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[rscamarochad]

I have a new FXDSE2, and I gotta say I am more of a riding kinda guy than I am a cleaning kinda guy.  I am scared Sh****** to take a hose to my bike and wash it, so I have been using MOCO Quick Detailer,  Amonia Free Glass Foam, Turtle Wax Ice and lots and lots of polishing trying to keep everything looking mint.  I really don't have the money right now to drop $400 on a master blaster to dry the bike following a wash, and frankly I can see no other way to pull off a successful wash but blasting the water off when your finished.   Am I being overly cautious?  I have been super super careful not to scratch up my chrome and paint.  I always use either MOCO detailing cloths or microfiber towels, and I always try to blow off the dust prior to using any kind of quick detailer, even still I can already see fine swirls on some of the chrome pieces, and next to the ignition switch I have one sizeable scratch that almost looks like a gouge, and God only knows how that got there.  I have already had to use some paint swirl remover on the right and left sides of the gas tank nearest the seat, because I discovered that my jeans have evidently been rubbing that area when I ride(I have since adjusted how I ride).  I may just be a perfectionist, and I know my bike will age eventually especially given how much I ride it,  I just want to make that aging process as graceful as possible.  Is the way to go washing a bike with water or using a quick detailer?  I got caught in a 'bottom fell out' rain storm once and it took me almost a week with quick detailer and soft cloths to restore the shine to my bike.   I am going freaking nuts trying to keep this thing clean.  HELP ME PLEASE SEASONED RIDERS!  I'm a newbie and the way things are going now I am going to go crazy keeping this bike clean.

[spydglide]

I've found the only way to get a bike really clean is to wash it with soap & water.....just don't spray the water under direct pressure into certain areas (like electrics/electronics/etc.) and dry off with a towel will be fine.  Riding on a wet/greasy road is hard to recover from any other way than a washing.....then detail to your heart's content from there.  (see the Glare thread to deal with the swirls, etc.)  har!  spyder

[Keats]

I've found the only way to get a bike really clean is to wash it with soap & water.....just don't spray the water under direct pressure into certain areas (like electrics/electronics/etc.) and dry off with a towel will be fine.  Riding on a wet/greasy road is hard to recover from any other way than a washing.....then detail to your heart's content from there.  (see the Glare thread to deal with the swirls, etc.)  har!  spyder

I fire up the leaf blower to get water off bike..........seems to work pretty good

detailer works good on paint but to really clean areas like suspension and brakes you need to wash

[REGGAB]

Just wash it with a good soap like Glare Ultra Wash and plenty of low pressure water, like one of of those garden nozzles with a shower setting.  Your machine will be fine.  Think about it...........if you're skittish of using a hose, you better pray you never get caught in the rain.............and that will happen.   

[SERK3]

Last time i washed mine was about a month ago when we came back from the NC HOG RALLY, We hit a couple of rain showers, But i use a quick detailer just about everytime i ride it. The bike will be 2 years old next month and has 10,900 miles on it and looks like it just came off of showroom floor. I done the samething with my low rider it was 2 1/2 years old with 15,000 miles on it. I wax it 3 or 4 times a year, before and after we go to the beach. Everything i use is by Meguiar's, Gold Class wash, Tech-Wax NXT and ULTIMATE DETAILER.

[Sean M Cary]

I've found the only way to get a bike really clean is to wash it with soap & water.....just don't spray the water under direct pressure into certain areas (like electrics/electronics/etc.) and dry off with a towel will be fine.  Riding on a wet/greasy road is hard to recover from any other way than a washing.....then detail to your heart's content from there.  (see the Glare thread to deal with the swirls, etc.)  har!  spyder

yeah - question about this.  Got caught in a down pour two weeks or so ago, so I did a total, under the fenders, undercarriage total wash with the Mr. Clean sprayer .

Anyone have the HD Temp guage/dip stick?  And if so, does the condensation ever come out it once it gets wet?

Normally I use two buckets, one with soap, one with clean water and work my way down, didn't this time.

[FNGw/08SERK]

yeah - question about this.  Got caught in a down pour two weeks or so ago, so I did a total, under the fenders, undercarriage total wash with the Mr. Clean sprayer .

Anyone have the HD Temp guage/dip stick?  And if so, does the condensation ever come out it once it gets wet?

Normally I use two buckets, one with soap, one with clean water and work my way down, didn't this time.

Just remove the rear screws and pull the cover 

[Sean M Cary]

Just remove the rear screws and pull the cover 

thanks, guess you did the same?

[FNGw/08SERK]

thanks, guess you did the same?

I did, as a caution I suggest being as gentle as possible with those big mits of yours. The solder joints are fragile!! 

[REGGAB]

yeah - question about this.  Got caught in a down pour two weeks or so ago, so I did a total, under the fenders, undercarriage total wash with the Mr. Clean sprayer .

Anyone have the HD Temp guage/dip stick?  And if so, does the condensation ever come out it once it gets wet?

Normally I use two buckets, one with soap, one with clean water and work my way down, didn't this time.

I used to.  Gave up on it, tho'.  About three months ago it started popping out everytime I'd snatch the throttle.  First time it happened, it made a HUGE mess.............oil burned onto the mufflers, rear wheel/tire/brake covered in oil, etc.  Finally gave up and reinstalled the stock filler plug/dipstick.  Ever since I installed the JAGG Oil Cooler, I don't really worry or care about my engine oil temperature.

[Sean M Cary]

I did, as a caution I suggest being as gentle as possible with those big mits of yours. The solder joints are fragile!! 

yeah, yours are petite?

[Fired00d]

yeah - question about this.  Got caught in a down pour two weeks or so ago, so I did a total, under the fenders, undercarriage total wash with the Mr. Clean sprayer .

Anyone have the HD Temp guage/dip stick?  And if so, does the condensation ever come out it once it gets wet?

Normally I use two buckets, one with soap, one with clean water and work my way down, didn't this time.

Sean,
I used to have a problem w/my analog temp dipstick on my Fatboy getting condensation in it after washing. I ended up just sticking a baggie over it w/a rubber band to prevent as much water as I could from getting in there in the first place.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Sean M Cary]

Sean,
I used to have a problem w/my analog temp dipstick on my Fatboy getting condensation in it after washing. I ended up just sticking a baggie over it w/a rubber band to prevent as much water as I could from getting in there in the first place.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Good idea- hate learning the hard way, but seems to be my most common methodology...

[Sean M Cary]

Just remove the rear screws and pull the cover 

Howie, mine was just about dried out and the slight chance of rain turned into a downpour yesterday...bike was soaked.

While washing it last night, I found the hex heads under the rubber washer - tried 3/32 and 5/64th Allen wrench...no joy.

Anyone know what size they are??  Since none of the sae fit, guessing metric?

I also noticed condensation under my Neutral Light and Turn Signals Indicators on my dash - are these bikes that water sensitive that having them rained on does this crap??

[Hoist!]

Howie, mine was just about dried out and the slight chance of rain turned into a downpour yesterday...bike was soaked.

While washing it last night, I found the hex heads under the rubber washer - tried 3/32 and 5/64th Allen wrench...no joy.

Anyone know what size they are??  Since none of the sae fit, guessing metric?

I also noticed condensation under my Neutral Light and Turn Signals Indicators on my dash - are these bikes that water sensitive that having them rained on does this crap??

I reember mine being small Phillips head, I think?

Hoist!