Power Wash at Car Wash

[Kidd]

Anyone use such   high pressure  wash for your Valk  ?
I am thinking for removing bugs and  road stuff  .

[Chrisj CMA]

Just not worth it.  High pressure water and a motorcycle just dont mix.  Seals and bearings and electrical stuff are too easy to damage.  JMHO but I say dont do it

[SANDMAN5]

Anyone use such   high pressure  wash for your Valk  ?
I am thinking for removing bugs and  road stuff  .

 

I've done it a time or two while out on a ride, but I mainly hit the w/s and
gas tank and stuff that won't get messed up...and I don't hold the wand
very close to what I'm cleaning. In short, I only use it occasionally to get
some of the "ride grime" off and not really for a "cleaning". YMMV.

[Patrick]

The only water to touch my motorbikes comes from the clouds and the older I get the more I dislike riding in the rain..

[Kidd]

Anyone use such   high pressure  wash for your Valk  ?
I am thinking for removing bugs and  road stuff  .

 

I've done it a time or two while out on a ride, but I mainly hit the w/s

What is W/S    ?

[Gary]

What is W/S    ?

Windshield

[Disco]

I do it every time I wash a bike with no adverse effects (yet, anyway), but I will offer the following tips based on my 10+ years spent in all aspects of the vehicle wash business except manufacturing.

There are two types of soils.  Those held to the surface electrostatically like dust and mud, and those held by an oil bond like the grime that comes off the road after the rain.  Bugs are special problems because of proteins and exoskeletons.

There are two types of vehicle wash. Touchless & Friction 

Touchless works fine for electrostatic soils and bugs, and can work on oil-bond soils depending on water pressure, water quality, water temperature, chemical quality, and chemical quantity.  There are chemical applications that can clean anything without friction, but you wouldn't put your hands or your beloved Valkyrie in them. 

Generally speaking, NOTHING cleans better and safer for electrostatic and oil-bond soils than warm water + mild detergent + gentle friction.  The best example is how you wash your hands. 

However, there are many places on the Valkyrie (not so much on the 'wing) you just can't get to with a soapy mitt.  Plus, unless you are using a deep bucket, rinsing the mitt between applications to the bike, NEVER placing the mitt on the driveway, allowing the grit to settle to the bottom of the bucket, dipping the mitt only shallowly into the bucket, etc, you run the risk of converting your cleaning mitt into a sanding/swiriling mitt.  Not that big a deal on wheels and tires, but not great for paint and chrome.

1. Patronize a facility that is clean and well mainained.  The outside of the carwash is a good rule of thumb for the way the equipment room is supplied and maintained. 

2. Use common sense.  A self-service carwash will clean really well at 1,500 psi.  It can also peel the skin off the top of a bare foot at 1,500 psi if the nozzle gets too close.  That's why MOST operators never exceed 1,200-1,250 psi.  Keep the nozzle a reasonable distance away from sensitive or easily damaged components and/or surfaces.  Don't get the nozzle any closer to the surface of your bike than you can comfortably get it to the back of your hand. 

3. Do not use engine cleaner or wheel & tire cleaner.  These are too strong to apply to any soil you will typically encounter on your bike.  If you can't get your bike clean using the following steps, this is where friction comes in.   

4. Use pre-soak on the wheels, tires, and underside, allow a bit of "dwell" time but don't let the solution dry on the bike.  Follow that with High Pressure Soap, High Pressure Rinse.  If your bike just needs a "dusting", stand farther away.  Follow that with Spot-Free Rinse.  The Spot-Free water is very aggressive at bonding to and pulling residual soap and clear coat protectant from the bike.  Clear Coat Protectant does actually provide some protection for painted surfaces and is safe for other surfaces.  The products labeled High- or Low-Pressure Wax almost universally do not contain any carnauba, but do contain mineral seal oil and is OK to apply to any surface.  It just doesn't last very long at all.

5. NEVER use any tire dressing on your bike.  They all, whether oil-based or water-based, contain silicone and that does not belong on a bike anywhere.

6. Wash often.  Soils won't build up and both your bike and your local small business carwash owner/operator will thank you.

[Garland]

I have also occasionally used a power wash while on the road, with no problems. At home I usually use Hondabright, followed by my hose.  I dry the bike with a leaf blower, then polish and detail as necessary.  I found that I am better off doing a 95% cleaning all the time instead of going for perfection on occasion since I ride every day.

[houstone]

As in most things, a little common sense here goes a long way!  If you shoot it down your intake, you'll mess up the bike!  Keep it back from sensitive areas mentioned above, and all should be fine.  It works great on bugs on the windshield and mirrors!  The best advice in this thread is to do it often!  Easy to say...
Be safe!
Jeff

[Kingbee]

I ALWAYS pressure wash my bikes before any areas I have to deal with by hand.

I have a pump up sprayer that I keep a 50/50 mix of Simple Green and water in.  I use it to pre soak soiled and "bugged" surfaces, like anything facing forward, wheels & calipers, swing arm, underside of the engine etc.

After a few minutes I have at it with my pressure washer, avoiding switch housings,  wheel bearing seals and fork seals.
Do not spray closely at Hondaline windshields, as the high pressure water can get in through tiny imperfections and lift & peel away the protective surface layer.
Any remaining bugs or grime is then tended-to by hand.
Then after a thorough final rinse I remove 95% of the water with a leaf blower, followed by a hand dry.  

The above is the only way I know of to quickly clean all the hard-to-get-to areas, and the rest of the bike.

Every wash, every bike.

[Jim N]

I've reponded to many emails about this subject, I hear all the naysayers sceam "don't do it!  You'll ruin your seals/bearings/electrical system!", but I've done it on all my bikes for the last 10 years with not ONE instance of a bearing failure, water in the oil, bad seals, etc.  Common sense (is there such a thing?) says not to get too close to the key areas, wheel bearings, under the seat/tank, etc, which I rarely do, but modern bikes are designed to be able to be ridden in the rain at 50mph, they can surely take a high pressure washing.  I've owned my Interstate for 5 years, she has been through literally a hundred washings of more, with not one ill effect.  Ever.  My tourer has been through the same for the past 2 years, nada.  I have NEVER had ANY bike suffer ill effects from a high pressure washing.  And I've used it on all my bikes since they installed one about a mile from my house.

[fudgie]

I've done numberous times at camp grounds. Works well when you get alot of mud caked under the fenders. I use it close to the windshield to get the bugs off and never a problem. I never full forse around any electrical or seals. At home I use a hose. My perfered method is to find a bikini bike wash! 

[Andy]

Yes, I use them when I don't feel like the bucket and mitt aproach. For me it's just to remove the big chunks and/or road grime film.
I first soak the bike low pressure with their version of super soap then wash high pressure staying away from seals and electrical stuff.
Rinse full pressure simulating a rain shower effect then spot free rinse mode. Finish up with a hand dry.

Now if I do it at home it's a two day ordeal. I'll remove the radiator pods and saddlebags so as to get to more knooks and krannies. Polish all paint and chrome etc. etc. etc.. This is when I hate this bike but love it when it's done. Oh and if you don't own an electric leaf blower get one, they are the crap for quick bulk drying.

[alph]

yes, go ahead and use a power washer.  just don't go spraying up under the gas tank, that'll get water into the air intake, but not too easily.  the guy i bought my bike from always used one and i've got no problems with it.  the bikes got 50k miles on it now...  as for the electronics, the bike was designed for being riden in the rain.  use your brain when it comes to spraying into the speakers.

Al.

[Udo]

I also use it, as described, with common sense. I have a Ultimate seat (leather), which i remove before i wash the bike (i mount my OEM seat instead). I would also remove leather saddle bags....

[Cattman]

I also use it, as described, with common sense. I have a Ultimate seat (leather), which i remove before i wash the bike (i mount my OEM seat instead). I would also remove leather saddle bags....

As with all of the above and also cover your cb/radio control box to keep any water out. The older the bikes get the more prone to water getting in the control box and then it takes 6-12 hours to dry out at start working again.  This is also true for riding in Texas monsoons for extended periods too.

[cutter]

were supposed to wash it?.......    Hmmm... there is a chance of rain for the ride home. Guess it'll happen then. 

[Jim N]

I LOVE my Valkyries, I HATE the wax/chrome polish routine! I've gotten better as the years progress, this year I actually disassembled the pods on my IS before waxing, they came out GREAT! 

[ashmomicmac]

Just recently I did my first car wash on my I/S and decided that i would get there before the bike got too hot(didn't like the idea of making steam). I used the presoak on it then the brush on the timing belt cover and fairing (after rinsing the brush)then rinsed followed by spot free rinse! I was very impressed with the shine after toweling it dry, and as stated by others, no close up spraying !!! 

[MarkT]

Most of the time, I don't wash Deerslayer, I just hand clean it with 100% terry cloth towels and Honda polish/cleaner, and Plexus for the plastic.  If I get caught in the rain - then I'll wash it.  With just warm water and towels.  Then blow it off with a Black & Decker 240mph leaf blower - then go over any spots with a towel dampened with Honda cleaner.

I've seen the effect of too much washing.  The bike looks good - until you look close.  Your mechanic will see all the rust on all the fasteners.  Don't wash it anymore than necessary.

I use my powerwasher to blast off oily grime, and to reach harder to clean areas like the lower engine behind the pipes, only when I'm detailing the bike and washing it anyway.  Brake calipers.  Any grimey / oily spots that don't have paint or seals.  You can get a 1300PSI electric powerwasher at Harbor Freight for under $100 on sale.

[Tundra]

NEVER HAVE, NEVER WILL for the same reasons as ChrisJ CMA stated above. (many do, problem free) I have only washed my Valkyrie three times, one of wich was yesterday from being caught in a severe storm.
 I prefer to hand wash/clean as MarkT stated above. I wipe it down before and after each ride with a wet washcloth and dry with a terry-cloth towel. Wax and chrome polish every month, still looks like new! I've got too much chrome and fasteners to trap moisture, I too have seen others that wash and they will start to look crappie up close. If I do have to wash, as yesterday I will always blow dry with my compressor, then towel off to eliminate spotting, then ride as soon as possible to "heat-dry" trapped water. I know, sounds anal. I love my Valk, put allot into her and enjoy taking care of her. If it were a daily rider, for transportation I would not have chosen a Valk, maybe something with less chrome and maintenance. My Valk is a hobbie a sport and a stress reliever 

[DaveD(MI)]

I did one time and messed up my radiator fins when I got too close. I'll stick with my bucket and sponge.