Cleaning your bike on a long trip.

[barry5k]

This might sound like a stupid question, but how do you clean your bike on a long trip - or don't you? After a day ride anywhere, dead bugs, blood, and dust are all over my bike. So on a long trip do you just hose it down somewhere, carry a spray bottle and rag with you (more stuff to pack) or just let it go?

I know a guy that brings his bike to a do-it-yourself car wash and just carefully sprays his bike clean.

 

[manicmechanic]

I just take care of the faceshield and windscreen, as necessary. Mother Nature takes care of the rest until I get home.

 

[Semper_Fi]

I just take care of the faceshield and windscreen, as necessary. Mother Nature takes care of the rest until I get home.

I pretty much do the same thing, once I get back home then I do a full clean and wash.

I carry a small bottle of windex spray and microfiber cloths for just that purpose

 

[Visian]

a guy who won "cleanest bike" at the national rally shared his secret with me.

every time he stops, he drapes wet cloths over areas where dead bugs and road grime accumulate.

after a few minutes, all the bug guts and dirt are softened up and wipe right off.

he washes out the cloths, stores them in a porous bag so that they'll dry when riding.

this is too much work for me, so i ride a GS. (but you should see this guy's R80G/SPD...!)

ian

 

[roy]

Ride while raining = free bike wash. Like the others I keep the neccesities clean and worry about the rest when I get home.

 

[Voni]

No worries. Once a year does it for me ; )

OK. I do clean the bugs off the headlight and motolights more often.

Voni
sMiling

 

[hlothery]

When I had my RT, I bought a CalSci windshield. They sent a little bottle of cleaner, and a microfiber cloth. They sell the cleaner, but the formula for it is on their web site, and it is easy to make, a mixture of common household cleaning stuff. I still have the little bottle, and keep it in my topcase for trips. Works great.

 

[tmoyer]

I carry Plexus and a microfiber towel. I'll clean bugs from my helmet and windshield as well as any large noticeable ones elsewhere. That's about it.

When I get home, it gets a full wash as soon as I'm able. Hopefully that will be today since I still didn't do it after last week's big trip.

 

[squiffynimrod]

When I had my RT, I bought a CalSci windshield. They sent a little bottle of cleaner, and a microfiber cloth. They sell the cleaner, but the formula for it is on their web site, and it is easy to make, a mixture of common household cleaning stuff. I still have the little bottle, and keep it in my topcase for trips. Works great.

I looked through their website, found mention of the cleaner included with their windshields but no formula.
Linky?

 

[ted]

Like Ian, I drape wet cloths - BUT - do it in the early morning when the dew is still on the bike, they dead bugs will wipe right off. The second the sun hits it they will harden right back up and you are out of luck

 

[hlothery]

I looked through their website, found mention of the cleaner included with their windshields but no formula.
Linky?

Technochallenged, sorry. But, if you go to their website and open the R1200RT page and look down a little you will see a blue link entitled "About our windshields". Open than and scroll down, and you will find the formula in the "Windshield cleaning" paragraph just below fitment.

 

[crazydrummerdude]

It's been 3 years..

 

[lee]

When we are moteling it, I ask the front desk person for a couple cleaning rags.
They almost always have some for me to use.
If we have ridden in rain, I put some soapy water in a waste paper can to clean the bikes good.

 

[Semper_Fi]

Like Ian, I drape wet cloths - BUT - do it in the early morning when the dew is still on the bike, they dead bugs will wipe right off. The second the sun hits it they will harden right back up and you are out of luck

I have done what Ted has done but when I do it I use a hot towel as that helps lift the bugs better.

I also make sure to clean the towel out before I turn it into the laundry

 

[kgadley01]

Like Ian, I drape wet cloths - BUT - do it in the early morning when the dew is still on the bike, they dead bugs will wipe right off. The second the sun hits it they will harden right back up and you are out of luck

Dew on your bike!!!! OMG... I thought we all covered our bikes at night.

 

[MotorradMike]

I've found that the Motels almost always warn me not to use their towels on my bike, and in the morning, there are a bunch of ripped towels/rags available to make sure I don't.

Mostly, she gets pretty dirty on a trip.

But, since nobody has mentioned it, if you want to get bugs off NOW, try a 'bounce' dryer sheet and water. It works so well it will make you laugh!

No affiliation with 'Bounce' or P&G or Maytag, Inglis, or any other company which may promote 'Bounce' for foolish applications that do not involve the removal of bug guts.

 

[Rinty]

On the road, I clean the headlight and windscreen with Plexus, and leave the rest of the bike alone, until I return.

I have tried a number of bug removers, and have found that Fantastick works about the best.

 

[Visian]

But, since nobody has mentioned it, if you want to get bugs off NOW, try a 'bounce' dryer sheet and water. It works so well it will make you laugh!

interesting, i will have to try that.

this post jogged my memory, as i do like to tart her up a bit for the rally...

i don't think this stuff is available under the honda brand anymore, but almost any MC accessory shop will know what you're talking about when you say "honda spray polish"

this stuff works quite well at quickly removing road grime and making the bike look like you just waxed it.

regular use make it harder for the grime to stick on.

i carry a small can of it when trips to rallies are involved.

the dryer sheets sound like they pack smaller and can probably keep dirty clothes from smelling too funky.

ian

 

[Rinty]

Ian:

I'd heard great things about this stuff, so I drove about 20 km to the Honda dealer and bought a can, with the idea of trying it out as a bug remover, and cleaner / polisher.

I was disappointed. It doesn't get the bugs off, and leaves a film that's hard to buff out.

Or I'm doing something wrong. It might have been that I was working in bright sunlight.

 

[BUDDINGGEEZER]

Memorial Day weekend I did a 8 day 3500 mile trip from central Arkansas to The Super Bike races in Salt lake City, UT. Riding my Honda ST1100 and I never cleaned a bug from the windshield. I told my buddy that only rain would wash them away until I got home.

You literally could not see through the windshield, since the trip was dry. (I look over the windshield). The bugs were my badge of honor every time I was parked beside the 'Chrome' crowd.

Only God washes my bike on a trip. I wash it when back home.

Ralph Sims