Bike cleaning

[Guest Britcheflee]

So, after reading the handbook on my V11 it suggests you cover electrical areas and end of mufflers when cleaning...are these bikes that allergic to water?...make me nervous of washing it down...I know my old 850T got pissed off at me when I washed it when I first got it and wouldnt run for a day until it dried out but surely they must have overcome the fear of water by now?

Also...what should I use to clean the black covers on the mufflers and is it safe to use regular chrome cleaning products on the exhaust pipes?

 

Lee

[Guest Steeltoe]

I never take a hose to my ride. You should consider using aerosols and cotton rags. Plexus is good for plastice, Pro Honda Spray Cleaner & Polish is good for

most everything else on your bike, including wheels. For the cans, try Noxon metal polish. Once you get used to doing it like this, I think you will agree it is

the best way to clean a bike.

[jrt]

The exhausts are stainless, so I don't think chrome cleaning products would be indicated.

 

As far as the old T goes, usually the culprit was water in the spark plug boots or in the distributor cap. The V11 has no dist. of course, and the caps are soooo much better than the old ones.

I'm bad about washing my bike- real bad- like twice a year, maybe three times at most. I spray on S100 on the hard metal parts that pick up oil and dirt (engine block, rear drive and wheels) then liberally hose it off- not spray, just light running water. Then I wipe down everything up top with a damp rag or I use some simple green sometimes (again with lots of water). Seems to work pretty good.

[dlaing]

Oh boy! a cleaning thread! almost as much fun as an oil thread.

I am afraid of all the don'ts, so I just wipe off extra dirt with a dry rag.

I use a damp rag to get bugs off.

My bike and leathers are too dirty...I really don't deserve such a beautiful bike

Oh, so what are the don'ts?

Number one is don't use a dry rag as this will scratch the paint....ooops, I already blew that one.

Number two, don't spray water at the following points:

@#$^#$%^#

@#$%^%#&*

^%$@#&

#*$%

Number three, don't use harsh cleaners, like brake or carb cleaner on the painted surfaces, plastic body parts, rubber parts, etc

Number four, don't clean it so much that vermin are attracted to its shine.

Number five, don't bother cleaning it because it is just going to get dirty again!

[Guest ratchethack]

Lee, everyone has their own cleaning regimen, depending on the objectives desired and where you want to end up on the effort/results continuum. FWIW, I keep my Sport in very clean condition all the time. You're wise in asking if V11's are allergic to water, and your concern is well-placed. I think the correct answer is, "Yes" - but although I can swim very well - I'm "allergic" too if I don't get at least a critical amount of air once in awhile. Here's what I do, (this is sure to raise objections, but I don't mind in the least... )

 

Every year or so (depending on the level of accumulated road crud) I put the bike on the shop stand (for better access, and so I can rotate the wheels), take off the seat, Stucchi fairing, tank, and side-covers, and use a pressure washer (yeah, that's right! ) with Simple Green ON THE LOWER PORTION of the engine cases and transmission ONLY, being careful in advance to cover all electrical switches (side-stand switch, for example), breathers (bevel box and trans), swing-arm and U-joints, etc. with bits of rubber-banded-on plastic bag. I don't bother covering the exhaust openings, as I'm very careful not to get any water in there, and I should emphasize that I'm extremely careful to avoid all "vulnerable" spots with the direct high-pressure stream. Here's the mandatory caveat - In the wrong places, high-pressure spray can cause a lot more damage than any benefit of cleaning can provide!

 

I spend the next hour going over the entire bike from top to bottom with a pile of clean bar-towels, wiping off the splatter and "spot-cleaning" with a spray bottle of straight Simple Green, spray bottle of H2O for rinsing all the SG off, and tooth brushes. I take this opportunity to open, clean, and blast out (with compressed air), and re-fill with dielectric grease as many electrical connections as I think can benefit, and dry the entire bike thoroughly with a leaf-blower and clean bar-towels. If I'm still feeling particularly energetic at this point, I'll wax and buff off most of the painted and clear-coated surfaces after re-assembling.

 

Caution - Any Simple Green left behind will etch any bare, non-clear-coated aluminum and other alloys (you shouldn't have any, but I've bodged-in a few here and there, YMMV). I'm very careful to rinse it ALL off everywhere!

 

I do 100% of my own maintenance, and I've been through the entire bike for the most part from stem to stern, with the exception of engine lower-end and box internals. I have found ZERO damage or negative effects from this cleaning routine, and I've not had any electrical problems whatsoever due to water entry.

 

I can't comment about the black exhaust covers, (I don't have those), but for the nastiest stains on the headers that don't come off with rubbing with a bar-towel and Simple Green, I use SG with a Scotch Brite pad ONLY in the direction of the "grain" of the brushed finish. Compared to cleaning chrome, these are relatively low-maintenance in their stock, "natural" honey/bluish tone. The patina will come off, but it returns the first time the engine gets up to operating temp without a trace of the stain.

 

This routine allows semi-weekly light cleaning between the yearly or so "deep cycle" cleanings with Simple Green and bar-towels as needed, with good results.

 

Of course, that's just me, and as always, YMMV.

[BrianG]

Lee, everyone has their own cleaning regimen, depending on the objectives desired and where you want to end up on the effort/results continuum. 

 

This routine allows semi-weekly light cleaning between the "deep cycle" cleanings with Simple Green and bar-towels as needed, with good results.

 

Of course, that's just me, and as always, YMMV.

61953[/snapback]

 

 

Apparently I don't frequent the local bar enough........ They don't give me towels to clean my bike!!

[Guest ratchethack]

Apparently I don't frequent the local bar enough........  They don't give me towels to clean my bike!!

Hmmm....Fortunately, I have no such aversions. The local "big-box" outlet sells packages of 45ea. for about $10 USD. I seem to go thru a package every couple of years...that's for 2 bikes, 2 cars, and assorted other stuff.

[Guest Nogbad]

I clean mine with degreaser and a pressure washer. I avoid the orifices and wheel bearing area and always take it out for at least 40 miles afterwards to dry it.

[big J]

Mine lives outside and gets used in all weathers, so I wouldn't worry too much about the electrics, just give them a good skoosh of wd40 or similar every week or so and they're fine.

It gets belted with a big soapy sponge and blown off with compressed air once every couple of weeks. Or so. Probably. Unless I'm busy.

[txrider]

My bikes usually stay pristine with a little regular cleaning using only wet soapy towels (auto grade shampoo), spray bottle rinses and then a going over the body work with Plexus instead of wax or polish. Our "bike dirt" usually consists of road dust and bugs and these come off after each ride as soon as the bike cools.

Undercarriage cleaning is done with paint brushes, vegetable brushes and 50% dilute Simple Green. Kerosene and/or WD-40 is used first if there is a buildup of grease/oil/dirt there. I use a LOT of Bounty papertowels during the undercarriage cleaning.

A note about Plexus- I've used this for several years on acrylic windshields and faceshields but discovered recently by accident it works great on body work paint.

[grossohc]

I clean my bike when it needs it, usually just to get the dead flies off it,I wash it with a big bucket of soapy water with a lot of help from my 6 year old daughter who likes to be in charge of the hose, dry it with a leaf blower wd40 on the linkages start it ride round the block and put it away till the next time i take it out for a hurl.

Gary

[Guest Britcheflee]

Thanks,

Sounds silly but I think of cleaning as an 'investment' - I keep all our cars and my truck clean (I do not dare to go inside the wife's Sienna as there is so much crap in there I may never be seen again....is this a female thing?) - I also clean the engines and use a mix of wd 40 and a vinyl/plastic enhancer to make it all look nice again inside and out - I also try to keep my bikes spotless and go over them in the evenings with a beer in one hand and various cleaning products in the other -and the reason for me is:

1. This up close and personal cleaning often will allow you to discover other problems...dont know how many times I have discovered a loose wire, nut or something seeping oil -nail in the tire, nut holding the gear shift loose etc etc With the cars you discover low brake fluid, coolant and so on.

2. If, you then have to work on your bike/car you are not digging through oil and crud to try to get to the part/nut etc and the amount of oil and filth you get on you is somewhat lessened.

3. If you are going to spend that much money on something then I feel you should keep it looking like the amount of money it is worth.

 

 

 

I have a bit of an aversion to Simple green (which I think is a great cleaning product) because believe it or not when I used to work in a funeral home we would use it to clean off the bodies before hosing them down!!!!!! Now I associate the smell with the dead.....

 

Anyone use that stuff called Pigs spit??? Caught my eye at the store today......

 

 

Lee