what is the best way to Clean the machine..... 3rd ride and I have never been able to achieve that show room clean. DUST in the cooling fins is enemy #1...... what is the best dust resistant cleaner to use.

 

Does your bike has a glossy finish or a denim finish ?

 

I can tell you what I use and it certainly looks better than when it was new on the showroom floor.


I just learned of this car wash mix this year on a RV forum, and it works. Buy Meguires Gold car wash and Turtle Wax Ice car wash, which you can get at most Walmarts. Mix them 50/50, and use that mixture to wash your bike. Then I use a electric leaf blower to dry it right away.

 

ISP-FLHTK what does mixing those do?

 

glossy

 

My 1988 FXSTC and 2009 FLHRCI still look like new bikes even though they both have well over 70K miles on them. To clean, I hose down with plain water. Spray everything thoroughly with S100 cleaner. Then hose down again. I do a final rinse using a bucket of very soft water (poor man's spotless rinse). I dry with lots of Bounty paper towels. Yes, I know. Some believe paper towels scratch or leave swirl marks. They don't. At least the Bounty brand do not. You can dry with a blower which is easier and faster. But blowing can't remove the film that clings to the paint and chrome surfaces. I never use any kind of polish on chrome parts. Use only chrome cleaner. If the paint needs a little polishing, I use Meguires swirl remover with one of their foam polish pads. Takes a lot of elbow grease but is extremely mild and results is a glass-like glossy finish. I'm sure there are a hundred ways that will do the same thing. But mine is just one that works and without harming anything.

 

I don't use water unless I have been in wet conditions. I take off the seat and bags. Put the bike on the lift. Use compressed air to blow the dust off the bike, and a duster to get the heavier particles off. I then use FW1 spray cleaning wax with micro fiber towels. When I am done, the bike looks better that it did when I brought it home from the dealer.

If I do have to use water, I have a dual bottle water deionizer. It removes all the particles from the water, and will dry spot free. Spay with a fine mist from a pressure washer and soap in a bucket. I use a leaf blower to speed up the drying process, then follow up with spray wax and micro fibers.

Today is bike cleaning day for me since the weather is crappy. My SG takes about 4 hours for a good cleaning. Lucky for me I only do it about once every two months. It's filthy right now.

 

thanks for the tips.......... I will be trying all of them or a combination of all of them Thanks Again, Mudfoot

 

You could start by changing your screen name. LOL

 

For others reading this, do not use these products on denim paint! No wax, polish, or anything other than straight soap or alcohol-based window cleaner (Windex). For my denim paint I use Windex in between washes to remove bugs, and I use dish soap in a bucket of water to wash the bike thoroughly.

Keep in mind, denim and gloss are essentially opposite: don't use dish soap on gloss because it will strip the wax and leave your clear coat exposed, and don't use any wax/polish/glossy anything on denim as it will jack the paint up - don't even use car soap with wax in it - no bueno.