| Author | Message | ||
     Tank_bueller |
Took my new baby on a trip this week. Left home on sunday morning, awesome weather/awesome ride!! Left the beach for home tuesday morning, just after a t-storm(nasty ridin', but not raining). Pretty dry most of the rest of the way, except for the last few miles, more wet roads but not raining. Now my bike looks like I took her muddin'  I am thinking about taking the drowning approach with the water hose and a soft cloth/brush, then blow dry with the neighbors leaf blower. Will all the electrics and everything be O.K., are they "moisture resistant" sealed type connectors???? Don't want to damage the precious computer, or anything else for that matter. thanks tank (P.S. before this, I was obsessively keeping her cleaner than when I took delivery....which aint sayin' much) | ||
| Odie |
Wash mine alot and just try to keep from spraying high pressure water into electrical connectors, under airbox, switches, etc.....Odie | ||
| Bomber |
I would avoid the leaf blower drying (although I know alot of folks do it) -- it's unfiltered, may wind up sandblasting stuff, and could drive moisture into places it has no business being | ||
| Tank_bueller |
 Maybe I'm confused, but won't the water hose do a better job of "driving moisture into places it has no business being"????(even without nozzle)?? The leaf blower idea is one I read somewhere, but I'm more of a compressed air fan myself!!  (talk about driving moisture places!!!) If water can get in there, it's most likely already been wet and is now full of road dirt. But everything was at temp(hot) at that time, and would have evaporated before it could cause problems. Just don't want to hurt anything. tank | ||
| Bomber |
tank you can direct the hose -- the leaf blower might send water into unexpected places but, like I said, lots of folks swear by em -- I use compressed air too, but in very slectred places, and am really careful -- in any event, washing's a good chance to check out all the crooks and nannies, and make sure everything is where it's supposed to be, and snugged up tight | ||
| Tank_bueller |
Thanks bomber. Most of that was just a little sarcasm, no offense. I do have a pressure washer too, and that thought lasted about a half a second!!  I just went and looked at her, and........umm....I may have exaggerated the extent of the situation........a little.  She's a little dirty, but not too bad. I must have just been sick over the thought of my beautiful new baby all muddy, cruddy, crusty, etc..... I'll give her a good bath the first chance I get anyway. Time to break out the toothbrush!! thanks again tank | ||
| Black_sunshine |
I wash mine with a hose nozzle set on "shower" which comes out like rain. Never had any problems. I try to stay away from the questionable areas. | ||
| Glitch |
I can help no one on this topic  | ||
| Bomber |
Tank -- you've gotta really apply yourself for me to take offense, sir -- heck, I still talk to Blake, from time to time! I wonder if you're pressure wqasher will clean the fuel stains from the powder coated cases on my rode hard, put up wet MaDeuece? ;-} | ||
| Black_sunshine |
I here ya Glitch...last time is saw your bike it looked like you had been off roading in some Ga. clay. | ||
| Glitch |
The thing is, you have to stop riding to wash it.  | ||
| Black_sunshine |
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| Bomber |
I"m quote Dynasquirrrel -- my next bike will be painted bug and roadgrime color! | ||
| Mikej |
Hmmm, that gives me an idear.... | ||
| Aesquire |
I wash mine, ( poorly ) then run down the road 5-10 miles. The vibration won't shake the water off, ( I've tried that ) but between wind & vibes, the water spots go away. ( we have rock like water here ) | ||
| Odie |
I just bought the Mr. Clean, no dry, washing thingy and it works great on vehicles and so-so on bikes as you still have to dry off the bikes around the handlebars, etc. but it doesn't leave any water spots due to the filter. I'm very happy with the $20 spent. | ||
| Tank_bueller |
Hmmm.....bug splat paint????? This might even be better than the color changing paint I saw somewhere on this site!!! Or better yet....I'll go ride at night for a couple hours, bake the bugs dry with a 500watt halogen lamp, then clearcoat... | ||
| Wardog3187 |
I just washed my XB9R Firebolt this morning with no problems. I just used a bucket of water w/ soap and a wash mit. Worked my way from the top to the bottom doing one section at a time and rinsing with a hose. Dried it off using cotton towels and a little air from my compressor making sure I was not to getting to close. It looks very nice when washed. After I was all done, went for a trip up to Louisville to visit my wife at the hospital. My XB9R ran like a champ. What made it very dirty in the first place was that I had to ride my XB9R in the rain so that I could attend the MSF Advanced Riders Course on Ft. Knox so that I can ride on post. The rain eventually passed but it was still miserable to say the least. The instructors cut the course short to get it over with. | ||
| Tank_bueller |
Yep, washed mine today too! I found a "multi-pattern" nozzle in the garage that has a very soft spray/rain type setting. I used that and a small soft brush and scrubbed/rinsed at the same time, worked great. But everything, and I mean everything, on the bike was soaked, electrics included!!!  Then I took the compressed air to it and blew, and blew until I couldnt find any more large amounts of water, then let it sit for about 30min or so. Hit the key, hit the ignition, hit the starter, she started right up!! No problems, no hesitation, no spittin/sputterin, just the sweet potato that I love so much Then I polished and waxed the lips of the wheels and WOW, now I got bling!!!!! tank | ||
| Tork |
Saw a couple of you mentioned pressure washers. Beware when using them. Experience taught me a lesson about the Surlyn material used in the newer Buell models. While using the pressure washer one time, I started out using the "spray" setting, but switched to a narrower pinpoint stream to knock off some stubborn bugs. While drying the bike off, I noticed the plastic peeling up like string cheese where the bugs used to be. The water pressure was too great and too concentrated and actually penetrated and lifted the plastic, which won't flake, but peels in layers like an onion. It took a lot of wet sanding and rubbing compound to get it to a point where it wasn't obvious. Mind you, I wasn't using and industrial type pressure washer, just a $100 model you might pick up at Walmart. Now I use the "rain" setting on the garden hose nozzle and a sponge, and a little elbow grease on the bugs. | ||
| Tank_bueller |
Tork, Just joking about the pressure washer.  We'll keep it reserved for the vinyl siding and deck washing duties. | ||
| Tork |
Seemed like a good idea at the time. Got the wheels sparkly clean lickety-split, tho. |
