FZ6N Washing Tips & tricks?

[vrsbrazil]

Hello everyone!

Ok, as my status shows I am still new at the riding business so I am still getting a little confused when it comes to washing my bike...
I´d like to hear from you tips on best practises (and worst for that matter :spank so and don´t face any unwanted scratches or rust...

Any help is welcome!

Thank you! :thumbup:

 

[rider1a]

Hello everyone!

Ok, as my status shows I am still new at the riding business so I am still getting a little confused when it comes to washing my bike...
I´d like to hear from you tips on best practises (and worst for that matter :spank so and don´t face any unwanted scratches or rust...

Any help is welcome!

Thank you! :thumbup:

It is easy...use warm, soapy water...any decent dish washing soap is fine. Use a soft brush and cloth to remove dirt all over the surface. Make sure and use a new cloth for each new section of the bike so you don't scratch the surface with smeared dirt.

After you have cleaned the surface all over the bike well, spray the excess soapy water off with a regular hose (not a high-pressure hose). I then spray WD-40 all over the engine to remove excess water. It also makes the black engine look really shiny. Then get any decent car wax like Macguire and use it on the side panels and gas tank.

After the whole bike is finished, I then clean the chain with a o-ring friendly solvent and afterwards apply Teflon spray for lubrication. But it seems no sooner than I spent an hour cleaning the bike that in 2-3 days, the bike is back to the way it looked before I cleaned it. As a result I don't wash the bike very often.

Fred

 

[Aleziel]

use wd40 to clean the rear wheel and anywhere you will have grease from the chain, it does wonders!

avoid having the wd40 touching the tires

dont forget to grease the chain

dont use high pressure water jets especially near the radiator folds

dont leave the bike to dry by itself water will leave salt marks depending on the hardness of your local water supply, use a soft cloth, microfiber always works great.

having a toothbrush always helps for small places.

dishwashing gloves are good if you dont like to get black grease under your fingernails

 

[MG-242]

Great advice! Especially, not using high pressure water. You don't want to force water (and dirt) into places (bearings, etc.) where it absolutely does not belong.

Another thing I do is to take a small towel, soak it with water, and lay it over the wind screen while I wash the rest of the bike. This allows you to soak down the little buggies and wash them away much easier without scratching the screen.

Also, a product called Simple Green is great for cleaning the greasey areas, wheels, chain, brake calibers, counter shaft area, etc. It's pretty easy on the surfaces and cleans the grease off well.

 

[vrsbrazil]

It is easy...use warm, soapy water...any decent dish washing soap is fine. Use a soft brush and cloth to remove dirt all over the surface. Make sure and use a new cloth for each new section of the bike so you don't scratch the surface with smeared dirt.

After you have cleaned the surface all over the bike well, spray the excess soapy water off with a regular hose (not a high-pressure hose). I then spray WD-40 all over the engine to remove excess water. It also makes the black engine look really shiny. Then get any decent car wax like Macguire and use it on the side panels and gas tank.

After the whole bike is finished, I then clean the chain with a o-ring friendly solvent and afterwards apply Teflon spray for lubrication. But it seems no sooner than I spent an hour cleaning the bike that in 2-3 days, the bike is back to the way it looked before I cleaned it. As a result I don't wash the bike very often.

Fred

I heard that you shouldn´t wax the tank so you don´t make it slippery while you´re riding, does thta make any sense at all?

 

[vrsbrazil]

use wd40 to clean the rear wheel and anywhere you will have grease from the chain, it does wonders!

avoid having the wd40 touching the tires

dont forget to grease the chain

dont use high pressure water jets especially near the radiator folds

dont leave the bike to dry by itself water will leave salt marks depending on the hardness of your local water supply, use a soft cloth, microfiber always works great.

having a toothbrush always helps for small places.

dishwashing gloves are good if you dont like to get black grease under your fingernails

That reminds me: What precautions should I have when cleaning the radiator?

 

[vrsbrazil]

Great advice! Especially, not using high pressure water. You don't want to force water (and dirt) into places (bearings, etc.) where it absolutely does not belong.

Another thing I do is to take a small towel, soak it with water, and lay it over the wind screen while I wash the rest of the bike. This allows you to soak down the little buggies and wash them away much easier without scratching the screen.

Also, a product called Simple Green is great for cleaning the greasey areas, wheels, chain, brake calibers, counter shaft area, etc. It's pretty easy on the surfaces and cleans the grease off well.

Those bugs are really annoying to clean out, I´ll try the cloth trick!

 

[Rocky529]

Don't use dishwashing soap on the paint unless you want to strip any wax you have on it already.

 

[rider1a]

Don't use dishwashing soap on the paint unless you want to strip any wax you have on it already.

That is why I wax after using the soapy water and rinsing the bike properly.

Fred

 

[RedFZ6]

I wash my bike every week but to keep the windscreen, headlights and my helmet clear of bugs, I give them a wash and wipe everyday, it takes just a couple of minutes to get rid of those fu^%ing bugs.
I use the armor all brand "wash&wax" soap and I always start with cleaning the wheels with simple green and soapy water, then brushing the tires with soft tire brush and warm soapy water, DON'T USE TIRE DRESSING, after that I wash the rest of the bike (with another sponge obviously) followed by blowing some air by an air blower to get the water out of hard to reach spots and finally drying with a micro fiber towel.. YOOOHOOO ready to go for a ride :rockon:

 

[steveindenmark]

DON`T clean the chain with the engine running
DON`T use a pressure washer.

I always use rainwater to wash it, nothing else. My bike is a 2006 and looks like new. I use a good quality car wax after I have washed it and just rub it over everything and then polish it. To dry it off before waxing and polishing I take it for a 10 minute ride to blow dry everything.

Steve

 

[coiled]

Don't use dishwashing soap on the paint unless you want to strip any wax you have on it already.

Dishwashing soap contains salt so think of it washing your bike in brackish water.

 

[vrsbrazil]

DON`T clean the chain with the engine running
DON`T use a pressure washer.

I always use rainwater to wash it, nothing else. My bike is a 2006 and looks like new. I use a good quality car wax after I have washed it and just rub it over everything and then polish it. To dry it off before waxing and polishing I take it for a 10 minute ride to blow dry everything.

Steve

Yeah, I saw the chain greasing accident pictures, certainly I won´t do that!

 

[vrsbrazil]

OK so pressure water is bad...... why?

 

[Aleziel]

OK so pressure water is bad...... why?

a) pressured water will put water on areas that are not designed to have water, your bike is water proof regarding rain, not high speed -gravity defying-pushing into naturally protected areas-water

b) the radiator folds are very thin, and they can bend very easily with high pressure water. to clean them take away the plastic protector and gently brush them on a up-down motion after getting them wet.

 

[04fizzer]

It is easy...use warm, soapy water...any decent dish washing soap is fine. Use a soft brush and cloth to remove dirt all over the surface. Make sure and use a new cloth for each new section of the bike so you don't scratch the surface with smeared dirt.

After you have cleaned the surface all over the bike well, spray the excess soapy water off with a regular hose (not a high-pressure hose). I then spray WD-40 all over the engine to remove excess water. It also makes the black engine look really shiny. Then get any decent car wax like Macguire and use it on the side panels and gas tank.

After the whole bike is finished, I then clean the chain with a o-ring friendly solvent and afterwards apply Teflon spray for lubrication. But it seems no sooner than I spent an hour cleaning the bike that in 2-3 days, the bike is back to the way it looked before I cleaned it. As a result I don't wash the bike very often.

Fred

NEVER NEVER NEVER use dish washing soap!!!! It contains micro abrasives and will scratch your paint over time.

 

[Wade Poulsen]

This might sound crazy but after you wash the bike and it drys completely. Try using Pledge...I've used it on all my bikes for the past 10+ years. It really brings out the bikes color and shine. It seem to help the paint keep it's luster after years riding in the sun.
Try it...you might like it...

 

[vrsbrazil]

This might sound crazy but after you wash the bike and it drys completely. Try using Pledge...I've used it on all my bikes for the past 10+ years. It really brings out the bikes color and shine. It seem to help the paint keep it's luster after years riding in the sun.
Try it...you might like it...

You mean the surface cleaner?

 

[bluefaz]

never use dishwashing soap on yer bike, it has salt in it and it will react with warm water, only use a decent carwash shampoo with wax in it, then leather the paintwork off and then use a decent wax polish on it everytime you wash it, over time it will make the paintwork look like glass and so shiney, it will look better than when it was new. as for the front discs and wheels i use a sponge with a rough side to it and wash the rivets inside and outside, the black paint on the discs i also wax, it stops the paint becoming brittle and flaking off like so many bikes ive seen. but be carefull not to get ANY wax on the discs themselves. or the black plastics like mirrors and indicators i use armourall, brilliant back to black polish. i use it on the brake callipers and the the brake hoses, keeps them looking like new.the only area on the bike i use autosol is the footpegs coz theyre alluminium and look nice afterwards. compare your bike with other peoples, look at the areas that theyve neglected and you can pay attention to those ares on your bike, it pays off in the end. people will ask you how you manage to make your bike look so good. also it helps when or if you want to sell it.

 

[vrsbrazil]

Any special care for the seats at all?