[SlidePicker]

I wish I could roll it through an auto wash. I subscribe to one and never hand wash or polish my car anymore.

 

[Rhledge]

I wash and wax my bikes at the beginning of the season and before storing it for the winter. In between, I clean the windscreen and front of the fairing (dead bugs, mainly) and spot clean where needed.

 

[BrentZ]

Other then wiping a bit of mud / dust or dirt a couple times a season, and a good clean before the winter sets in...I don't. I could care less about how clean it is or if anyone cares. Why clean when it you could be riding?

 

[Rawhide]

I have always kept any vehicle I ever owned clean. if it gets dirty it gets cleaned, in my mind keeping my bike clean is the first step in maintaining a ride. You would be surprised what you see that’s needs a little TLC when going over the bike while cleaning.
Rawhide

 

[OracleDba]

The pic below is my 2016 chieftain with 72,000+ miles. I live near Cleveland and I ride year round.
There has never been a month I haven't gone for ride and that includes Jan/Feb of any year I just need 40deg and no salt.

A few years ago I discovered Adam's Graphene (the kit with the blacklight).
I applied 2 coats about 3 weeks apart. This spring is year 3 and the coating is the same now as when first applied.

Since having applied the graphene, "detailing" to me is nothing more than a warm water bucket wash using a hydrophobic soap , a hose end rinse, and a leaf blower dry

I rode my bike in the rain twice this week and it was slathered in road grime/mud.
The following was the result from the 25 min it took to warm water bucket wash and leaf blower dry
The picture below was taken today about 20 miles into a ride after the bucket wash.
Sharing this because it seems many are not aware graphene exists.
I like the kit with the black light as it makes proper application a provable certainty.
I bucket wash about once a month or after any ride in rain - which ever comes first.

 

[YungLou]

I try to keep my motorcycles as clean as possible. I wipe them down after every ride. It doesn’t feel right putting a bike away dirty. Am I the only one or am I crazy? How often do you clean your bike?
(Lo2’ the Challenger - 8000 miles - back to near showrooms condition after todays ride.)
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[YungLou]

I usually detail it every spring, wipe it down with F-11 and mink oil the leather. After that it’s just a wash and wipe down job unless I run into rain with some mud.

 

[ScoutRider86]

Chemical Guys Speed Wipe. Best stuff ever. Makes the engine sparkle.

 

[Gort]

The only thing you need is soap and water to wash and ammonia free Windex to clean and detail with, or as a way to remove bugs and gunk. I say this with all due respect: anyone spending high dollars on Mr. slick this or chemical boys that or the next wiz bang product is a fool and is too easily brainwashed by slick marketing. Ammonia free Windex. Hear me now and believe me later.

 

[designkpd]

I try to keep my motorcycles as clean as possible. I wipe them down after every ride. It doesn’t feel right putting a bike away dirty. Am I the only one or am I crazy? How often do you clean your bike?
(Lo2’ the Challenger - 8000 miles - back to near showrooms condition after todays ride.)
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I keep my Scout 60 spotless by cleaning it constantly. This way when I wake up in the middle of the night and go down to the garage to stare at it, it looks beautiful!

 

[hiyumash22]

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.

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.

Any recommendations on products/process for a first time owner?

I start with a wet, warm terry cloth towel to get the bulk & bugs and then whatever shine magic that trips your trigger.

 

[pappyj]

I

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.

I love the looks of my Indian, but I hate trying to clean those wheels!

 

[Ando1970]

Ok, so......I am fussy about my bike and I like it to look good, but I don't like giving it a full clean every time I go out, so this is what I do if I'm out for a few days, in sunny weather. I use a commercial grade window cleaner because the bugs etc are normally on the front of the bike (of course). The window cleaner is a spray can and its foam. I spray it on the window and front fearing or anywhere, let sit for two minutes (don't allow to dry) then use a clean micro cloth and it comes off straight away with no smears or marks hence why I use it on the fearing. I also clean my screen when I have a stop every three or four hours so yes...., I carry a can with me and its better than carrying a full cleaning kit. lol

 

[RonDale]

I’ve always been of the mind that if you take care of your bike, car whatever, it will take care of you. I’m not OCD so much for cleaning but I am about PM. I tend to keep vehicles for a long time.

 

[Sml0559]

I try to keep my motorcycles as clean as possible. I wipe them down after every ride. It doesn’t feel right putting a bike away dirty. Am I the only one or am I crazy? How often do you clean your bike?
(Lo2’ the Challenger - 8000 miles - back to near showrooms condition after todays ride.)
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Clean the bugs off ASAP otherwise hand wash, polish the chrome and treat the leather only as needed to satisfy my standards.

 

[fcandela]

I keep both my car and bike as clean as I can. I do avoid the rain if possible but I also typically will do a wipe it down after every ride. I ride almost every day to work and always take the long way home, lol. A wipe down means using a good thick terry cloth and Griot's 3-1 ceramic wax. I have so much wax on it rain just falls right off. Stuff is also great at removing bugs. Then once a month a good wash using S100 products and more wax.

 

[BorisTheDog]

I try to keep my motorcycles as clean as possible. I wipe them down after every ride. It doesn’t feel right putting a bike away dirty. Am I the only one or am I crazy? How often do you clean your bike?
(Lo2’ the Challenger - 8000 miles - back to near showrooms condition after todays ride.)
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Not crazy, and definitely not the only one. But I'm not. My first motorcycle I kept pretty clean, wiping it down after every ride. Nowadays I will give it a bath when I get around to it, or when I'm going on a club ride, or some other kind of gathering I want it to be clean. I have to remove or cover my leather saddle bags and remove my leather tank bib, so it's not something I like to do frequently.

 

[supershawnboy]

I wipe mine down mostly to keep bugs off it pretty much immediately after every ride if it needs it. If the bugs are still juicy they come off a lot easier. The other reason I like to give the bike a wipe down is it allows me to inspect the bike while wiping it off. Not that I have ever found anything wrong, but it's not a bad idea from that perspective.
All that being said, if it's a nice day and my choices are to ride or polish, I'll be in the saddle thank you.

 

[Carolea138]

Maybe every couple months with water and soap. A wipe down with microfiber cloth (sometimes wet then dry for the engine and exhaust) before a ride. If the windshield or lights are nasty I’ll soak the microfiber in water let it sit on the shield then wipe it down. But I also got every piece of paint (not just high risk/impact areas) covered with a clear self healing PPF. So nothing sticks to it and just wipes off

 

[DDBCK]

I give a really good wash, detail & ceramic coating in the spring using Mothers CMX. Then Lucas Quick Detailer before I ride.