Motorcycle Washing Tips 'n Tricks

Washing motorcycles and scooters can be a challenge for city residents.  Those of us in apartment buildings rarely have the opportunity to drag out a garden hose, and the bucket and sponge routine just isn't very practical with motorbikes.  But don't give up hope just yet!!!

The most convenient solution for apartment dwellers may be as close as the spigot on the side of the building or in an accessible maintenance area.  If you get along well with the superintendent and/or management, you can attach your hose or even use theirs.  Always ask first!  Don't use more water than necessary, don't kill nearby plants with cleaning solutions, do clean up after yourself, brush standing water into a drain or curb, make sure nobody can trip over the hose while you're working and don't overspray onto nearby vehicles and property.

 

The author of this page likes to use a 25' self-coiling garden hose.  It retracts conveniently like a coiled telephone handset cord, drains and stores easily in a drawer or a bucket and is easy to manage.  Attach an adjustable spray nozzle with an on/off control and you're all set.  Don't forget rubber washers at each connection!  Total cost for a durable, good-quality hose and nozzle should be between $35 and $50 and may include extra fittings for attachment to kitchen faucets.

 

Another option is mobile detailing services, if you can afford them.  Yet another option is to ask the folks at a car wash if they are willing, but make sure they know what they're doing or they can seriously damage your bike's finish and bearings with solvents and steam under very high pressures.  And do not under any circumstances let tire shine products anywhere near any part of your tires that contacts the pavement.  Don't even roll the bike over areas where that stuff has dripped!  Those products are dangerously slippery and impossible to remove.

 

Or, you can Do It Yourself by visiting a coin-operated wash.  Most folks think these are a only available as big stalls in suburbia, but some city gas stations also have them, albeit in the form of smaller open-air units along with coin-op vacuum cleaners, air pumps, etc.

 

Coin-op washes are not all the same.  Prices vary, some are better-kept than others and some offer larger varieties of cleaning solutions, such as special detergents for bugs, tar, wheels and brakes.  You can scout out one you like, ride in grimy and ride away gleaming.

 

If you use a coin-operated wash, remember the following:

 

• Don't EVER spray water or detergent under pressure into any area that needs routine lubrication or keeps lubrication inside something.  That means avoiding:
  wheel bearings,
  steering bearings,
  shift shaft seals,
  clutch linkage and speedometer seals,
  swing-arm and shock absorber bearings or bushings,
  fork bushings and drive chains.
• Exercise care around the openings of control cables.
• Don't EVER spray water or detergent under pressure into electrical connectors, junctions and fuse boxes.
• Avoid spraying water or detergent under pressure directly onto gauges.
• Don't EVER spray water into the muffler/exhaust opening.
• Make sure the brush accessories on the coin-op machine are clean so they don't scratch your bike.
• There may not be a place to wash your hands afterward, so consider bringing latex or nitrile gloves.
• Plan your time well.  Soap, sponge/scrub and rinse from the top, down.
• If you bring your own additional cleaning chemicals, apply them before you start the machine.
• Bring your own clean towels or chamois to dry off the bike.
• If your bike does not utilize shaft, concealed or direct drive, oil your chain after you wash the bike.
• Lubricate other areas afterward as necessary, such as hand control and foot-peg pivots points.  Consult your motorcycle's maintenance/owner's manual for lubrication details.
• Use a detailing spray - such as Pro Honda or Original Bike Spirits Spray Cleaner & Polish, or an equivalent - to touch up places the wash missed and put a nice shine on the rest.