13 Tips for Washing Your Motorcycle
It helps to take pride in your ride when your motorcycle is gleaming and looking its best. To maintain your bike’s shine, you should regularly wash your ride so it looks as spotless as the day you bought it. Cleaning your motorcycle will remove dirt and debris that could damage bike parts and ruin its finish, helping you save on maintenance and replacement costs.
We’ve compiled 13 tips for washing your motorcycle.
1. Give Yourself Some Space
Find somewhere suitable to wash your bike, keeping your surroundings clear since there will be water and soap leftover from the wash. Preferably, you want to work on a hard surface in the shade to avoid exposure to sunlight that can dry up soap on your bike and create streaks or water spots.
2. Get Your Bike Ready
You don’t want to wash your bike after it’s been running and the engine is hot. This has the potential to cause damage to your engine with the exposure of cold water to hot bike parts. When your bike has cooled down or has been out of use for some time, cover or plug your exhaust holes with a rag to prevent water from getting in your bike.
3. Clean Your Chain
If your bike has a chain, you can clean it off before you wash the rest of your bike. A spray-on degreaser will protect it from any dirt or grease that’s built up, and will keep it clean from any debris that may get on the chain as you wash the rest of your bike. Spray it on, then wipe off the dirt and grease. Once you’re done washing your motorcycle, be sure to come back and re-lubricate the chain with the proper chain lube.
4. Clean the Smaller Parts
As another cleaning step before you give your bike the full wash, use a small brush or rag and scrub between smaller parts of the motorcycle. Soak the brush or rag in water or polish to reach the crevices surrounding the engine and smaller parts of the bike.
5. Use a Motorcycle Cleaner
With a motorcycle cleaning product, spray the body of your bike to loosen smaller particles of dirt and debris. Then give your bike a light spray down with cool water from a garden hose to clean it off and remove the motorcycle cleaning product and the grime on your bike.
6. Lather Your Bike with Soap
With your motorcycle slightly wet from the light spray, use the motorcycle cleaning product to wash your bike. Soak a clean, soft sponge in a bucket of soapy water with the cleaning mixture and gently rub down areas of the bike. Work your way down from the top of your motorcycle as you clean. Take a close look for any damage, corrosion, dents, cracks, or chips. Clean off the sponge to prevent it from accumulating dirt or grease.
7. Wash Your Mirrors and Windscreen
Carefully clean your mirrors and windscreen (if you have one) with a dedicated glass cleaner to remove debris. A specific bug-removing product will help remove bugs that have accumulated.
8. Use Soapy Water or Chrome Cleaner on Wheels
If you have aluminum wheels, you can use auto detergent that’s motorcycle-friendly to clean them. Mix the detergent with water, soak a sponge or rag in the mixture, and scrub down the wheels. Just like with your bike’s other chrome parts, you can use a chrome cleaner on chrome wheels.
9. Scrub Down Plastic Parts
If you have any miscellaneous, smaller plastic parts on your motorcycle, use the auto detergent to get rid of any dirty gunk left behind on your bike. Soak the sponge in the mixture and wipe down the plastic parts.
10. Rinse Off Your Bike
With a layer of soap on your bike, rinse it down with a hose. Get rid of all the soap on your motorcycle. Clean off the body, mirrors, wheels, and plastic parts of the bike. Avoid spraying directly into the areas like the exhaust, engine, and chain.
11. Dry Off Your Motorcycle
To prevent water spots and potential corrosion, don’t leave any water on your bike. The simplest way to dry it off is with a soft, clean towel or rag, giving it a smooth rub down to prevent streaks on your bike. Another option is to air-dry your motorcycle with a high-powered fan.
12. Clean Your Seat
If your motorcycle seat is made from vinyl, use a vinyl protectant product and wipe it down to prevent cracks and fading. For leather or suede, use a dedicated cream product for protection against wear and tear.
13. More Ways to Keep Your Bike Clean
Protect your chain with a lubricating product to help it repel dirt and continue operating smoothly. Polishing the chrome and applying wax to painted areas will add an extra layer of protection.
Cleaning your motorcycle gets rid of dirt and helps identify damage early. It will also contribute to higher resale value if you ever decide to part with it.
Ryan Miller
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