Guest gasgastxtpro Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 What do you all use for washing your bikes? Sponge water... pressure washer.... Some other form of exotic washing equipment... Just interested to know! Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftypiggy Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 I brush the bike down with washing up liquid getting in all the little places, then pressure wash it. Then I blast the whole bike with air, getting into all the bearings discs etc. Check the filters clean, clean the rims and spokes with WD40, clean the discs with brake cleaner. Have a ride around the on the drive and stick it in the garage Lloyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-shock 250 Posted February 24, 2005 Report Share Posted February 24, 2005 (edited) Pressure wash (carefully) the thick mud off, then hot soapy water and brushes/sponges to clean in all the corners. When dry, do all the maintenance (filter etc) and wipe the whole bike over with a WD40 rag to make it gleam, then polish plastics with wax and do the alloy with metal polish. Edited February 24, 2005 by t-shock 250 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliechitlins Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 Pressure washing isn't worth the extra, miniscule amount of clean. Too many stories about wet airboxes and dry bearings. A biodegradeable spray cleaner, a stiff brush and a garden hose. Buy...if you saw pics of the Dabster's brake reservoir mod... my bike never gets that clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sendero Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 Ditto what Carliechitlin said. Don't forget the second half of the chore... spray lube the chain and pivot points on levers, kickstand, kickstarter, pegs, shifter and rear brake ends. Mother's on the spoke nipples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigel dabster Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 Thanks Charlie, years of riding in southern crap has perfected my technique, and whilst pressure washers can be the most lethal of weapons in the wrong hands, I use it a fair bit. It does result in extra maintainence though. My secret weapon passed on by a very knowledgeable guy who had done speedway and Grass track preparation is to use washing powder, in warm water after hosing off the dirt. Daz is great, also very cheap and so superior to proprietery cleaners or washing up liquid. Will try to get a before and after, and after if its muddy this week. Brushes are very important too of course, I can't go past a wal mart or castorama without looking in case there is a brush I don't have. Sad but true. YOU HAVE USED WORDS OR A PHRASE WHICH ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THIS WEBSITE. PLEASE DELETE YOUR POST/TOPIC. DO NOT TRY TO CIRCUMVENT THE FILTERS IN PLACE ON THIS WEBSITE do a good well made set of brushes along with some really good detergent, which I have used aswell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 Bucket and warm water with washing up liquid, hosepipe, variety of brushes, rags. Soak bike in warm water and liquid from bucket using brush, get into all areas, hose down. Soap again with smaller brush into the nooks and crannies, hose down. SOak again going everywhere, hose down. Stand to dry for a few mins, then rub over with a couple of rags especially the wheels. Then use a tin of de-watering fluid (castrol dwf) to cover up, makes cleaning easier the next time 'coz of the film that it leaves. Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ady Witting Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 I use a pressure washer and sponge to do the soapy wash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowly Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 Janitol, about 30 to 1 in a garden spray container, then an ordinary hose. The bikes clean every time and the bearings dont get filled with water. Only use janitol origional tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lastplacebrad Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 (edited) Steam cleaner pressure down , heat up , and loads of Proclean then gently rinse with steam cleaner ,blow all water off with air then loads of GT85 (better than WD ) , then lube all pivot points and chain, then do air filter , job done and one shiny pro !! (steam cleaner industrial jobbie like used on farms etc better than cheapie washers as they get their power by pressure , psi , not by lpm ,litres per minute , this enables you to turn the pressure down and still get the job done and cos its hot the bike is nearly dry when you have finished !!) Edited February 25, 2005 by lastplacebrad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughesy Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 I'm really surprised at the amount of people using washing up liquid, as it contains salt and is therefore corrosive! Far better and cheaper is get hold of some Traffic Film remover which can be bought in bulk from many factors ie partco. This can then be diluted and still has enough strength to remove the crud. Secondly, there is absolutely no way you can clean a bike efficiently using only a hose pipe, at least not in the UK! A pressure washer is only damaging in the wrong hands as Dabster pointed out. If you stand there directing the jet at bearing seals then of course you are going to inject some water into the bearings, so don't, it's that simple! Wheel bearings are non-maintenance cartridge type throw away items and at only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 I use a hosepipe to clean my bike with a good variable attatchement on the end which allows easy rinsing or blasting etc. I tried using Muc off but it burns off your paint after 30 seconds and it leaves a waxy protective layer which is not good on disk brakes. I use pro clean to clean with, which is ok, but a good brush is a must important at this stage(toothbrushes are good but only single use really as they pick up grease), and pro care afterwards which is great and leaves a sparkling sheen on your engine and plastics. I got this from racespec.co.uk. If you are an ACU member then you should be able to get 10% off plus online you will get 5% off. But they don't do much other trials stuff. You can e-mail them and get a free catalogue if you quote your ACU number. I usually take my chain off and degrease it before leaving it in a bath of engine oil for a couple of days. What king of chain oil does not pick up too much dirt? I use castrol chain wax which gets in and then goes solid and doesn't pick up too much crud but may not be the best lube, but combined with engine oil it seems to work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trials lad Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 (edited) I tried using Muc off but it burns off your paint after 30 seconds your right there bob I used it on my gas gas and it made the paint on the clutch cover melt and go white Edited February 25, 2005 by Trials Lad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 (edited) get rid of the bike and the muc off before it starts to peel, that is what i did only i was abit too late as it had already begun to peel. Atleast you can remove your case, it was the whole outside of the engine on my sherco. Steer clear of that stuff, it even says on the bottle it does that if you read the small print! It seems ok on push bikes though?????? Good to see others have had this experience, I will give it to my mate to use on his TY, those bikes are made of sterner stuff than these modern precise machines. Edited February 25, 2005 by bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trials lad Posted February 25, 2005 Report Share Posted February 25, 2005 yeah.... I just sprayed it on whent to turn the hose pipe and when i got back the damage had been done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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