Spring is near. Preventing sticking bugs?

So spring is near and I was thinking that with my new job I will be commuting on many miles of back roads and that means bugs. In this part of the country we have these little black bugs called Love Bug and they stick to your bike, car, and helmet like super glue if you don't get them off right away. A few years ago it was suggested that I use cooking spray on the surfaces that catch the most bugs. It sort of worked but it's messy and on my white car it gets funky looking after a couple of days. Paste waxes are to much trouble and aren't much help with the dreaded Love Bugs. I was wondering if anyone has had any luck with a particular product or method that they were satisfied with? Easy would be a really good spray wax, or what do you think about maybe using something like spray-on silicone or teflon?

Here is a wiki on those damn bugs.
Lovebug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I was once told by a Honda dealer back when I had a CB500 that spraying WD40 onto your plastics can help with cleaning off bugs and road muck... I've never tried it myself and I'd be very careful with using anything like that around hot engine parts!

This summer I'll be opting for clear headlight covers for day-time riding... then come night, just take them off and hey presto! Nice clean headlights!

I keep all my plastics clean and waxed. I clean my windscreen, helmet and faceshield with Plexus religiously. Seems keeping them clean and polished makes the bugs come off a lot easier. After a buggy nights ride I can usually snap off my faceshield and rinse most of the bugs off with water.

The story I've always heard is that few things work as well for this as Lemon Pledge (yes, the furniture polish), both at taking off the bugs, and preventing new ones from sticking. Haven't tried it though.

cap'n said:

The story I've always heard is that few things work as well for this as Lemon Pledge (yes, the furniture polish), both at taking off the bugs, and preventing new ones from sticking. Haven't tried it though.

Click to expand...

I'd be interested to hear more about Pledge from someone with first hand experience. Bugs suck here in the woods. It's a daily chore to get them off after a ride before the REALLY stick.

I polish my helmet and face shield with Lemon Pledge -- after I wash/dry it with warm water and cloth. It makes it looks like a piece of jewelry under a good light and is easy to come off unlike wax.

I've done same with Plexus -- although Pledge is cheaper and I think the fumes of Plexus are not so healthy..

Anyway, the only downside to using Pledge to clean/wax anything -- lots of Harley folks use it -- is that it doesn't last nearly as long as wax. But it's a lot quicker.

For removing bugs, it's best to use a paper towel or cloth, get it damp (preferably warm water), dab the bugs gently and let it soak for a few minutes. Next, you can wipe with another wet cloth and they come right off. Then you can polish. Paper towels tend to scratch esp. if they are dry -- e.g., if you get bird doo on your whatever, don't take a napkin and wipe it or you will scratch your whatever (don't ask how I know).

One advantage of Winter riding: no bugs .

Dennis

I have found the best thing to remove bugs off my bike and faceshield is Armor All. It cuts right through the little buggers without any hard rubbing at all. Sometimes it leaves a film but that buffs right off with a clean rag.
Once, in southern Florida, people were stopping and taking pictures of my car because the entire front of it was solid black with love bugs following several hours of driving (fast). BTW: I left them on too long and the acid (?) from their remains stained my paint!

Pledge MSDS

Propane Isobutane Butane propellants
Water 007732-18-5 70-85%
Polydimethylsiloxanes (Silicon oil) 063148-62-9 5-10%
Naphtha, petroleum, light alkylate 5-10%

Armour All MSDS

Silicone emulsion/solution 30-40%


So silicone I think is the common chemical that seems to be doing the protection. The pledge does have just a little naphtha for cleaning. Pledge website says it's ok for automotive exterior uses. Armour All seems to have more silicone though.

here is a review.

Total Motorcycle reviews. Pledge Furniture Polish