Nooks n' crannies...

[98pacecar]

This bike has an abundance of em..  

As far as cleaning goes,,,, it's a nightmare,,, compared to my PC800..   (piece a cake)

The only way I see to get it really clean is take it to a do it yer self (quarter eatin) car wash.

I'm,, a bit of a clean freak, so even the underneath, needs,,,,, ta be clean..  

Will this type of pressurized cleaning cause me any issues?  

I've had other bikes, not want ta run,,,,, after this...

Thanks, Jim

[Gryphon Rider]

I would never use a pressure washer on a motorcycle.  Those nooks and crannies hide places where water should never go.  I suggest you trade your Valkyrie in for a Honda Pacific Coast or a newer scooter; I hear they're really easy to wash. 

[da prez]

Mix a solution of liquid dish soap and water , one part soap to two or three parts water. Spray this solution on the offending areas and let dry. Rewet and then rinse with a hose. It usually will take off most dirt. If you have oil under the bike , this will remove it. (quit following HD's .that is where the oil is comming from) .

                                     da prez

[98pacecar]

I would never use a pressure washer on a motorcycle.  Those nooks and crannies hide places where water should never go. I suggest you trade your Valkyrie in for a Honda Pacific Coast or a newer scooter; I hear they're really easy to wash.  

Already,,, own one as I  said,,,, in da first post...........      (In da siggy too...)

[98pacecar]

Mix a solution of liquid dish soap and water , one part soap to two or three parts water. Spray this solution on the offending areas and let dry. Rewet and then rinse with a hose. It usually will take off most dirt. If you have oil under the bike , this will remove it. (quit following HD's .that is where the oil is comming from) .

                                     da prez

Dat,,, works????  

Interesting,,, never heard of anything,,, like dat...     ???

[bentwrench]

It took a while to science out this system but it really works for me.I took a plastic coated alum. detailing stick I bought at a bike show and a fluffy dish brush from wallyworld,cut and threaded the dish brush to screw onto the brush on the stick.next I take a little car wash soap in a 3X spray bottle(also ww)and fill with hot water.spritz the whole bike down with this low cost homemade S100.If your ride is well waxed most of the dirt rolls right off.take your brush to the nooks and cranies with bucket of suuds to rinse it.You'll be amazed at how much dirt come off with just a spritz and rinse and this method is very easy on the clear coat,the hot soap seem s to get between the dirt and paint so that a little scrubbing doesn't result in micro scratching.

I follow this up with blaster dryer and towel dry.I've got this down to about a 20-30min. job and my riding buddys always complain about my bike being cleaner than theirs

At 85k miles the paint on my 98 tourer looks great.I clay bar it once a year. at wax it 3-4 times a year witha good syn. wax.The paint on these bikes from the fact. is top notch and little tlc will keep it that way.
BTW I stopped using dish on my bikes while cleans likethe dickens it also removes waxes and protective coatings
I hope this helps  BW

[Bighead]

I use Simple green and just wet the bike then spray the simple green on and it will loosen most bugs and grime the just spray with a water hose with jet nozzle and 90% of the grime comes off then just finish off with a wash mitt then blow dry small places with air nozzle and then wipe down with a clean towel to get the water spots from chrome.

[Daniel Meyer]

Keep it off the wheel bearings, plugs, and alternator (and anything covered by tank/sidecovers) and a pressure washer is no real issue.

[Jess from VA]

A pressure washer can be hell on wheel bearings. I even avoid a hard hose spray in those areas.

I put the bike on the lift and wash from bottom to top (in sections).  S100 or wheel cleaner and an assortment of stiff small/medium brushes for the underside and wheels and brakes, exhaust, lower engine (also OOOO steel wool on the wheels - for those of us without clearcoat wheels).  S100 is supposed to be OK for paint, but I don't do it.  Immediately followed by HOT soapy water and rinse in each section (front, rear, middle), because S100 and wheel cleaner will etch uncoated aluminum if not completely rinsed off.   Once the dirtiest part from knee high and below is clean, then I do the rest of the bike with hot soapy water.  I generally only use a fine spray/heavy mist of water from the hose, except I blast the underside of the fenders.

Then I use a gas Stihl leaf blower to get off as much water as I can before wiping down.  And I try to get a short ride immediately after to try and get water trapped inside off before putting it away.

It's also a good idea to go around with a skinny nozzle aerosol of electronic lube/cleaner to all the electronic switches right after a wash (start, kill, radio, and 7 keyholes - interstate) (and occasionally, under the sidecovers).

Any good car wash soap is good, but I like Armorall liquid soap with wax in it.

[98pacecar]

It took a while to science out this system but it really works for me.I took a plastic coated alum. detailing stick I bought at a bike show and a fluffy dish brush from wallyworld,cut and threaded the dish brush to screw onto the brush on the stick.next I take a little car wash soap in a 3X spray bottle(also ww)and fill with hot water.spritz the whole bike down with this low cost homemade S100.If your ride is well waxed most of the dirt rolls right off.take your brush to the nooks and cranies with bucket of suuds to rinse it.You'll be amazed at how much dirt come off with just a spritz and rinse and this method is very easy on the clear coat,the hot soap seem s to get between the dirt and paint so that a little scrubbing doesn't result in micro scratching.

I follow this up with blaster dryer and towel dry.I've got this down to about a 20-30min. job and my riding buddys always complain about my bike being cleaner than theirs

At 85k miles the paint on my 98 tourer looks great.I clay bar it once a year. at wax it 3-4 times a year witha good syn. wax.The paint on these bikes from the fact. is top notch and little tlc will keep it that way.
BTW I stopped using dish on my bikes while cleans likethe dickens it also removes waxes and protective coatings
I hope this helps  BW

Ditto,, I use dis: (top one in da link)   

http://www.flashwax.com/wash.html       

Use it on da pacecar,,, as well...   

[98pacecar]

Keep it off the wheel bearings, plugs, and alternator (and anything covered by tank/sidecovers) and a pressure washer is no real issue.

That's kinda da way I feel..  

Seems like, the ways to clean da valk,,, are as individual, as da owners,,,, n',,,,,,,,,,, da bikes...    

Lotta, good,,, info...  

[art]

Ride naked in a rain storm.Take a shower and clean the valk at the same time

[9Ball]

A pressure washer can be hell on wheel bearings. I even avoid a hard hose spray in those areas.

It can be hell on a final drive too....

[BradValk48237]

I would recommend a good regular waxing to help keep it clean....

I am one of those guys that refuse to ride a dirty bike.. hell, even a dusty bike.

But, saying that,  I spend as little time as I can cleaning.  I keep it clean on a regular basis and Wax it on a regular basis.

I don't mean you gotta do a complete hand wax even time you ride it, but I give it  thorough hand waxing about twice a year. And I detail the bike in the garage usually before the riding season begins around here.

I seldom have to wash the bike as before I take the bike out, i spend 5-10 minutes with some Lemon/Orange Pledge getting the dust off.  I even keep the Pledge in the bike and only clean the windshield with it. The wax in general helps keep the dirt building up. I have used other spray on waxes and liked them , but always seem to come back to the Pledge. On trips, first thing in the morning, wash it down with water and motel towels ( I ask the desk for worn ones) , then a quick once over with a rag and Pledge. 15 mins and I have a clean bike AND my exercise for the day. Now the rest ids for Ridin' and Drinkin'

About the only time I have to wash the bike is when I have ridden in the rain and mudded the bike up.

My bike is no Trailer Queen and I am not afraid to ride in the rain. I put 10,000+ miles on this year and thats with the bike in winter storage for 5 months or so.

As to the nooks n crannys... I seem to have found some type of chrome cover to protect em (or at least hide em)  , and fingers and a rag seem to get most that do show.

Brad

[98pacecar]

A pressure washer can be hell on wheel bearings. I even avoid a hard hose spray in those areas.

It can be hell on a final drive too....

Can't even hardly see da final drive, with the beetle bags. 

Where exactly,,,,,, does the air box draw, fresh air,,,,,,,,,,,,, from???   

[98pacecar]

As to the nooks n crannys... I seem to have found some type of chrome cover to protect em (or at least hide em)  , and fingers and a rag seem to get most that do show.

Brad

I've been known, ta use a BBQ brush,,, ta get to some of em...   ???

Da long handle, is a,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, plus....   

[Jess from VA]

Where exactly,,,,,, does the air box draw, fresh air,,,,,,,,,,,,, from???

I'm not certain of this.... but I'm pretty sure it's the atmosphere. 

[98pacecar]

Where exactly,,,,,, does the air box draw, fresh air,,,,,,,,,,,,, from???

I'm not certain of this.... but I'm pretty sure it's the atmosphere. 

FUNNY man.............   

Might I suggest dat you, keep,,,,, yer day job.. 

Perhaps,, I should clarify???   

Where, would I not want to aim the car wash nozzle,,, as to not get it into the air intake???   

[Jess from VA]

I am fully retired, so my day job is pretty much sitting on my thumb...... figuratively, not literally. 

I intend to stick with this day job until I am fully deceased. 

Here is the schematic for the air box (see part number 4).  It would seem prudent to avoid spraying up under the front of the tank.

http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/1999-honda-valkyrie-interstate-gl1500cf-air-cleaner/o/m151389sch305823

[98pacecar]

I am fully retired, so my day job is pretty much sitting on my thumb...... figuratively, not literally. 

I intend to stick with this day job until I am fully deceased. 

Here is the schematic for the air box (see part number 4).  It would seem prudent to avoid spraying up under the front of the tank.

http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/1999-honda-valkyrie-interstate-gl1500cf-air-cleaner/o/m151389sch305823

Ditto,,, on da,,, ''day job''   

''fully deceased''        Personally,,   I'm gonna shoot fer only partially deceased meself...     


Thanks,,, fer da box inlet location, info..... 

[Jess from VA]

I really think that except for brakes and wheels, and underneath the engine and fenders, only bad things can happen from inserting a high pressure nozzle into the nooks and crannies of any bike at a quarter car wash.  

[Red Diamond]

Ride it in a driving rain at approximately 60 MPH, even ride thru flooded streets. All this for however far and long as it takes to get to where ever the destination happen to be. But don't pressure wash it, you'll kill it. I pressure wash mine when ever there is a need to do so.

[Robert]

I dont like to ride a dirty bike but to clean really well can be time consuming, so to me its a issue with total bike care. Pressure washers only remove crud on the surface yet still leave the grime that actually sticks to the surface and actually is the glue for the crud and other contaminants and aids corrosion of the metal. If you keep it away and remove the small parts of this grime that start in problem areas then like me you will only have to wash once in awhile and use a good detail spray to clean the grime away and protect the wax. I look at wax like it's paint and try to bolster and protect it with the detail spray. To me that is the only protection your bike actually has to the assortment of elements out there, including the occasional gas spill on the tank.  I now use a detail spray a good wash wax product a soft fairly large head car wash brush on a regular basis and a assortment of other products only as needed. A good product to clean brake dust and remove the grime on the calipers and occasionally on the engine was the hardest to find. Removing the grim yet not hurting the finish is hard to do especially when the silver on the engine starts to look dull. Most products like this applied for a a minute or two are ok but any longer and they eat the paint. If you look at the Japanese bolts on our engines you will notice that they come from the factory with a goldish hue to them this coating is a true tell tale sign of how good the cleaning process is and how old the bike is. Its a hard thing to keep but really makes a subtle difference in the appearance of the bike. Most all Japanese bolts have this coating and its usually lost really quickly. I still have most bolts with this coating on them and have replaced with stainless steel the ones that dont. Once clean then wax and wash wax combo with a soft brush or cloth will keep the thing clean without the need of a pressure washer or any time consuming cleaning. Dirt practically falls off wax as does rain and grime. I'm a bit annal when it comes to keeping my bike clean like I said I like it clean but I dont have the time to devote to constantly cleaning it. I ride every day and its hard enough to keep it clean much less to be a slave to cleaning. Once a surface gets pitted or marked by dirt you have pretty much lost the battle in that area, that's why keeping it clean before it gets like this or maintenance on or eliminating the problem areas is important to keeping the bike looking new.

[Earl in Pensacola]

You've rec'd a lot of good advice on cleaning the valk.  I "used" to pressure wash the windshield, front of the engine and underside and still will use my pressure washer on the underside.  Now-a-days, I just clean the underside with pressurized carb. or brake cleaner!!  I have a '97 tourer with 275K on her with all EOM paint (except the rear fender-Due to a rear-ender) and she still looks like new--I use only Honda polish (now called The Original Polish)on the entire bike.

I also "used" to own a Black P-C.  I loved it. Rode it for 36K.  I had the airfoil (or whatever it was called)  installed as well as an AM/FM/CD player installed in the left saddle bag with a hardwired control tower mounted to the left compartment lid.  Great Bike.  Keep it too!!

[98pacecar]

You've rec'd a lot of good advice on cleaning the valk.  I "used" to pressure wash the windshield, front of the engine and underside and still will use my pressure washer on the underside.  Now-a-days, I just clean the underside with pressurized carb. or brake cleaner!!  I have a '97 tourer with 275K on her with all EOM paint (except the rear fender-Due to a rear-ender) and she still looks like new--I use only Honda polish (now called The Original Polish)on the entire bike.

I also "used" to own a Black P-C.  I loved it. Rode it for 36K.  I had the airfoil (or whatever it was called)  installed as well as an AM/FM/CD player installed in the left saddle bag with a hardwired control tower mounted to the left compartment lid.  Great Bike.  Keep it too!!

I agree, da PC is,,,, a keeper.  

I got it last Dec,, up yer way, in panama city beach,  still as new, only has 10K miles on it...

Very,, under rated, misunderstood,,,, bike, I love mine.  

Kinda like ridin yer overstuffed sofa,,, down da road..  Don't even hardly get wet, in da rain.  

Once, it warms up a lil,,,  I think I'm off,,,, to da car wash...    

Not gonna make a habit out of it,,, just need to prolly do it once..    

[Len]

I use PlastiX, Instant Detailer, and Mothers spray cleaners. Gets wet enough riding in rain.

Like you said, cleaning is also a matter of choice.