SuzukiSavage.com - Silly washing the bike questions

Greg Serious Thumper Offline Molon Labe Posts: 1251 Southeast PA, uSA Gender:	Silly washing the bike questions 05/17/12 at 08:32:59 Does the engine need to be cold before I wash it? Can I just pull into a carwash and hit it with the hose? Are there any areas I need to avoid with the hose? Sorry for the silly questions, but I have the same oil leak everyone else gets. I would like to clean the bike up. I don't have the ability to do it at home.
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youzguyz

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Re: Silly washing the bike questions
Reply #1 - 05/17/12 at 08:56:45

I wash mine at the car wash places most of the time.. like when I'm too lazy to jack it up and do it right at the house. (That's when I check for nails in the tires, loose bolts, worn parts, etc).

The same effect happens when you ride in the rain. Water on hot engine.

Do not direct the high pressure spray up under the tank, or directly at bearings. The "why" should be obvious.

1st buck in the machine.
I usually set the dial to rinse first and waive the water back and forth across the exhaust and engine until they stop hissing. (I don't want to bake soap onto the surfaces!)
Switch to soap, spray it down. use a soft brush to get the rest of the dirt loose. If you have those foam things, I try to pull into a bay that still has some on the floor from the last guy and use my brush with those leftovers.
2nd buck in the machine.
Soap if you missed any spots. Rinse.

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Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut between the seat and the handlebars. Make sure yours isn't too tight or too loose.

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arteacher

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Re: Silly washing the bike questions
Reply #2 - 05/17/12 at 08:58:43

I personally would not spray a hot motor with cold water. Having said that, it can't really do any harm, because what happens when you are motoring down the road and it starts to rain? I can say for sure you will get water spots on the header, though, that will have to be polished off. The water at most car washes is filthy, unless you can find one that uses fresh water only.
Try to avoid spraying water under the seat so it doesn't go in the intake.
Mr Clean (Proctor and Gamble) used to make a kit that used special soap and filtered water to rinse that left no water spots. It worked great except they stopped making the soap and filters for it.
Something I would like to try is spraying it down with distilled water after a wash, to avoid water spots, maybe with a Wagner paint sprayer.

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EJID

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Re: Silly washing the bike questions
Reply #3 - 05/17/12 at 09:03:00

arteacher wrote on 05/17/12 at 08:58:43:

I personally would not spray a hot motor with cold water. Having said that, it can't really do any harm, because what happens when you are motoring down the road and it starts to rain? I can say for sure you will get water spots on the header, though, that will have to be polished off. The water at most car washes is filthy, unless you can find one that uses fresh water only.
Try to avoid spraying water under the seat so it doesn't go in the intake.
Mr Clean (Proctor and Gamble) used to make a kit that used special soap and filtered water to rinse that left no water spots. It worked great except they stopped making the soap and filters for it.
Something I would like to try is spraying it down with distilled water after a wash, to avoid water spots, maybe with a Wagner paint sprayer.

Our water is really hard in this area, and all the carwashes have a spot-free rinse you can select. It is actually a softwater rinse to avoid the water spots (much like a big, big water softener for a house) Does a decent job on the 4 wheeled variety, I haven't washed the bike at any of them because I usually take care of that at home.

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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28642 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Silly washing the bike questions Reply #4 - 05/17/12 at 09:04:52 No problem with it,... like they say... Rain... ... but, I never wash my bike. I just use a dollar store spray bottle of car polish, or lemon furniture polish... Spray on,.. wipe off... takes about 10 minutes.. 1/2 hour if I get all the little nooks... That's less time than it takes to ride to the carwash. ...
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Scott McCrory Junior Member Offline Thumper newbie Posts: 50 Columbus Ohio USA Gender:	Re: Silly washing the bike questions Reply #5 - 05/17/12 at 18:37:03 Handy tip - wear a pair of work gloves while washing the bike. Makes it harder to bruise knuckles and rip into skin against windshield brackets, shock coils, muffler mounts, cable ends... Go ahead, ask me how I know...
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Greg Serious Thumper Offline Molon Labe Posts: 1251 Southeast PA, uSA Gender:	Re: Silly washing the bike questions Reply #6 - 05/18/12 at 04:52:37 Thanks everyone! Today my scooter gets a bath!
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justin_o_guy2

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Re: Silly washing the bike questions
Reply #7 - 05/18/12 at 07:52:59

You know how the instructions on engine degreasers tell ya, Warm it up, spray it on, wash engine, with engine off?
I wont do that,, I wont spray it in the intake, either, but I want to know if I get something wet that will keep the engine from starting, so, I pet it run while I wash,, if it dies, I look at whats I was washing,, duhh,,

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Arnold Serious Thumper Offline The dude abides... Posts: 896 Westchester, NY Gender:	Re: Silly washing the bike questions Reply #8 - 05/18/12 at 08:46:36 Rain is not as much water as the amount coming out of a pressure hose. On a hot engine and cold water, I would be worrying about thermal shock.
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gerald.hughes Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline FSO Posts: 1100 Tucson, Az Gender:	Re: Silly washing the bike questions Reply #9 - 05/18/12 at 08:56:51 Why would you wash a bike?
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Arnold Serious Thumper Offline The dude abides... Posts: 896 Westchester, NY Gender:	Re: Silly washing the bike questions Reply #10 - 05/18/12 at 09:06:37 I never washed mine either, only when I start seeing rust spots I address the problem
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