we have the same problem in Texas. My sister turned me on to the dryer sheets a couple of years ago and they work great on the 'love bugs.
As Nepper says; wet the dryer sheets and I work them in a circular motion and they just disappear.
3M should do some research on 'love bug' guts.....its the damnedest adhesive I've ever seen.
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Cruiser
Posts: 61
| Just use Windex It works the best. Just don't get it on the waxed panels. |
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New user
Posts: 1
| Go to your Victory dealer and get the pure Victory Polishes cleaning kit. It is a little spendy but if you wash your bike often it pays for itself.
When you get the bugs of the windshield and chrome front, Use the Pure Victory Windshield, Paint and Chrome Polish on the windshield and the chrome front. Then all I have to do is use the Bike wash concentrate and water to get the bugs off a lot lot easier. Im sold on it. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 204
West Knoxville TN | Simple cheap spray wax. I take the bottle of spray wax and clean off the bugs with a micro cloth every time I finish a ride. Works like a charm. 3 dollars a bottle and it shines at the same time. |
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How to get Bug Juice off the Alum Panels?