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[Jock]

Whats wrong with leaving them on?

 

 

[CVOwner]

Gunk and a tooth brush is what I use.

B B

Yeah, I was hoping there was a better way, old elbow grease is usually the best and only way. I have to take off the lowers and I"ll end up with bleeding knuckles and get blood all over the fins and have to clean that off!

M

[Tros]

Yeah, I was hoping there was a better way, old elbow grease is usually the best and only way. I have to take off the lowers and I"ll end up with bleeding knuckles and get blood all over the fins and have to clean that off!

M

Not if you get these, Red of course.   

[sooiee]

Do this in the shade...S100 and a hose will take the chunks off.  Hint:  while still wet, get a nylon brush with long bristles and brush the jugs and engine areas.
Then hose off with full power and a strong jet type nozzle.  Fire up the leaf blower to dry bike and I'm back riding in 10 minutes. 

[Jbbrown73]

I bought it to ride, not to wash!

[70_GTX]

What ratio do you use on the diluted hydrogen peroxide? A bottle of U.S.P. is 3% active ingredient.

[Rhino]

Good ole brake cleaner. Doesnt hurt nuttin.

Rhino

[Serkcus]

I would be a little hesitant to use brake cleaner on the bike, especially on the engine. IMO I have read that repeated use can cause the surface to oxidize abd bleach if any residue that remains. S100 on a cold engine and washed offf completely after a few minutes works well. I cut up strips from an old chamois to pull through the fin spacings , does not scratch and fairly easy to do. Last bike I traded in, dealer put it in the showroom next to the new ones they had detailed, my well used Classic looked better. But then again we all have our own methods, that's what keeps it interesting.

[REGGAB]

I've always been able to get my jugs clean by liberally spraying them with whatever flavor of ammonia free Windex Renea has laying around, brushing the fins with a soft bristle brush, and then I use copious amounts of rinse water under low pressure.  After drying it off, I'll run it until the engine, primary, and transmission get warm........not hot.  After shut down, I'll spray the whole engine, primary, transmission powdercoat area with armor all and let it sit for about an hour.  Then I wash the bike as normal.  First, It really blings up the powdercoat and brings out the new looking silver we all saw in the showroom, and second, it makes future bug removal easier.  Always works for me.  Same procedure I've always used even with my black powdercoat engines.

[DW6019]

Almost any bug is water soluble. Just soak a towel or rag and lay it over the bugs for a few minutes (Much the same as you do any M/C windshield) and then they easily come off.
Brake cleaner is used by techs, but the techs themselves normally don't take care of there own bikes, and they sure don't care about how mine holds up over time. Brake cleaner is to harsh for any paint, on a regular basis, and Powder Coat (the engine) is Powder Coated. Use it very sparingly if you intend to own the bike a while. It WILL break down the finish slowly and your silver/black will start to dull. Maybe that is why they make engine brightner??