How To Clean Your Motorcycle

No matter what kind of motorcycle you own, you shouldn't use a commercial car washing site to clean it. Since high-power hoses used for car washing can damage the parts on your bike, Motorcycle insurance will not cover damage caused by commercial car washes.

The best way to clean your bike is to do it yourself. Always wash and dry your bike out of direct sunlight to prevent water spotting and sun-caused temperature differentials that can harm your paint.

Things You Need

Soap
Bucket
Water
Gloves
Bug and Tar Remover
Degreaser or Engine Cleaner
Brush (long) for wheel cleaning
Wheel Cleaner
Toothbrush
WD-40
Two sponges
Several soft cotton towels
A Chamois for drying

Motorcycle Cleaning Process

Step 1: Getting Your Bike Ready for Washing

Use warm water to fill your bucket and mix it with your soap solution. Keep the sponge handy, but never let it touch the ground (where it can pick up dirt and debris that can damage your bike’s paint).

Step 2: Get Rid of Splattered Bugs and Tar

Every motorcyclist hates dead bugs and road grime, but you can easily get rid of these if you use the proper gear to remove them. Commercially available bug and grime removers make quick work of bug and tar removal. When using these solutions, do not scrub the paint on your bike too hard. Never use the sponge you removed splattered bugs and road tar for anything else.

Step 3: Cleaning Hard Parts

Swingarms and exhaust pipes are two of the most difficult parts of your motorcycle to clean. Utilize a different solution for these than the ones you use on paint and chrome. Use a rough rag and degreaser for scrubbing hard parts carefully, keeping the strong degreaser away from paint and chrome.

Step 4: Recesses and Crevices

If you wondered why your motorcycle needs a toothbrush – wonder no more. It is a handy way to make those parts with recesses and crevices appear to sparkle. Use the toothbrush to apply degreaser to non-chrome motor parts to remove oil and grime.

Step 5: Clean Wheels

Motorcycles only have two wheels and they are challenging to clean. The best way to remove brake dust and wheel dirt is to use a wheel cleaner. Apply it and let it settle for a few minutes before scrubbing it off with your long-handled brush. Chrome wheels need special cleaning products, so make sure you know what your wheels are made of before buying cleaning products.

Step 6: Clean Your Bike

Use sponges with the warm soapy water from step one. Before you scrub your bike down, get the paint wet and let the soap serve as a lubricant, so as not to damage the paint. Rinse the bike off with clean water from a hose or a refill of water only from the bucket.

Step 7: Time to Dry

Use your chamois to remove as much moisture as you can from your bike. Reward yourself with a nice ride, since the air movement will help dry many parts you could not reach with the chamois.

Protect your bike today. Call Guardian Insurance at (855) 464-8273 for more information on Georgia motorcycle insurance.