Cleaning hacks?

[RedNigel]

On my last trip out to Colorado I had to ride in about 12 hours of rain and now I have that special rain grime you get from rain riding. Does anyone have any hacks they have discovered for cleaning the nooks and crannies of the crank case and in all the recesses where bolts are? Also for the wheels

 

[junglejim]

Certainly not me. My motorcycle is still filthy. I never got it cleaned up this fall and now winter is here if full force so it won't even get rinsed off till at April or May.

Good luck with your request though. I'll be looking with interest at suggestions you receive.

 

[Phil Tarman]

About twice a year, I go to a car wash and use the wand. I'm careful not to spray wheel bearings and the headstock. I've got fork gaitors on my bike (Triumph part, but I can't remember offhand what PN they were). I have replaced front and rear wheel bearings, but most people have by the time they get to 100K miles. The headset bearings were replaced at close to 50K with AllBallls roller bearings.

Back in the olden days, I knew a Concours rider who hadn't washed his bike (not even his windscreen) when he got to 90K miles. He probably had bugs an inch thick on the front of the fairing and the windscreen. He swore that it got cleaner every time it rained.

 

[Thumpn]

I use Bike Bright cleaner. I spray it on the grimy or hard to reach places and let it sit for a minute or two.....then hose it off while I wet the bike down for the soapy bath.

Bike Bright does an excellent job, and it is not corrosive to metal or paint (don't let is dry or use it on hot parts). It helps clean the parts you can't reach or the parts that are a bit oily or greasy.

 

[DirtFlier]

Although not answering your question, the Fenda Extenda was and still is the greatest help to keep the front of the engine crankcase mostly free of road crud.

 

[bearbait51]

I use S100 BB

 

[Thumpn]

I'll keep my bike clean during the summer when it can stay clean for awhile. Now...not so much. It's just not worth it.

The forecast seems to always be the same. It has rained. It is raining. It will be raining.


Chris

Chris: Look on the bright side.......on a several of those days it is only forecast to be a "light" rain!