How clean is your bike?

[XS1954]

How ofted do you clean your bike and in what sort of condition do you keep it?

I Have just spent a good four hours cleaning my bike and it looks like brand new. I have a painful finger to prove it!

I plan on keeping it in showroom condition and will not use it in the rain. Even going down country roads annoys me with all the bugs that stuck to the front of the cat.

I even buffed it up when I parked up yesterday. Am I taking this all to seriously?
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You're a cock.

[WildGoose]

in my opinion yes

i will only clean what needs cleaning, but i used to be like you, so dont worry

i have a bike to ride it, if you clean the flies off they will only come back, i will only clean whats required for maintenance for example, places that might corrode if you dont clean them enough, but thats it really

occasionally i might give it a 4 hour effort, but very rarely
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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976

[Laura]

Yes you are whats the point owning a bike if you are going to not ride it in certain conditions or get annoyed with bugs.

And four hours cleaning it! All I cna say is what a waste.

It is very rare I clean poppy my dad said it is disgracefull andhas taken over
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Good girls ride motorcycles bad girls thrash them.

[Smoto Bob]

confused???? "" Clean "" ????
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F'it DO WHAT EVER MAKES YOU HAPPY!!!!! Even if it screws over everyone else :p
Titz wrote: "..and my 3rd accident was when this police car....."

[synaptyx]

I got my bike two weeks ago and I haven't cleaned the bugger yet. I know it does need it, but I such a lazy git. Plus people don't see the dirt when you pass them at 90+

[Shaun]

I haven't cleaned my bike for about 2 weeks now but have tried to keep it from getting ridiculously dirty, I have to use my bike in all weathers whether I like it or not so can't even dream of keeping it in showroom condition, nothing wrong with taking pride in your bike and wanting to keep it shiny though.

[Danny]

I kept my 'cat clean up until the recent shit weather; I'll wait till all this crap weather goes away before I clean it again.

I never cleaned my GPz550 though.

[Milo]

Well I've had it about 14 months, attacked it with a pressure washer a couple of weeks back which did nothing to clean it!
It's 17 years so old so I just think it adds character.
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Shaft drives rule.

[Ste]

Yes I do reckon that is taking it too far. Do you have your bike for riding or for keeping it all clean and shiney? If you have it for riding, do that and clean it on days when you need to, or can't go out on the bike for some reason. Getting bugs on the front of your bike is normal, well it is if you use the bike for riding as opposed to just as something to clean. If you just want something to clean, it is possible to buy bits of metal for cleaning regulary than a bike.

I clean my bike generally when it needs it. In winter that means more often (well, washing the salt off), and in summer it doesn't need doing much at all. The TL is currently very very clean and I have no idea how it wasn't like that the last time I remember it from before I went into hospital but oh well it's now clean and shiney for people coming to look at buying it.

[tgabber]

I wash mine maybe twice a year, but never the really dirty bits like the wheels.
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"It's all about dislocating expectation"
Kawasaki KMX125 -> Aprilia RS125 -> Kawasaki ZZR600

[XS1954]

Well what can I say? I have an eye for detail! Could lead to a sideline business - Mobile bike cleaning service.
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You're a cock.

[Sparks!]

No comment!

Even my off road bike is spotlessly shiney I like to keep bikes clean, the rain lately means I haven't cleaned the R6 properly, I just clean the most of the mud etc off, but it's pointless cleaning it properly as it rains daily at the minute.

It won't get used in the rain shortly

Call me a tart or whatever, not really bothered but I don't spend lots of money on bikes to leave them to corrode and look dirty....

And before anyone says I "bikes are for riding" or something then anyone that actually knows me, knows I ride my bikes! I commute on my R6, I do long distance stuff when neccessary, I go on weekly rideouts etc, I may not be a fast rider but I'm learning so I'm definetly no sunday riding fair weather poof
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Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes

[XS1954]

[Shaun]

People can say I bought my bike to ride it not clean it all they want but at the end of the day it isn't just about keeping your bike looking pretty for yourself. I have spent silly amounts of time recently cleaning the GSXR because I like to know it clean and shiny. I might be a bit of a tart in that respect but there is no point in letting it rot and depreciate in value, a well looked after bike is more likely to sell than something that hasn't been looked after, you have to think about re-sale value because one day you will want to sell your bike.

[Laura]

Shaun hooligans don't sit around polishing do they.
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Good girls ride motorcycles bad girls thrash them.

[Shaun]

Have you ever purchased a copy of street fighter magazine?

Every single bike in there is very shiny and clean then they ride it like they stole it and the bike that they like to take pride in looks good at the same time. There is nothing wrong with taking pride in your bike and wanting it to be clean, like I said resale value.

[jayluvmito]

[Sparks!]

Most if not all bikes in streetfighters magazin are show bikes, like jayluv says, they never get ridden.
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Current Toys: 06 Yamaha WR250F | Nissan 350Z GT | Tech 4 Homes

[iCraig]

I only own a 13 years GS500 (at the moment) and I do like to keep it clean, and when I do clean it I go the whole hog and get every single bit of dirt from the bike and polish it!

But most of the time I really can't be arsed, and as some of the BCFer's know I let it get real dirty sometimes (like on the last BCF ride out up here my rear wheel although its white it was black on this occasion )

If I had a decent bike I'm sure I'd keep it cleaner though like I did with my first moped in 2001, that moped was the same condition when I sold as it was when I picked it up from new!

[Shaun]

Theres a street fightered GSXR 750 that I always see near Jay's house, its spotless every time I see it, except one day he followed me off jays estate and onto the dual carriageway, he was a hooligan, what can only be described as nuts, he took a lot of risks and I'm guessing and hoping he knew exactly what his bike was capable of! reminded not to judge someone by their bike it may ahve been spotless but he knew how to ride it!

[Jebus]

Hello all,

I am just a simple newbie here but i belive that it ain't a problem to post my view on this. I say clean it when its very dirty obviously, but why not clean it when its not to bad? i mean get the polish out on the shiny bits and so on. If you hate cleaning think of it as a way extending its life and making it look far better and like its loved!!

Also you can add this to this topic as an extension, how often do you clean your gear?

Cheers

[Sparks!]

[Steve H]

I clean mine at least twice a week without fail and I freely admit to having a slight 'problem' to the point of obsessiveness.

When I'm pulled up at some lights, parked up or filling up at a petrol station I like to think that it looks well cared for, well maintained and that I take a certain amount of pride in its' appearance.

I'm sad enough to admit that I actually enjoy the bike cleaning experience. I get in the garage put the radio on and relax with a hose, warm soapy water, chamois leather and some chain lube - after I'm done with the aforementioned I clean my bike
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Mellow Yellow
The BCF Top TEN - 2010, 2009, 2008, The Original.

[NSR125-Kid-UK]

Steve.

I put my bike up on the paddock stand to clean it, even went as far as to take the rearsets and panels off and clean behind them .
Took me 4 hours, and my bike looked almost brand new .
Then tonight i went out into the pissing rain
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[Kickstart]

Hi

Often fairly dirty, but they do tend to get ridden most of the year. To stop corrosion I tend to spray anything that will rust with WD40 after I wash it.

Trouble with cleaning it is that you then get tempted to start lubing stuff, and then the grease gets on to other things.

All the best

Keith
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