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Cruiser
Posts: 297
VA | I'm kinda curious how often people here wash their bike. I admit that I am a slacker, if I knew how to make this a poll I would, but I don't, so just looking for replies. If the mods feel this warrants a poll, please feel free to make it into one.
The reason I ask this is that earlier this week I was talking to a friend/coworker, and he asked if I was riding or trailering down to Myrtle Beach this week. I joked and said it was bike week, not trailer week, and that I'd be riding down. He said, "What if it rains?" I said, "I get wet." He had that look on his face, like he thought I was crazy. I thought maybe he was nervous about riding in the rain, but then he said "But you're bike will get dirty." I told him it was for riding, and no big deal. He said his bike has never been in the rain, that he has too much chrome, and he doesn't want it getting dirty. I joked and said, "you carry a cleaning kit with you, don't you?" He said, "Of course."
Now, he rides the other American motorcycle. Not bagging on HD, but I'm just curious if this is something more particular to owners of HD, or do Victory owners feel like this as well? I know some people probably clean their bike before they ride, and then immediately after. I fall into the category of when it looks bad, then I'll give her a wash. I love the bike, but I just want to ride it, not sit around and stare at it. I used to be compulsive about cleaning my vehicles when I was a few years younger and had more time. Now, it just isn't as big a deal.
Just want to see where people here stand, so here are the categories I would come up with:
a) I'll wash it when somebody writes "Wash Me" in the grime, the dirt helps hold it together.
b) Once or twice a month depending on how much I rode, and if I rode in the rain.
c) At least every week, whether it needs it or not.
d) Every time I ride she gets a wash down. (come here you naughty bike, who's a dirty girl?)
e) I can't afford toilet paper because of my motorcycle cleaning supply habit. |
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Tourer
Posts: 412
Fargo, ND |
(F) Wash it whenever it gets dirty.
(I use Honda Spray Cleaner and it works awesome!) |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Man, I thought you were trying to bust on me when I read the title. So far, there are only a few people I know that don't keep their bikes CLEAN. Most everybody is into the washing and waxing that I know who rides. I hear the same thing, "you rode in the rain, doesn't it get dirty." My reply is "I bought it to ride ALL THE TIME, don't have time for a lot of cleaning." But, I just came in the house after washing and shining my bike and it looks PURTY!. Now, I did that in prep for NEXT WEEKEND, and I'll be riding all this week, rain or shine. It was getting groady so I figure it was time to take a layer down. And by the way, I don't care how dirty it gets NO ONE BETTER WRITE "WASH ME" ON MY BIKE.  Got to go ride to see if the belt squeaks because I adjusted it and also see if the popping has stopped since my exhaust clamps were loose and leaking at the crossover on the right and left side.  |
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Cruiser
Posts: 118
Spfld, IL but temp Bay area, CA | Agree with Flatsix--cannot beat that Honda spray cleaner.
Wash mine after long day of riding and bug killing--otherwise, touchup with the cleaner. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 215
Boydsville, AR United States | Washer when she gets dirty, touch up i9n between. Smetimes only the bugs on the leading edges. I try and keep her clean though.
PS I ride in the rain too, and I don't keep her Bike Show clean until fall. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1158
Richmond, Virginia | "E" my mortgage payments are behind due to the cost of frequent cleaning polishing and waxing. and thats not even taking my bike out for a ride. thats just cause it gets dirty sitting in the garage on rainey days. Its better now, and i spend less time with it since i had the Victory Custom Drive through motorcycle wash tunnel installed beside my house. That being said, i dont mind getting the bike dirty and wet, but she will get a full bath and blow dry when she gets home. are you guys nuts? with all my bling
chrome, even the thought of letting it stay dirty isnt an option. i even put deodorant on myself when i go to wash her. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 247
| a--if i have time to wash i have time to ride it. the harley dealer used to wash it after a service. the victory dealer doesn't seem to have the same policy. i actually have washed it and polished it this year. probably because victory was good enough to send me the do-it-yourself cleaning kit with the nice mocrofibre towel. actually it ws because you guys all have me scared with all the talk about the soft clear coat. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 7
| I have to go with (B) it used to be C, but since I have gone to the Liquid Glass that was recommended on one of the threads a good wipe down with Mothers detailer keeps it looking good.
08 Midnight Cherry Tour |
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | B and C and sometimes F
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Cruiser
Posts: 235
Kincardine, Ontario, Canada | A or B, I'm going for a new handle, Pigpen. Ride every day, rain or shine, don't care.... But today I washed the bike in the rain. I couldn't believe how hard it was to get the bugs off the aluminum front panel. I even used my trusty HD bug remover. I guess it's not like a painted surface. The aluminum is porous and hold the bug juice very well. Lesson learned. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1324
So Cal | Once a week..or two. We have a bee crap problem here in LA (little yellow dots everywhere) hard to keep up with. Dont know why, not a flower in sight. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 600
Linwood, MI | I wash mine every month or two.
I still work full-time, I have two kids, coach Little League, and do whatever the Wife commands me to do. In my spare time I get to ride. Since I don't have an indoor place to wash the bike I have to wait until it's a decent day to wash it, then let it sit for a couple of hours to dry, then polish it up. So when I have time to ride the choice is "do I ride?" or "do I wash?" Guess which one wins out almost every time?  |
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Cruiser
Posts: 257
Under the Rule of Jedi - Masshole | I never have taken the hose to it believe it of not. Just keep it waxed, and use the Victory detailing spray on everything and it looks like it just came off the showroom floor. The Victory stuff works great! I also use one of those car dust mops but only a smaller size made for bikes when it looks a little dusty.
Yes it has seen rain, so it's not a fair weather queen. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1484
LaPorte,Tx. | Very seldom, when I run a long time on a rain day or when the East Texas luv bugs are luv'n. Had so many on the front of the Vision Friday, had to stop and clean off the windshield. They are thick this year after all the rain, oh and they smell so good when wet when your cleaning them off. Yuk!
Edited by VisionTex 2009-05-10 11:43 AM
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Cruiser
Posts: 215
Boydsville, AR United States | Up here in ND we have grass hoppers in the fall. Sometimes the roads even slipery with them. What a mess they make on the lower part of the bike, and there guts splash everywhere, just like rain, and road grime, only harder to remove. |
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Tourer
Posts: 520
Simi Valley, CA | I wipe it down before every ride.... actually wash it- about once a month, take it in for a complete detailing, once a year...
Tim |
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Cruiser
Posts: 99
Kansas City, Ks | I wipe it down before I ride it typically.. Honda Cleaner all the way..
It is usally clean to the point of not having to "wash" with a hose.
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Tourer
Posts: 562
SC, Bluffton | I wash it about every 6 weeks (then polish with something like the Honda or Original Spirits). I clean the windshield up to twice a week. If it is too hot & humid, I try to catch a rain storm. I will actually put my bike in the driveway if it is going to rain, and then it clean easier with some car wash suds & towel.
Herb |
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Cruiser
Posts: 204
guelph ontario | I keep the bugs off between rides because of the corrosive juices. Keep it a bit dusted since the fastest colour black does show dust( from dusting by the slower colours) -On a tour I never touch the bike for cleaning until it gets back home. Being lazy I ride around looking for "charity car washes" and let them go at it under a bit of my supervision. Then all I have to do is some waxing. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 172
Prescott, Az | My Vision is all black. Cleaning it is constant. It's like painting (in this case cleaning) the Macinaw Bridge. When you start at one end, by the time you get to the other it needs cleaning again. What IS it about black that allows you to see even sub-atomic particles?? I use PLexis, Hondaline Cleaner, Liquid Glass, Glosser cloths, Mequires light abrasive cleaner, Lightguard polish and hundreds of microfiber cloths. Each hour riding seems to equate to an hour cleaning. Someday, but too soon, I can see me decling a ride because my bike is clean.
I almost forgot. I carry Swiffer cloths for when it's just dusty.
Edited by Necktie 2009-05-10 6:18 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 548
Mount Vernon, WA United States | I clean mine a couple times a year... I guess when it gets really dirty only. If I'm going to come bike event I might clean it, or for a picture or something... If it gets dusty, I'll just go ride it in the rain and park it in the open before I put it away, or just run the hose on it to get the mud off.
But at least two times a year it gets a going-over... bow to stern, top to bottom. |
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Tourer
Posts: 367
Cottage Grove, Mn | I clean the bugs immediately after a ride in particular the windshield they are just easer to get off then. The only time I use soap and water is if I got stuck in the rain and I need to wash off the road grit. I use a detail spray before every ride because I can't stand the thought of taking my little darling out in public all dusting and dirty. IMHO It would be like taking your child to the grocery store with a dirty face or playing with a t---y through a flannel nighty it just doesn't make sense (sorry I couldn't help myself)
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Cruiser
Posts: 69
| Mine's only a week old but my "history" is "A". I do use the Honda cleaner also after rides and clean the bugs off the front. My new Vision owner friend says he lays the bike on one side (towel under the tip overs), details that side, then lays it on the other. Any tried that?
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Cruiser
Posts: 193
Buford, GA United States | I wipe mine down after every ride and I have washed it a few times in the 17 months I have owned it. I need to give you a heads up on the last time I washed the bike about 2 weeks ago. I finished washing and wiping the bike off and cranked it up to ride it around the neighborhood to air dry. None of the electronic items on the bike worked except for the starter and the lights: no blinkers, radio, Ipod, tach, windshield, brake light, nothing. I panicked as I was to leave in 4 days for Thunder Beach and this was Sunday and the dealer didn't open again until Tuesday. I was able to get the service tech to call me back on Sunday night and agreed to meet me before the dealership opened on Tuesday. I did check the fuses but could find nothing wrong and my concern was that it was both fuse boxes that had shorted out and it didn't seem reasonable to believe that both fuses boxes leaked. Long story short but the mechanic found one fuse blown replaced it and it immediately failed when the key was turned on. He took it in and started breaking it down when he tried to remove the key he found that it had somewhat bonded to the ignition and was causing it to short out. Bottom line is that if you wash the bike take the key out and I guess if you get caught in a rainstorm pull the key out and dry it off when you stop. He gave me some grease to put on the key occasionally.
By the way, Thunder Beach was great and the weather was perfect!!! 1,200 miles in 4 days...
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Cruiser
Posts: 69
| Geez, I used to wash my VTX at the self serve high pressure car wash and never had a problem. Hope you enjoyed Thunder Beach, we really had a big crowd this year, more venues, etc. Funny how when you live here it's not such a big deal.
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How often do you wash your bike?
