2Hose or not 2Hose?

[Have2BeFree]

Here is the dilemma:

Sunny day - I could ride my bike or I could wash my bike. I choose to ride. It's been washed once since I started riding it in the middle of March. :spank:

 

[SovietRobot]

I've washed my bike 2 times in the 10 months I've owned it.

 

[Fred]

It Puts the Lotion In The Basket Or It Gets The HOSE Again...HAHAHAHA....PUT THE FU**EN LOTION IN THE BASKET....

This calls for a song!

Edit: Whups. I forgot that you see Buffalo Bill naked at the end of this. Don't click it at work, mkay?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDgS6qLsVM4[/ame]

 

[grumpy1luvs2eat]

This why I don't clean it. If you shining it, you ain't riding it.GRUMPY

 

[PAULED]

We can't use a hose here ,water restrictions ,big fine if you get caught so I rinse off the bike with a watering can.

No chance of hose ban here in South Wales, but saying that it has been excellent last few days (long may it last)

Back on topic, I lightly rinse bike with hose before cleaning to get all the crap off, and again after to get all the suds off.

Cheers

 

[The Toecutter]

I rinse with the hose, but I generally try to rinse from top down, simulating rainfall. The bike can definitely handle rain.

As for the leaf blower, make sure it's an electric. A gas leaf blower often blows the exhaust out along with all the air, so unless you want to coat your bike with two-stroke oil...

Actually, that might be a good rust prevention method.

The 2 stroke oil would prevent some rusting!! LOL but mine is battery operated.B&D 18volt came with 2 batteries only $69.00 at Lowes....:rockon:

 

[wolfc70]

If it really dirty, then S100 and a hose. Otherwise I just use a spray polish and some soft cloths. A MR. Clean Magic Eraser does a good job of getting road gunk off of the rims. I use Bean Clean to remove tar and stubborn bugs. Unless I ride in the rain, I clean my bike maybe once a month, why clean your bike on a nice day. I would rather ride!:thumbup:

http://www.chaindrain.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=001&Product_Code=BC001 Bean Clean

 

[FizzySix]

Hose, bucket of sudsy water and a sponge (I use a car soap/wax all-in-one product), hose again, then leaf blower. I'll get the last few drops of water with a rag for a spot-free shine.

I figure that if it can run at highway speeds in the rain, a gentle shower from a garden hose is not going to cause a problem.

I just got a power washer....when I'm washing the bike, I'm probably also washing the truck, the minivan, the mowers...any small children within reach...all at the same time, so I may do some experimenting. If I drive water past my o-rings and wreck my chain or something, I'll let you all know

 

[Boneman]

Lol this topic cracks me up. How many discussions are we going to have about hosing down your bike anyway?!? Why are people so affraid of washing their bike with a hose?!?!? Good god people, it's not made out of cardboard!!! I get the feeling that some of you guys think your bike is gonna fall apart if you look at it the wrong way...

A motorcycle is built and designed to be be ridden outdoors, including in the rain. I've ridden for hours at 110KmpH in massive downpours....do you think wahsing your bike with a garden hose is going to be worse than that??? Your bike is designed to get wet people; stop being affraid of washing the damn thing!

Obviously using a preasure washer and blasting your electrical connections with it may casue you some problems, but using a regualr garden hose with an attachment set to shower or spray and giving the bike a once over will not casuse any problems. Been washing my bike this way (and my car) for over 4 years now and have yet to have any issues other than a clean bike.

Bucket of soapy water, wash cloth and a hose. Not any harder than that people.

Your bike is a serious and well built piece of machenery! Stop being affraid of it! It can handle some water from a hose for christ sakes....

 

[Roadstergal]

Motos melt in the rain, doncha know?

 

[necrotimus]

I've ridden for hours at 110KpH in massive downpours....do you think wahsing your bike with a garden hose is going to be worse than that???

Who knows what 110 KpH means?? Metric System?? :Flip: I too ride all the time at highway speeds in the rain and the only side effect is I have to take care of my chain a little more often.


I WISH I could use a hose but we arent allowed to wash our cars in my parking lot so one bucket of soap one bucket of water

 

[Boneman]

Who knows what 110 KpH means?? Metric System?? :Flip:

Sorry, KM per hour....so about 10 Miles per hour or $6.00 US dollars.... :thumbup: (hee hee)

 

[Tailgate]

A hose!? Are you kidding me? Do you know how much damage hosing down your bike means? OMG. WOULD YOU HOSE DOWN YOUR TV SET? No, seriously, Boneman is right but---and this is a significant "but"---the more your bike is exposed to water/moisture the more your bike is, eventually, go to show some effects of this. But, this can be mitigated, as Boneman points out, by trying to avoid spraying water in areas such as the steering neck bearing area, or electical connection areas. And, true, the bike is engineered so that riding in the rain is not going to damage it. Still, I try to avoid riding in the rain because, I know, in the long run constant rain/moisture can't be exactly beneficial. BTW, under NO circumstance should you fill up your cans with water, whether intentional or unintentional. And, if you think that some water did flow down your cans blow it out ASAP.

 

[mpb218]

I've never had a problem using a hose, but I use a bucket now for other reasons (stupid condos). The bucket method isn't bad, it would be nice to have a steady supply of fresh water to rinse the wheels off though.

 

[Wolfman]

i use a high pressue washer for my bike all the time...they say you shouyld'nt, but after 30000 km's i aint hag any problems...although, after doing a high pressure wash at the car wash recently...i did have no tacho, or speedo for the ride home! whoops....keep the hose away from electrical connections, and i reckon you should be right.

:thumbup:

 

[Mattberkshire]

I normally use a bucket of soapy water. No too precious. But all this talk of leaf blowers to dry it???? I go for a ride to dry it. Get up to 90-100mph and all the drips fly off!!!!!:rockon:

And here for your delectation is a very dirty bike pre-wash

 

[buzzbomb]

Who knows what 110 KpH means?? Metric System?? :Flip: (

Yeah, it's what virtually every country in the world outside america uses now. We're still waiting for you guys to catch up, but it's taking much longer than expected...lol

 

[FZ1inNH]

Bucket of water with some Dawn dish detergent in it. Hose it, wash it, rinse with the hose.

Couple of hints:
1. I always remove the cap at the bottom of the steering head to be sure the water is drained. (I don't trust that small drain hole in there!)
2. I have a pair of tapered wood plugs with some simple weather strip wrapped around them to plug the two exhaust ports. No more worries about water in the can(s).

I use the shower head spray that she uses to water her flower beds. It's not a forceful spray but sure does a great job at quickly rinsing it off.

I don't use the pressure washer on it. Mine is like 2800 PSI. I would with it on fan spray at about 3 yards distance... maybe. But I would never use it up close. This washer has done two things that scare me. Once I slipped with a hand and it cut clean through my palm to the muscle in a split second. The other was it completely blew not only the bugs of the license plate but the reflective paint with it from two of the 7 numbers!

Hose is fine! Just use common sense on what your spraying with it and don't use the BLAST feature.

 

[FizzySix]

And here for your delectation is a very dirty bike pre-wash

You're not kidding. Looks like mostly the rear portion. Do you think the scottoiler contributes to this, and/or did you notice this building up more frequently after installation? The grunge looks oddly localized.

 

[The Toecutter]

I normally use a bucket of soapy water. No too precious. But all this talk of leaf blowers to dry it???? I go for a ride to dry it. Get up to 90-100mph and all the drips fly off!!!!!:rockon:

And here for your delectation is a very dirty bike pre-wash

Dude!!! That thing is filthy!!! you been riding that bike that is for sure!! LOL :rockon: