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How do you wash your bike on trips?

ewwww, I use those for me. Now I have to worry about bug juice on the hotel towels.

Hey - reality check here.

You do realize these towels are used by a cross-section of our society bringing everything from acne to STD's to AIDS to the table, right?!

You've got to have faith in motel commercial laundering. :thumb
 

Works for us!

Though one time I was traveling with a friend who after the fourth day insisted HE was my bike since I wasn't going to :wow

Warm water in a motel trashcan and rags provided by the motel worked for him.


Voni
sMiling
 
To me, aside from getting the bugs off the windshield and lights, the road grime is proof you did something with your bike OTHER than polish it! I carry one of those small high performance towels (whatever your call them) for the occasional wipe-down. Either a good rain ride, or the end of the trip is when it gets cleaned and I can recall all the fun had on the ride.

Just ride it!!

Then ride it some more!!!
 
When I travel, I do it to ride, not wash the bike. Rain might wash it once or twice.
 
+1 on mother nature. I've also stopped at side of the road car washes held by youth groups. Just make sure no one uses a scratch pad to get things really clean for you :violin

:thumb:thumb

The cheerleaders washing cars in bathing suits are my favorite:kiss...will stop for other groups if the bike needs it.

Stay with them to make sure they don't tip it over in their enthusiasm!
 
I'll admit to keeping my bikes as clean as I can while traveling. The primary reason is that cleaning the bike thoroughly is also an inspection, and I can hopefully find potential problems before they become breakdowns. Secondarily, if I am going to work on a bike at all, I'd much rather work on a clean bike.

On the subject of what to use to clean the bike, I consider it poor form to use perfectly good towels from the motel room. Every motel I've been in has rags available for the asking.
 
When I travel, I do it to ride, not wash the bike. Rain might wash it once or twice.

+1.
wash it when i get to somewhere that i might be for a few days (my dad's, rally, etc.) to keep it looking good, but inbetween "on the road"- washing is a waste of ridng time.

any day nice enough to wash the bike is a nice enough day to ride the bike. and rding is why i have one, not so i can show off how purty it is.
 
BMWs look so much better dirty and ridden hard. Washing ruins the 'patina.'

I clean my visor, top 4 inches of my windshield, and my headlight.

I wash my bike twice a year usually when I put on new tires.

The only exception is if I went through something nasty, like a swarm of locusts or heavy road salt. That stuff I wash off.
 
Keep headlight, tail light and turn signals wiped down. About it.
 

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This picture show my bike ready to drive through the car wash.

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Synthetic chamois to get the bugs and typical road dust. Motel rags to clean the wheels of brake dust. Spray car wash if the bike gets really dirty.

Motel owners are almost thrilled when I ask them for rags 'cause they know I won't be using the "good guest linen". :D
 
I carry an "absorber" towel that I keep damp/wet, in a ziploc bag. Wipe with absorber, and then spray Plexus. Wipe with a microfiber towel. 10 minute job.
 
Power wash!

Nobody even mentioned it? I ride GSs a long time and will use a .25 power wash on occasion:). I like the dirt appeal, but enough is enough and I need clean once a year when not home, long road trip. I KNOW all the pressure terror of it all, been there too many years. It works though, IF IF IF you are careful enough to keep pressure under wraps. Just don't blast it within inches of paint and seals and all else vital parts and you're fine. The whole bike is NOT a vital part, don't give me that:). Just about every town in America/Canada has a quarter wash:). Use accordingly, above:). IF I come out of the woods all GSGiant muddy, I do not carry it far, without the above idea. Works on ME too:). Randy:thumb
 
Hmm,......really? Wash your bike while on a trip?

Huh, what a novel idea,.....I,....never thought of it.

Perhaps I'm just too busy riding.
 
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