Keep in mind that the detail spray and waterless car wash offer no protection. They are just cleaners. You will still need to wax the bike from time to time. The detail spray and waterless car wash from Adam's will not strip your wax, though, like some more aggressive cleaners will.

 

Duh............. With soap and water.



Oh............. And beer!!!

The soap and water is for the bike. The beer, of course, is for me.

 

Rains here a lot...so the bike gets washed often or it looks like sh*t.

1) Put the bike (cold) out on the dirveway apron up on the Pitbull. (yes...J & S works just the same)

2) One quick rinse (cold) to take off the dust.

3) Complete spray down with S100.

4) Complete rinse with cold water.

5) Blowdry with the Stihl.

All that takes about 20 minutes.

If my fairing, windshield, lights, etc are totalled with bugsplats, then I'll soak a big *** beach towel in hot water and then drape that over the front of the bike for 5 minutes to soften all that crap up before going with the S100 quick wash.

Otherwise, I do a full detail and wax / polish twice a year.

 

I don't have a bagger, but..

1. Let bike cool, if hot.

2. Rinse off with cool water from the hose. I use the "gentle shower" setting on my nozzle, I never liked using the harsh streams. Not to mention water in bearings, etc.

3. Get a bucket with regular old dish soap (I use ivory soap) and water. I use a sponge for the wheels, and a microfiber hand cloth thing from Armor All for the rest of the bike.

4. Smother bike in suds with the hand cloth, from head to toe minus wheels. Usually I have to rinse the cloth off and/or get more soapy water soaked in to it to do this. I make sure to get underneath of the gas cap, because I KNOW that some gas splatters on to my paint in that area and it just bothers me that much more.

5. Rinse off. This gives the wheels a chance to get wet again, as they usually dry in the sun which leaves water marks.

6. Take the time to get soap and water in between every single freaking spoke on your wheels. This is the biggest PIA step of all time, ever. I absolutely hate it. But it's well worth the results.

7. Rinse off wheels.

8. Now is the step that rivals step 6. Get a crap load of towels and dry out every single little screw hole, crevice, nook and cranny on the entire bike. This usually takes me over an hour to do, while the actual washing may take half an hour. For this reason, I highly recommend you buy a little portable air compressor to blow out the hard to reach places. Get a piece of rubber brake hose and cut it down to about 2-3" long and attach it to the nozzle end of the air compressor, so you don't accidentally scratch anything with it.

Also, I don't know why but I think the denim colors are the hardest to keep clean. Anything, and I mean ANYTHING on your cloth, will leave a mark on the paint. Not that it's f-ed up, but it's just another thing to remove, and sometimes it takes a while. Yes it's time consuming and sometimes aggravating when you find a new ding in your baby, but every time I see another bike that doesn't look as good as mine it makes me feel better about my stuff.

And before I get anything about using dish soap, my dads been using this method on everything he's owned (vehicle wise) for years, and every time I take out his 2001 SUV, people always ask me if I just bought it.

 

Just a minute, I have to go ask my wife how she does it,,,,,

 

zacry!!!!!... i find it relaxing and enjoyable...no one bugs me...mental health....a bucket of good car wash soap and water...microfiber wash mit and drying towels...don''t hose the radio directly (never turn it on anyways) and all is good with the world. 1 hour max...then go for a toot to finish the drying process... 2 beers tops!

 

I Jack mine up and take the bags and windshield off and use Pledge and Microfiber towels on the whole thing. Switch to a clean towel for painted surfaces. Do the wheels last. Clean bags and reinstall, Reinstall windshield and clean it with pledge and ride on. Have done the whole thing in thirty minutes before when in a hurry. Stopped using a hose two years ago and always get compliments when it is clean. Sometimes I just ride it dirty though, especially if there is a good chance of rain that day.

 

i wash my EG once or twice a year..its getting about due for a bath

 

I'm **** and I'm lazy so it's "Cajun Shine All" for me. http://www.cajunshineall.com/
I had my bike professionally cleaned at a rally once and the dude came up to me and asked me what I used for wax.
Because it was the easiest bike he washed all weekend.

 

Most of my HDs have been "BLACK". They sure look good when clean. I just can not get into washing my bike anymore. My new bike is Sedona Orange & what a difference. I use S110 products when washing. When just dusty I'll get a bucket of clean water & just wipe the dust off. I did that with my black bike but you're going to get marks. Then out comes the Quick Detailer. I spend have the time washing my Sedona Orange as my Black bike. Hell, my buddy has washed his 07 Ultra one time. But they always wash it for him when he gets it serviced. He does wipe off the windshield & sometimes the batwing.