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How clean do you keep your bikes?

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#21 ·
I too am somewhat OCD about my bike having, like others, worked hard for what I have got and taking pride in looking after it. This said, I'm a bit less fussy about my car.
 
#23 ·
I too clean my bike after every ride. Both OCD and just wanting to keep what I've invested in, in great condition. Since my first bike at 18 I've always tried to keep them looking like the day I purchased them. I keep it in the garage and if some time goes by between rides it gets wiped down again before it goes out.
 
#24 ·
WOW this is impressive you guys! I'm not as fussy as I used to be, especially with the wheels and whitewalls. But I do keep the bike pretty clean. I use Original Honda Spray Cleaner. Just a wipe down before I ride. For me it's a chance to check for leaks and loose stuff and it gives me peace of mind.

2017 Vintage Red over Cream
 
#25 ·
I commute daily across some pretty dirty roads so maybe once a month I'll give it a good wash. Occasionally during the month i'll clean it up a bit and wipe it down if it has rained because the Tijuana roads get absolutely filthy and cake the bike in crud. Otherwise, it's a workhorse and if it's a bit dirty that's fine. I take meticulous care of servicing the bike so i'm not worried about a bit of dirt on it.
 
#26 ·
I too am extremely anal and OCD, but there's something to be said about the whole "I'd rather be riding than cleaning" mentality. A few summers ago we were at the local county fair and i watched a patched 1%er wearing faded and cracked leather rolled up on his springer, and that bike was so caked with bugs that you could barely tell what color it was. That image kinda stuck with me. You could tell that he wasn't riding to show off or impress anybody. He rode simply to ride.
 
#28 ·
I like a clean bike but I hate cleaning it. Our summers are bug ridden so any ride involves cleaning a lot of bugs off the bike. I’m not anal about riding a clean bike, I rather be riding it than cleaning it! I try to clean the bugs off after each ride, but as for a full cleaning, it may happen once a month. Another issue is the black paint - absolutely hate that I chose a black bike but I didn’t like the other Colors at the time. It’s a pain to keep the bike looking good with black paint. Wipe the bike with a sponge, a chamois, etc - the paint shows it.
 
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#30 ·
I’m part of the “ Ride it… don’t clean it” group. Once a week I hose her off. I use Sprayway glass cleaner every few days to get the bugs and pollen off the front end. Thats why I have a DH with matte paint. I’m not concerned with resale. (Still have every bike I’ve ever purchased) I just like to ride.
Kudos to those who detail and polish. Y’all look good out there.
 
#31 ·
LJB2Faces said:
I’m part of the “ Ride it… don’t clean it” group. Once a week I hose her off. I use Sprayway glass cleaner every few days to get the bugs and pollen off the front end. Thats why I have a DH with matte paint. I’m not concerned with resale. (Still have every bike I’ve ever purchased) I just like to ride.
Kudos to those who detail and polish. Y’all look good out there.
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Sounds like you do actually clean your motorcycle but just not as much.
 
#33 ·
Dave E said:
I find the best time to clean a motorcycle or car is when it is clean. Keep it clean and not let it get dirty.
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That's rich coming from a Brit. When I lived in Cambridge I could never keep any of my bikes clean but I rode year round unless ice was on the road and when I got home soaked from a long ride the last thing on my mind was cleaning the bike.
 
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#35 · (Edited)
I wash and wax my bike thoroughly once in the spring and then a quick wash with S100 every couple of weeks. (actually Suzuki Bike Wash, seems like the same stuff but cheaper) Once in a while do the white walls
She still looks pretty good for 10yrs old
 
#36 ·
Warm enough to clean the bike, warm enough to ride. My bike is normally pretty dirty, unless I ride through a rain storm, then it gets kind of clean. Otherwise maybe once every 3 months I clean it. I don't get OCD about it though, hose it down and call it good.
 
#37 ·
#38 ·
When I lived in the south, I kept my Springfield a lot cleaner than now that I live in the Northeast. Long after the final snow of the season, and the salt has been washed away, the remnants of the sand give the roads a dirty brown spray whenever it rains. Tough to keep it really pristine unless I wash after each ride.
 
#40 ·
I bought my bike to ride, not polish. If I wanted to polish instead of ride, I'da bought a Harley. :cool:
It gets cleaned when I get a chance. It was made to be ridden. No offense to those of you that keep your bike spotless.
 
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