I normally like the collection of road patina while on a long road trip, however after having to re-clear my fairing due to the acid from love bugs eating it away, Im thinking an occasional car wash may be in order.

 

I like Dog155's "road patina" analogy.
And yes Jinks - camping or hoteling pretty much determines the worthiness of washing to begin with. Thanks for the info.

 

A bottle of Rain-X auto glass cleaner and a couple of microfiber towels in the saddlebags. Give it a quick touch up in the morning while the OL is in the hotel on front of the mirror gettin ready. Used to carry a package or two of Windex Auto Glass wipes. (they take up hardly any space) but the local WalMart quit carrying them and I don't like the Turtle Wax Galss wipes. They don't clean as well and dry out too fast.

 

Careful what you use on your windshield!!! Windex and other similar products will cause it to fog over time. I use nothing but warm water, or Lucas Slick Mist.

 

1 Micro Fiber cloth and 1 small can of Plexus. I hate a dirty windshield.

 

I keep a can of pledge with me on the road and two microfiber shop towels. I wipe the bike down every morning on the road. Takes all of five to ten minutes. And the bike is a hell of a lot easier to fully clean when I get home.

 

If staying at a motel, you could use a warm soapy towell. If no other options then a car wash but I wouldn't spray around gauges or the inside of the bike and with the power wand I would stay 6 feet away from the bike as those things put water where it shouldn't go and with pressure.

 

I never wash on a trip.

Wash the day before I leave, and the day after I get home, but never during.

Each bug gave his little life to earn his last resting place.

I remember the hotel I stayed at in Rapid City had a bike wash area outside the front door. There were people that spent the entire week washing their bikes. Wash it before they left in the morning and wash it when they came back.

I spent 28 days on the road and the bike was filthy, and beautiful.

 

Check into the motel, she hits the shower while I grab a waste basket of warm water for the bike. 20-30 minutes later the bike's clean and covered and the shower's available. If we had a bad day or it's grasshopper season on the Great Plains we might get a car wash involved.

 

Polish it every morning...