How To Wash Your Motorcycle
Wash your motorcycle in a washing machine is an easy way to clean your bike. Most machines can handle wet or mud-covered bikes, but some cannot. Some have special settings for mud and dirt, making this a free repair!
The best place to wash your motorcycle is by using a high-quality machine. A cheap model will probably still struggle with the right amount of water and soap, causing dryness and/or oil spots on your bike.
Washing your motorcycle inside a bathtub or large sink works well if you have a high-and-dry haircut style on your bike. If not, then a combed or braided hairstyle works well!
Washing your motorcycle outside in the rain is an option; just make sure you do not damage the bike while doing this!
The best way to test if your machine can be washed in the washer or dryer is by seeing if it gets dirty or oily after being stuffed into a dryer or bathtub.
Put bike upside down to drain
When your motorcycle has been through a few wash cycles, it’s time to drain and dry it. This can take a few times, so do not be afraid to try it several times.
Park your bike away from other bikes to make removal of the tires and wheel bearings more efficient. Also, make sure to leave enough space between bikes to easily slide in and out of the washing machine or dryer.
To put the bike upside down for the drying process, remove any tension on the cleaning strap. Leave the washer attached to the bottom of the bike to hang from a clothes line or drape supported by some sturdy hooks.
Use motorcycle wash
There are several ways to wash your motorcycle. The most common way is to use a cloth with a bit of soap and water. This is referred to as a dry-n-wash product.
This means you use a cloth with soap and water to wipe down your bike, then let it dry completely before proceeding.
This is the simplest way, but may be difficult to recognize if you do not have such a product!
The second way is to use shampoo and conditioner. This is the most popular way people organize their motorcycles for washing.
To use the two together, you need to put the two in an area of your house where you will keep both safe from other objects and pets. You also need to ensure they are mixed together well so that everything gets washed into each other.
You can also use only one type of shampoo and conditioner at a time, but keep in mind that some pieces of equipment may require change out of the body procedure (BOP) or bathtub approach.
Use soap and water
This is the most basic rule for washing your motorcycle. Use soap and water! Do not use detergent, cleaning products, or rinses that contain dryer sheets.
Dry cloths can be purchased at most grocery and specialty stores, or you can go online. If buying a new dryer sheet is hard, try going online. You can find them at Amazon or even just buy them instead of using them.
Sodium-based soap is best to use as it will remove some of the dirt and grease better than nondetergent soap. As with anything relating to hygiene, check the consistency of your soap before throwing away any kind because it might cause dry skin and hair breakage.
Never use pure vinegar as a laundry solvent because it could dry out your clothes out. Instead, use hydrocachemel which has some water in it to keep it working.
Wash carefully to avoid damage
While many people wash their motorcycles in a hot, soapy dishwater, some prefer to avoid washing in all but the most dry of water situations. These people would suggest that people use a brief dryer session before airing off to wash!
Weigh your riding experience against the risk of riding on the motorcycle and you will see that rider putting heavy boots and heavy gloves in water for a long period of time is almost guaranteed to cause damage.
The same goes for washing with a wet/damp cloth instead of being immersed in water. Getting your bike dried with a brief dryer session is the best way to protect your bike from moisture and paintwear.
How much weight you have to put into your drying strategy depends on what kind of waterproofing you have on your bike. Some brands recommend using nothing but hands and feet to protect the bike, while others only recommend this if there is sufficient coverage elsewhere.
Rinse thoroughly with water
Once your motorcycle has been dry for a few hours, it is time to shampoo it. Many people use the same methods described in this article to wash their dogs, horses, or even themselves!
To avoid shampooing your bike with water still attached, make sure to remove all road salt and other preparations before washing. Also, be careful not to agitate the surface of the bike as this can lead to problems such as gunk build-up or rust development.
To rinse the bike, start with a relatively gentle soap such as dove or olive oil mixed with water. Once that has been thoroughly worked into the dirt and water deposits, add some more soap and continue rinsing. Make sure to always wash from top down!
As you wash, be careful not to land soaps either on or otherwise over wire wheels or brakes.
Let air dry or use hair dryer
When you ride an oiled motorcycle, it takes a little more care to keep it clean. You have to let it dry or use a hair dryer to keep the dust and scratches at bay.
We recommend using a credit card sized hairdryer for maximum impact and letting the motorcycle stand or sit in room temperature before cleaning. If you have very dusty areas, we recommend using a smallish garden brush to remove some surface dirt.
Either way, repeat the process every day or two until the bike is clean!
Letting the bike stand or sit with the heat source will help prevent overheating and breakage. We also suggest having a set of gloves just in case your hands are burned from pulling on hot objects.
Apply motorcycle polish
Once you’ve cleaned your motorcycle, it is time to apply some motorcycle polish. You can use any brand of polish, but some brands are better than others. A high-quality polish will last a few weeks, so this is the time to test it out!
Most brands of polish contain trade names such as Locktite, Zephir Superlight, and Antifreeze. These brands may have just one brand name or a few, so look for something clear and strong.
To use the polish, first wash the bike with plain water and then apply the polish and rub it in well. Then, clean off the brush and let dry before proceeding with polishing the frame or other parts of the bike.
Polish can be done lightly or deeply depending on what you want to achieve with it.
Wash your clothes separately from the bike
While most people would agree that the same steps should be used to washer your clothes in the washing machine and the dryer, this is not the case in the US. The reason for this is that these two machines are different.
The washer processes clothing differently and requires different products and settings to work. Due to this, only one machine should be used for both clothes and ride.
Similarly, the dryer requires different settings than the clothes-winder does for drying. Only one of these can be used on the bike!
So, how do you wash your clothes? First, find a good location to hang your clothes.
