Washing New Bike

[baustin]

Hopefully this question won't portray me as a total idiot but having had only small cruisers and sport bikes, I really don't know if it is safe to wash my new 2008 Venture with all the gadgets, speakers, and electronics. I have just been wiping it down with a wet clothe but it really needs a good washing. Can anybody offer tips or am I just being a worrywort?

[rod]

It is safe to wash. Avoid water hose pressure around the speakers, electronics and dash. Some water won't hurt anything but direct water pressure could cause problems. Rod

[Breeze]

This works really well for me...use suran wrap press and seal. Cut the desired length and apply over dash and speakers, do the same for rear speakers. When you are finished washing your scoot remove the wrap and just wipe off. Water preasure want hurt the press and seal and saves your electronics.

 

Oh you can pay me later for that one.

 

Breeze

[baustin]

This works really well for me...use suran wrap press and seal. Cut the desired length and apply over dash and speakers, do the same for rear speakers. When you are finished washing your scoot remove the wrap and just wipe off. Water preasure want hurt the press and seal and saves your electronics.

 

Oh you can pay me later for that one.

 

Breeze

 

Good idea, I will do that. I don't want to hurt my baby. I just hit 600 miles and am ready for my first maintenance and don't want to take her in dirty. So far I'm tickled pink with the bike. I of course have the perennial whine and chirp, Yammie tech says it will go away after first service but regardless I love her. Best riding bike I ever had. I always swore I'd never get an "old man" bike but since I am now officially an old man I'll never ride a cruiser again.

 

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo36/baustin180/IMG_0164.jpg

[N3FOL]

Very nice bike! Your Venture doesn't look too bad and dirty, but if I were you I would wait until after the service...then wash the bike.

[baustin]

Very nice bike! Your Venture doesn't look too bad and dirty, but if I were you I would wait until after the service...then wash the bike.

 

True, they'll just get it dirty and I'll have to spend all day on it again. I came thissss close to buying a new HD Ultra Classis and I'm so happy I didn't. Not dogging the HD, it was nice, but got this one brand spankin' new for $15000 and the HD was $22+. Can't see the difference myself, except I think I got more bike for less money.

[SilvrT]

True, they'll just get it dirty and I'll have to spend all day on it again. I came thissss close to buying a new HD Ultra Classis and I'm so happy I didn't. Not dogging the HD, it was nice, but got this one brand spankin' new for $15000 and the HD was $22+. Can't see the difference myself, except I think I got more bike for less money.

 

We were seriously looking at an HD Ultra '09 model also... worked the numbers... a "wee bit" out of our budget so we went shopping for an RSV... didn't like the grey color of the '08 but we could have gotten a demo for $15,900. We got lucky and found an '06 Midnight for a great price and it only has 1300km's on it.

 

Don't have it our posession yet... going to get it this weekend...can hardly wait!!!

[N3FOL]

I really think you made the right choice and stayed with Yamaha. Congrats and lets us see some pics after giving it a nice wash.

[Iowawegian]

Nice bike!!

But what I want to know is what kind of cushy passenger seat that is? Is it as comfy as it looks?

I don't have a cluse if ours our standard seats or not. They are studded and the hubby has a drivers backrest. Although it's comfortable, the one in your pix looks like my

would be a lot more comfy!!

[Breeze]

pix looks like my

would be a lot more comfy!!

 

 

Took a min to understand that last line...whew ! Hey but I got what you asking.

Yes mam those are standard seats and my wife loves them.

 

 

BREEZE

[loehring]

Just another idea for you, when I wash mine I only use water for the engine area if it needs it. The rest of the bike I use Lemon Pledge and microcloth. It works great on the paint and chrome and I never have to use the hose. For me it's easier and I can do it anywhere. Takes less time too.

[baustin]

Nice bike!!

But what I want to know is what kind of cushy passenger seat that is? Is it as comfy as it looks?

I don't have a cluse if ours our standard seats or not. They are studded and the hubby has a drivers backrest. Although it's comfortable, the one in your pix looks like my

would be a lot more comfy!!

 

That is the factory seat. I don't know how comfy the passenger seat is but the driver seat is awesome. The wife fell off my Suzuki Boulevard 3 weeks ago in N.C. and broke her leg and she fussed about the footpegs being too small. She said we needed bigger footpegs so I assumed that since the Venture had floorboards it would make her happy so I bought the Venture. Come to find out, that's not what she meant but now it is too late. So in another 4 weeks when her leg mends, I'll let you know what she thinks of the seat. As for now, all I can tell you is what she thinks of me and my reasoning on the floorboard purchase...........hehehehehe.

[StarFan]

I have just been wiping it down with a wet clothe but it really needs a good washing. Can anybody offer tips or am I just being a worrywort?

I ????

Took me days to teach my wife how to do it right!:rotfl::rotf:

[Brake Pad]

drive in rain.......wash, drive out of rain....... dry's off:stirthepot:

[Breeze]

I ????

Took me days to teach my wife how to do it right!:rotfl::rotf:

 

Now thats how you wash a bike !!!!!!

BREEZE

[dfitzbiz]

I use two different processes. When I have the time I use BikeBrite (www.bikebrite.com), spray it on and high pressure hose it off, chamios. Shines like new.

 

When I'm in a hurry I go to the car wash with the hand held wand. Spray it down with pre-soak, high pressure soap (from a respectable distance) and rinse (also from a respectable distance). Wipe with chamois or microfiber towel. I take it easy on the electronics and speakers but they do get a good rinse.

 

Never had a water problem in 68,000 miles.

 

If your washin' you ain't ridin'.

Fitz

[Roadhand]

I wash mine with a bucket, soap, washmitt, and the hose. (just like I wash my autos)

I avoid spraying water directly into the speakers and other electronics but they do get wet.

 

Rinse off the soap and use my leaf blower to air dry.

 

Works great!

[Celt]

Bought my 08 RSV S in august ,havent washed it yet

[cecdoo]

Get a can of Honda Polish and 2 microfiber cloths, I never washed mine with water yet, and she looks pretty good. Craig

[SilvrT]

I use two different processes. When I have the time I use BikeBrite (www.bikebrite.com), spray it on and high pressure hose it off, chamios. Shines like new.

 

When I'm in a hurry I go to the car wash with the hand held wand. Spray it down with pre-soak, high pressure soap (from a respectable distance) and rinse (also from a respectable distance). Wipe with chamois or microfiber towel. I take it easy on the electronics and speakers but they do get a good rinse.

 

Never had a water problem in 68,000 miles.

 

If your washin' you ain't ridin'.

Fitz

 

Just thought I'd say a few words about this process...but not saying that what you (or anyone else) is doing is wrong...

 

I've been in the "auto cleaning" business professionally numerous times in my life. I have never seen yet a time when any such method (high pressure wash) does anything more than taking off "heavy buildup". The dirt "film" can ONLY be removed using direct contact with something such as a wash mitt or, in this case, the chamois or microfibre towel. Having said that, if there is no "heavy buildup" of anything, why not just wipe it down with a wet cloth or, as many have said, lemon pledge and a lint-free cloth?

 

Or, just plain old water and a wet rag, hose off, chamois the water off afterwards.

 

Thinking back, I've washed my bike(s) with various "spray on, hose off" products...I've yet to see one that really lives up to that claim... I've always had to "hand-wipe" in some fashion or another to finish the process and it's in that "hand-wipe" process that the film is actually being taken off the surface.

 

I rarely ever wash the bike with soap and water, high-pressure spray, or anything of the like unless I've been riding on really dirty roads that have caused a real buildup of muck. I then hose what I can off with a garden hose...then wash using a wash mitt or rag which of course takes off everything including the road film.

 

I have seen tho times when using a high pressure machine takes more than the heavy buildup off... (I'm talkin paint here).

 

I guess my whole point is.... why go to the trouble of pre-soak, high-pressure wash, rinse, etc, etc when what is actually doing the cleaning is the wipe-down with the chamois?

 

Have you noticed how dirty your chamois is? It's really designed to take the remaining "clear" water off, leaving a streak and spot-free finish.

 

 

(just my $0.05 cents)

[Venturous Randy]

Since there are several techniques noted, I will throw in what works best for me.

On my waterhose I have a ball type valve below the hand nozzle that will let me adjust from full force to trickle.

I use a thick type wash cloth, like a face cloth or what you would use in the shower.

For soap, I buy the gallon juggs of auto wash that clean but do not strip the wax( some are a lot better than others).

I put the soap in a used dish soap bottle with the pop up and down top.

I will wet the bike down using full force but taking care around the radio and speakers.

I will spray the wash rag good to make sure I get any left over grit out.

I will then squirt some soap on the rag and start washing. I will repeat adding more soap and rewetting the wash rag as needed, again rinsing out grit.

I also may use a soft brush to get to some of the crevices.

When rinsing, I will spray full force and then turn to trickle to rinse around dash, radio and speakers.

I use a bath towel to dry bike and when towel gets a little damp, I will use towel to wipe dash and around that area.

I then rinse the rag out, put up my soap bottle, roll up the water hose and go for a short ride to finish drying bike.

My fork tubes, engine cases and handlebar risers have all been polished and not clear coated so I will occasionally use a aluminum polishing compound and in just a couple of minutes they are gleeming like chrome again.

RandyA

[dleggett1]

I make sure that i cover my radio controler with a plastic bag. I have not had any problems. Just beware of those darn black widow spiders on the under side of the bike.

[SilvrT]

Randya... I think you left our a few details... like, what color the wash rag is, how tight the water hose connection is at the tap, etc....

 

 

Seriously tho, that's a good process. I find using a towel to do the dry-off leaves streaks and/or towel fluff and afterwards, I gotta get out the pledge.

[Venturous Randy]

Randya... I think you left our a few details... like, what color the wash rag is, how tight the water hose connection is at the tap, etc....

 

 

Seriously tho, that's a good process. I find using a towel to do the dry-off leaves streaks and/or towel fluff and afterwards, I gotta get out the pledge.

 

Actually, I have a big thick PURPLE washcloth!!!

One note I did leave off is I reapply Plexus on the windshield to fill those tiny scratches before I go for a ride.

RandyA

[N3FOL]

Get a can of Honda Polish and 2 microfiber cloths, I never washed mine with water yet, and she looks pretty good. Craig

 

I always keep a good stock of Kawi 'Wipe Down' spray. For $4.50/bottle of a 16oz spray bottle last me a month. It works great with microfiber cloth available at Walmart.