Okay, I need some unbiased opinions...to settle a domestic dispute. The facts are:

1. I ride a Sportie.
2. Between home and work (18 miles total) there is an unpaved stretch of road of about 3 miles.
3. The unpaved stretch may be dusty or muddy, depending on weather.
4. The alternative route to work (all paved) takes an hour. (Okay, it's really a great drive, but not if I have to get up an hour earlier in the morning- it's great for the ride home.)

My husband maintains that the dirt and dust must be cleaned off whenever I've taken the bike across the dirt road. Since I am not into bike cleaning (though I will hose mud off, if I get caught in the rain), I can't see that a little dust will harm anything.

He maintains that they (our Harleys) are not like cars. The dirt and dust will cause damage and can't be allowed to stay on the bike. He says he can't clean well behind the saddlebags.

I just want to ride. He just wants me to ride on pavement only. [sm=boosign.gif]

Okay, will dirt and dust hurt? Am I going to damage my baby if I ride over a couple of miles of dusty road and don't clean it off? Are Harleys (or any road bike, I guess) really that much less hardy than 4-wheeled vehicles?

Thanks for your input!

 

Hi Foxtail. At the risk of angering your husband, no. It won't hurt a thing. Most people tend to be paranoid about keeping their bikes clean and I'm probably in that group but there are also guys on this forum that probably wash their bikes twice a year whether they need it or not.

 

I live on a dirt road, 2 to 2 1/2 miles depending on which way i go.

The dirt won't hurt a thing. i ride like 20 mph to get off mine, a good warm up Good low speed practice too [8D]

When my road is really muddy with rutts (dangerous) in the spring i use my enclosed trailer to get out to my inlaws 3 1/2 miles away.

 

The dust WILL hurt your air cleaner/ motor, instruments. Grit will get into moving parts, rocks will chip paint and chrome.
Everybody is different, your hubby doesn't like the bike looking like crap, you see it as a tool to get to work and don't care how it looks.
A Sportie is a Street bike, right?

 

Heck, no! My car is a tool. My Harley is a joy. That's the point- I want to ride it!

 

Tell your hubby to worry about his own bike and you will worry about yours. No the dust won't hurt anything....I haven't washed my bike since I repainted it...probably won't either...I would rather ride.

 

WASH A SPORTSTER??? That is not supposed to happen. Sportsters are to be ridden, washed once a year if needed, then get someone else to do it if you can.

'04 XL1200R

Ben

 

I would keep the fork legs clean to keep the fork seals from being damaged and causing a leak, but other than that....

 

I like a little road dirt on my bike, it lets people know you ride it.

 

The only item you need to watch for is picking up a small stone on the belt and pully. That can eat up a belt. Besides that, they can be ridden downa dirt road for a long time with no issues. My 75 sporty went offroad alot for camping trips, so did my FXR. The FLHT is just to damn big and bulky to really go offroad, but I take it down a lot of dirt roads with no issue.