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How to get that mirrorlike shine

3K views 23 replies 21 participants last post by  tiller4me 
#1 ·
Question for the clean freaks that may exist here.

I have been washing my bike (sorry for wanting it clean) with water, Hondabrite, water again and then dry it with clean towels. I am getting white spots all over the bike and have to take a damp rag and go over it again. Any suggestions as to the best way to do this:confused:
 
#2 ·
White spots are either left over left over soap or minerals in the water. If the former, better rinsing is the solution. If the latter, more towel drying and less air drying are needed. It's probably easiest to keep doing what you are doing now, let it spot then remove the spots. I like using Pledge instead of water for a final wipe. In fact, I prefer not using water at all unless the bike is very dirty.
 
#3 ·
Mr Clean car washer used to have a resin bed deionizer for a final spot free rinse

Paint work just get a real chamois cloth and wiper down drop free.

Its a Strom clean ugly vs dirt ugly is a short trip.

Hose off bikes routinely begs for its own corrosion problem, I f you don;t suspect gritty dirt just wjpe her down with a moist rag I like micro fiber ones

In CALI you feather dust your vehicles clean
 
#4 ·
I am getting white spots all over the bike and have to take a damp rag and go over it again. Any suggestions as to the best way to do this:confused:
I'd guess your using well water, if your in the Lake George area. I know some folks there draw right from LG, while others used drilled wells.
Well water homes require water treatment systems, which can vary, depending on your aquifers contaminants. If the system is correctly set up and maintained, you should have better water, then city systems.
There are detailing companies that make mini systems for cleaning bikes, cars, RV's, etc.. You may want to look into one, if a spotless vehicle is what you require.
Check out the link, I've added. You'll see one of this companies systems. They're not cheap and need maintenance.
CR Spotless Water Systems, deionization system, water de-ionizer, purified water systems, cr-spotless, spot free rinse, spot free car washing
 
#6 ·
Get a garden pump-sprayer; the king people use for bug spray and such that has a 2 gallon jug and a spray nozzel on a hose. Fill it with distilled H2O. Wash the bike as usual, but when you're finished, use the sprayer to do the final rinse. Start at the top and work your way down. You won't have to wipe or dry unless you want to; the distilled water will leave no spots. I've heard it said that the distilled water is also better because it's less corrosive, but that seems a bit of a stretch.

A second alternative is one of the high-power motorcycle "hair dryer" setups that blow the bike dry. They used one at the HD shop I worked at and it also eliminated the need to wipe down while leaving no spots.
 
#22 ·
It's a process whereby the entire bike is coated with water or some similar substance without actually riding it in the rain. It has been linked to a pathology indicated by a need for the rider to maintain the motorcycle in a "clean" state.
 
#13 ·
Plexus is definately the best, but way too expensive.......The Honda (Original Cleaner) is a close second and much cheaper. About $5.95 a can...TD
 
#16 ·
Lemon Pledge.

Inexpensive and works great.

Smells good too.
 
#18 ·
I'm as anal as hell when it comes to cleaning my bike...in fact family and friend take the piss out of me sooooooooo much.....here is my washing regime,

Wet the whole bike first with the water hose.
Wash the whole bike with vehicle shampoo with a soft sponge,
Use a small sponge on the wheels and any hard to get at areas,
Spray the bike with a power wash,
Check for missed areas,
Wash a 2nd time just in case,
Rinse a 2nd time,
Move the bike out of the hot sun ( that's the orange ball in the sky, just I case some of you haven't seen it for a while)
Towel dry,
Then use Mr sheen ( think its the same as pledge) or if I feel it needs it a quick polish and then use a nice soft cloth all over it,
Don't get it on the tyres or brakes! Even getting too much on the seat can be fun,
Lube the chain,
Stand back and admire while have the wife and kids take the piss!
Ride it,get it dirty and covered in dead bugs,
Start the process again.

Ps the mr sheen/ pledge stops the bugs from sticking
And any really stuburn bugs I soak a cloth in hot water and leave it laid over them for a few mins,this softens them up and allows them just to be washed away
 
#19 ·
I'm still of the opinion water causes more harm than good on man made objects.
 
#20 ·
If you live in a very dusty area, you'll get spotting no matter what you use for water, and if the water where you live has a lot of minerals in it, that just makes it worse. I like to use the car wash concentrate I get in a large jug from Costco, although I've got a container of Meguier's car wash gel that works nicely, and leaves no spots. If I do wash the bike, I always towel it dry right away and not let it sit in the sun. For polishing, I used to use Plexus until it got ridiculously expensive. Now, Lemon Pledge works great, as does the spray cleaner and polish I get at the Harley shop. Works just like Plexus, but it only costs $5.99 a spray can. The big thing is to wash your bike in the shade, and dry it immediately, don't let it sit out and air dry or sit out in the sun with water still on it.
 
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