Who here thoroughly washes their bikes that is with water hose and a bucket of soapy water? I saw someone posted they just wipe their bikes down including the forks/gas tank and fenders. And not wash their bikes because its hard to get in the hard spots to dry out.

I am thinking just wiping down the bike as opposed to washing my bike. I have the '12 SB in black denim.

I know someone says to wipe black denim tank with windex or ammonia.

 

and what about the stock pipes and spoke wheels? Do you wash these and dry or just wipe down with a chrome cleaners? Maybe that is why some folks do not like spoke wheels LOL>

 

old traditional wash...water hose, bucket of soapy water...wash top to bottom...hose off, manual dry with chamois...blow dry with shopvac if i feel like it for the hard to reach areas...when all dry, polish chrome, if i feel like it...sit and admire...drink more beer...i'm doing mine tomorrow...

 

when i had bikes with spoke wheels, used that wire brush spoke wheel cleaner...used that soapy water...wheni had the denim black bike, i never used ammonia or windex...same soapy water...i never really changed my vehicle washing habits...i just like a thorough clean job...

 

I do a soap & water wash followed by the leafblower and some wax on the paint and chrome about 4 or 5 times a season. Other than that it is Meguiers quick detail spray and a microfiber.
The aluminum wheels are a total pita to clean - not because of the aluminum but just because it is so hard to get my hand around the dual front brakes and everything else in the rear. I usually do them as their own little project on a bad weather day. Just got done with them!

 

I used to do soap and water, but just started using S100 Total Cycle cleaner since I like their engine brightener so much. Spray the whole bike down with it, hose it off, amazing results. Then go over with soapy sponge to get tough bugs, etc.

Ideally i would have a spot free rinse and let it drip dry when done, but right now i use the blower

 

I was mine with soap and water top to bottom. then i rinse and remove the saddle bags and dry manually. then use a blow dryer type device to hit the hard spots. then polish the whole thing.

 

I wash mine about twice a season with s100, rinse thoroughly and dry with microfiber, then use a leaf blower. Otherwise wipe down with "stripper juice" about every other week.

 

spray the bike down with pigsnot or simple green, hose off with garden hose (full pressure), suck up water with The Absorber cloth, dry off remaining water with a microfiber, touch up with pledge all purpose cleaner. About once-maybe twice a season i'll wax the tins.

 

Don't ever "clean" dry paint. You will wind up with lots of scratches. If your bike needs a good cleaning. Then brake out the soap and water. If you are worried about the water, just don't spray in an upward direction under the tank or seat. I usually spray horizontally accross the top of the heads to rinse the soap. But that is as far as I go.