What's Best Bike Shampoo/Soap

[Steve K (IA)]

OK, we have talked about waxes and polishes, how about the best (car washing) shampoo/ soap?  I'll be needing more soon and would like to know what everyone else is using.  I'm about finished with a jug of Meguires soap...purple in color.  Seems everything I have tried will leave water spots if I can't get it wiped down soon enough.  Last night I finally got around to dealing with the results of riding about 300 miles in a light rain with a very wet road surface returning home from the CBR.  After a good scrubbing in the driveway, I still have a mess to deal with.  It's a black bike and everywhere that the hiway crud was, I am having to use Meguire's  Deep Crystal Polish to get the crud off.  And I had a good wax job on the whole bike.

[Mikey]

I have NEVER "washed" my bike. When it gets real dirty, I use Jungle Jake or Jack or whatever from Fleet Farm with an old T-shirt, takes the bugs and tar right off. After I wipe it down with that, I use Mother's or Meguier's quick detail spray and a microfiber cloth. If it's just dusty, I use the Mother's and microfiber cloth.

[roboto65]

Well I use the same soap !!  As far as the spots well that has nothing to do with the soap it has to do with the drops of water picking up dirt or whatever is floating at the time in the air and then drying it to your paint LOL

[Jay]

If you have hard water it will leave mineral deposits (spots) mostly from the dissolved calcium and magnesium.

[Spirited-6]

Steve, I have had the same problem with water spots from several differant washes. I just got "Armorall Car Wash" and so far it`s not leaving any spots. Also I use "Cycle Care" formula 3 for quick polish touch up. You can use this on everything , windshield,paint,chrome. Wipe on wipe off.   You can do complete bike before you need to wipe off.

[Steve K (IA)]

Steve, I have had the same problem with water spots from several differant washes. I just got "Armorall Car Wash" and so far it`s not leaving any spots. Also I use "Cycle Care" formula 3 for quick polish touch up. You can use this on everything , windshield,paint,chrome. Wipe on wipe off.   You can do complete bike before you need to wipe off.

Cycle Care is good stuff.  Just got back from OReillys Auto to get more Tech Wax.  Looked at all the shampoos.  There is a Simonize soap that is guaranteed to self dry without spotting.  I think it was only $6, so it wouldn't be an expensive experiment.  If I only had the money from all the soaps, waxes and polishes that I have bought that were worthless....

[Black Dog]

Try the car wash kit, from Mr Clean.  Special soap, and an aplicator that sprays 'filtered' water to wet the car/bike, then flip a switch, and it sprays soapy water, wash the bike with your choice of towel/mitt, rinse with the filtered water, and then flip the switch again, and you get a 'spot free' mist, like in the car wash places.

I use my leaf blower to blow most of the water out of all the hiding places, and then just let it dry, out of the sun.

Works pretty well, and the filter/soap refills say they last for 10 washes, but I would guess that would depend on how hard your  water is.

YMMV, and just my .02 

Black Dog

[sandy]

A teaspoon of Dawn dishwashing liquid in a bucket. A soft sponge and rinse. Blow dry it with the leaf blower and finish with an "absorber" towel. Shammy (sp?) is good too. Do all this in the shade and no spots.

[Larry]

Try the car wash kit, from Mr Clean.  Special soap, and an aplicator that sprays 'filtered' water to wet the car/bike, then flip a switch, and it sprays soapy water, wash the bike with your choice of towel/mitt, rinse with the filtered water, and then flip the switch again, and you get a 'spot free' mist, like in the car wash places.

Black Dog

Used that kit too, does work good. Ran out of stuff though and havn't got more yet so using some sort "spot free" car wash soap. Our water is pretty hard though so the microfiber towel does the finishing.

[LadyDraco]

There was a blue gel stuff out .. I think ArmorAll had put it out...
I really liked it .. You could squirt it right on the bike no bucket needed...
Rinsed nice n clean NO spots.. But I haven't seen it around anymore...
To bad it really was good stuff ...

[hoosierdaddy]

Hey Steve, 

That stuff BlackDog was talking about (at least I think it's what he was referring to Mr. Clean) has been at the local Big Lot's Stores in Indiana on the shelves for either $4 or $6 for the whole box set (applicator & supplies).  I haven't tried it, but I did see it and read the box, it talks about wash & rinse and leaving a "spot free" cleaning job... looked like a pretty good deal, but you know me... my Valk is never that clean (LOL) so I haven't tried it yet!  Check out your local Big Lots... They usually have a selection of cleaners...

Paul (Hoosier Daddy) Weber
#370 Indiana State Rep