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[southtxcruiser]

im wondering to what extent do people go to when the do a complete detail, i remove bags, seat, side panels, floor boards, passender pegs, my wife says im crazy , how many other crazy people do that ? by the way it takes me about 3 hrs to wash, wax and polish everything and i do mean everything

[dayne66]

Once a year I do a 'major'... bags off, etc. The rest of the time; a good soaking spray with a 20% solution  of Simple Green, a pressure wash with a POS pressure washer,  a brushing of the wheels, and a blow dry with the leaf blower....20-25 mins.

[Keats]

im wondering to what extent do people go to when the do a complete detail, i remove bags, seat, side panels, floor boards, passender pegs, my wife says im crazy , how many other crazy people do that ? by the way it takes me about 3 hrs to wash, wax and polish everything and i do mean everything

I would agree with your wife as soon as you took floor boards and pegs off.

If you go that far why stop.... take foot brake and shifter levers off also air cleaner, horn, lowers  and gas tank


LOL

[mjb765]

I would agree with your wife as soon as you took floor boards and pegs off.

If you go that far why stop.... take foot brake and shifter levers off also air cleaner, horn, lowers  and gas tank


LOL

X2

[tennisman]

im wondering to what extent do people go to when the do a complete detail, i remove bags, seat, side panels, floor boards, passender pegs, my wife says im crazy , how many other crazy people do that ? by the way it takes me about 3 hrs to wash, wax and polish everything and i do mean everything

Wow....hey, serious question...have you taken the spotlights apart to clean the inside of the glass lens?  I've thought of doing that.
T

[southtxcruiser]

done that twice...

[1sharprdkg]

X2

X3

[Midnight Rider]

done that twice...

They have some pretty good drugs for OCD now...I'd say you have a full blown case when it comes to the bike.    Taking the floorboards/passenger pegs off might be considered a little extreme, but whatever blows your skirt up...

On a more serious note, I have been known to take the seat off, and the side panels to just wipe the dust out of them...too many electrical things in there to directly spray with water, IMO.  I'm pretty anal about my bike...if I'm giving it a real wash job, I always take the bags off and put them on my stand...that only takes about 5 extra minutes.  I hit the wheels with a spray on wheel cleaner, rinse and call that good on the wheels.  I do hand wash the rest of the bike, then blow it dry with an Air Shammy (used to use a Cycledryer until it took a crap on me), and use a microfiber to get the water spots that the dryer didn't get in time.  Takes me about 45 minutes, give or take, and that includes getting it out, putting it on the J&S jack, bags off.  Once a year, I'll do a real detail, which includes polishing everything on the bike with Glare products.  I also do that on new bikes...just did the new SERGU two days ago...took me 5 hours.  But now it's good to go for the whole riding season as far as polishing, and once you do the Glare right, it just needs a touch up once a year.  I can't stand the bike to be dirty for long though, even on trips I've been known to give it some kind of wash job after riding through rain and getting things really funky.  I just hit the high points though...stuff you can see.

Between serious washes, I get bugs off with a waterless cleaner, or Windex Wipes WITHOUT amonia.

[guppytrash]

I thought I was bad...but I never have taken my peg's or floorboards off for cleaning.  Seat, side covers, bags...guilty.
I do use whole lot of detailer though, Meguiars or Mothers.

I have lived on both coasts and am now back to farmland USA and holly crap, the bugs!!
Pretty much a ritual at the end of every ride to soak some towels and leave on the bug covered parts for an hour or more.  Then they clean off real easy.
Last step is some detailer.   I hit the wheels when they need it with water and S100.

As far as wax/polish... I like the harley glaze polish.

[RPR50]

I'm riding 500+ miles to Ribfest on Thursday. More than likely in the rain. I detailed my bike today, including wax on the the rims.  It didn't need it and more than likely I'll pull out in the rain.  Don't fully understand it, but had to do it.

[guppytrash]

I'm riding 500+ miles to Ribfest on Thursday. More than likely in the rain. I detailed my bike today, including wax on the the rims.  It didn't need it and more than likely I'll pull out in the rain.  Don't fully understand it, but had to do it.

Laughed out loud when I read this.  I feel your pain, it is a disease and I have it too.  Wish there was a cure.

[SBB]

I'm riding 500+ miles to Ribfest on Thursday. More than likely in the rain. I detailed my bike today, including wax on the the rims.  It didn't need it and more than likely I'll pull out in the rain.  Don't fully understand it, but had to do it.

"but had to do it"

Bob

Don't try to understand it.
Just enjoy it.
Once your back home, you will look back and think about what a great time you had.
That in itself is justification.
Ride safe Bob, see you there!



SBB

[southtxcruiser]

the bike will probably get detailed again when he gets back from ribfest.

[JCZ]

I pretty much do it the same way every time.....remove the bags, seat and GPS.  HD Sunwash (I get very generous with it) and lots of water, rinsing each section of the bike as I go.  Dry it with the Air Force blow dryer and about quarterly a good polishing.

Usually about three hours per bike.....but I always have to do two at a time.....mine and hers.

[The Mysterious Q!]

I remove bags, seat and side covers. I wet wash then blow dry with my backpack blower. All this is done on my bike jack. I use chrome wheel cleaner on the wheels and use a microfiber mitt to wash the rest. When dry I Glare everything that's chrome and paint with surgical gloves on so I get no fingerprints anywhere. I also carry a mini California Duster to swipe of dust while on the road. It takes me 3 to 4 hours a clip.