Scrubbing dirt
One may think that there is no wrong way to wash a vehicle. You may be surprised to learn that there is indeed a recommended way to wash your machine that isn't going to damage it or its paintwork prematurely.
Related: How to lubricate your chain
Due to its direct exposure to the elements, a motorcycle has the ability to transfer unwanted dirt and contaminants onto the rest of the machine if you don't take care during the washing process. Having consulted with a few detailing services, we have put together a step-by-step process that will help you when the time comes to give your bike a bath.
You will need:
- Two buckets (one with the wash solution and one with clean water)
- Bike wash solution of choice
- Degreaser
- Scrubbing brush
- Wash mitt
- Chamois
- Hosepipe with clean running water
Let's clean up
1. Use the hose to wet down the bike and wash off any crusty dirt. (Avoid electrical systems)
2. Hit the engine, wheels, sprockets, and chain with degreaser.
3. Use the scrubbing brush to remove stubborn grit and grime.
4. Fill both your buckets with clean water and add bike wash solution to one.
5. Use the wash mitt to wash the bodywork. Rinse the milt with clean water regularly to avoid dragging dirt back over the bodywork.
6. Use the hose to rinse off the soap suds. (Avoid the electrics and screen)
7. Use the chamois to dry off excess water spots.
8. Once everything is dried off, go ahead and re-lubricate the chain
Now many of you may be saying, Why not use an HPC? (High-Pressure Cleaner) HPC's work extremely well to remove dirt but have the adverse effect of potentially driving water and fine dirt into electrical connections, seals, gaskets, and bearings, drastically reducing their lifespan. While this is OK on dirt bikes and off-road machines that require rebuilding every 40 hours or so, on a road bike this can be an expensive exercise, so maybe avoiding an HPC is for the best.
