How often do you clean/wash/detail your bike? - Page 3

Dnyce · 02-16-2009, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azoomm

It wasn't just about having a spotless bike, it was about bolt checking and making sure things were doing what they were supposed to be doing. Point - a bolt came loose on the front lower that we didn't notice - the cowl tilted and wore a small hole into the lower oil cooler.

aw, you beat me to it.

OneSickPsycho · 02-16-2009, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fnfalman

I clean mine when something impairs functions.

True dat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by marko138

I'm with the mighty DLIT and Yamerhaw...I keep my shit proper. I paid good money for my rig and I want it to look good. I clean before and after every ride. Sometimes with Honda Polish...or when it's really dirty I'll get the soap and bucket out.

So you wash yours what, once... twice a year?

If I do anything, it's soap and bucket. To me that's shit's easier than dicking around with the various polishes and 400 rags.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dnyce

my 750 is pretty dirty if you get up on it, it looks ok from 20ft tho. mostly because its been raining everyday, and my dumbass kept riding anyway. probably why i got sick. oh well. usually tho its pretty clean, not quite dlit status cuz i bought it used and its got a few scratches, nicks, etc. i ride it to work everyday, so i only really clean it friday after work, so its pimped out for the weekend. during the week i just wipe it down, try not to let the brake dust build up. white rims are a bitch, hate em.

my racebike i try to keep ultra clean, i've torn it down to the bare frame atleast once strictly because it sat for awhile and dust, light oxidation, some overspray, had taken over. usually i just spend about two hours going over it the weekend before i go racing. i wish i could roll it off the truck and into a big plastic bubble in between races.

i HATE cleaning, but i look at it like this, other than just looking like shit, if the bike is dirty as fuck, how will u spot a slight leak, alil extra wear, something about to break or something of that nature before it becomes a big problem? to keep a bike clean you gotta go over every piece of it, and it doubles as a inspection, so you find lil things before they turn into big things. thats my thinking anyway

See... I do post ride checks and various maintenance instead of washing. I'd rather be wrenching than polishing. That being said, it depends on the bike. I kept my 500 very clean... The Buell looked better dirty... My 954 was filthy all the time cause I hated it... The TLR doesn't have enough riding on it to need cleaning... Once I fighter the Tiller, it's gonna be dirty all the time and fucking like it.

azoomm · 02-16-2009, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dnyce

aw, you beat me to it.

It amazes me how many people don't... it takes maybe 10 minutes.

Dnyce · 02-16-2009, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneSickPsycho

See... I do post ride checks and various maintenance instead of washing. I'd rather be wrenching than polishing.

the cleaning IS the post/pre ride check to me. if you take the time to check it, might as well clean it. ive yet to get out a bucket and wash, cuz if you always do it....

Quote:

Originally Posted by azoomm

... it takes maybe 10 minutes.

what she said.

Yamerhaw · 02-16-2009, 09:53 PM

yeah i mean i can wash/dry mine and wax/polish in less than half an hour

as far as all other maintenance, it is done religously, Amsoil synthetic with suzuki filter every 2,500 miles , chain clean and adjusted, clean/fresh brake fluid, cables lubed,etc. i take care of my stuff, not gonna take care of all the other stuff and not keep it looking good, yeah i'd rather ride than clean, but i dont ride all day everyday, so when i'm at home, i can just go out to the mancave and shine my baby

when i sell a bike you can tell its been taken care of

rogue · 02-16-2009, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fnfalman

I clean mine when something impairs functions.

I stopped reading right here because this almost sounds like me! I give mine a good cleaning whenever I'm doing maintainence stuff....oil change, new tires, etc. Other than that I just make sure the change stays cleaned and waxed. My bike has a function....and that function is to not sit and look pretty. It's to be ridden. And I don't care what anyone says, silver rims are a total PITA to keep looking nice. I wish I had black ones.

My bike gets a good bath about twice a year or so. I will wash her before going on a trip...although I don't know why. By the time I get to my destination, she's dirty again...oh well....

Archren · 02-16-2009, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue

I stopped reading right here because this almost sounds like me! I give mine a good cleaning whenever I'm doing maintainence stuff....oil change, new tires, etc. Other than that I just make sure the change stays cleaned and waxed. My bike has a function....and that function is to not sit and look pretty. It's to be ridden. And I don't care what anyone says, silver rims are a total PITA to keep looking nice. I wish I had black ones.

My bike gets a good bath about twice a year or so. I will wash her before going on a trip...although I don't know why. By the time I get to my destination, she's dirty again...oh well....

Black isn't much better, I assure you.

Black shows even the tiniest amount of dust.

rogue · 02-16-2009, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archren

Black isn't much better, I assure you.

Black shows even the tiniest amount of dust.

Huh....then how come Wade's black rims always looked better than mine after washing then riding?

I admit it...I was jealous of his bike. Black frame and rims and blue fairings....

You know, he offered to trade bikes with me after I fought him over my bike, but I turned him down.

Yamerhaw · 02-17-2009, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue

I stopped reading right here because this almost sounds like me! I give mine a good cleaning whenever I'm doing maintainence stuff....oil change, new tires, etc. Other than that I just make sure the change stays cleaned and waxed. My bike has a function....and that function is to not sit and look pretty. It's to be ridden. And I don't care what anyone says, silver rims are a total PITA to keep looking nice. I wish I had black ones.

My bike gets a good bath about twice a year or so. I will wash her before going on a trip...although I don't know why. By the time I get to my destination, she's dirty again...oh well....

my bike's function is to ride too, but might as well look good while its doing its job

rogue · 02-17-2009, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yamerhaw

my bike's function is to ride too, but might as well look good while its doing its job

My bike isn't as pretty as yours either, whether it's washed or not.

Plus it doesn't take much much to make mine look dirty. Why bother if I'm only going to get 20 miles down the road before she looks like she went mud hoggin' again?

02-16-2009, 09:53 PM	#25
Yamerhaw Country Boy Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Hicktown in NC Moto: 07 R1 Posts: 797	yeah i mean i can wash/dry mine and wax/polish in less than half an hour as far as all other maintenance, it is done religously, Amsoil synthetic with suzuki filter every 2,500 miles , chain clean and adjusted, clean/fresh brake fluid, cables lubed,etc. i take care of my stuff, not gonna take care of all the other stuff and not keep it looking good, yeah i'd rather ride than clean, but i dont ride all day everyday, so when i'm at home, i can just go out to the mancave and shine my baby when i sell a bike you can tell its been taken care of __________________ “If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.” It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.