Blow by blow how to clean a 1200?

[jonothan]

Its funny how different we all are...

As a newby rider I have read all over the place that salt eats bikes faster than Jane Goody can upset the nation.

Yet, tons of folk here don't seem to bother with cleaning their bikes.

So do the non cleaners not ride in the winter or do their bikes get eaten and they don't care or is all this salt stuff just bollocks?

On my 2004 1200 I have corrosion on the attachment point from the exhaust to the frame and of all places on the engine number/serial number mounted under the handlbars. I guess on both cases caused by two different metals touching.

What do the great unwashed say to that?

There's a culture on this site of hardened GSers, riding in all weathers, never washing their machines. That's fine, each to his own. Me, having spent all that hard-earned dosh on what is for most of us a luxury hobby, well, I'll ride it in the wet, I've no problem with that, but I will clean it afterwards. Am I ashamed? No, why should I be?

And, moreover, let me add this. Imagine, if you will, one of these hardened GSers looking at second hand bikes - let's say, for argument's sake, that there are two to choose from - one a grubby well-used machine - the other well-cared for and much-loved - will they go for the unloved hack? Will they b*llocks.

I ride my bike, I get it dirty, I wash it and dry it and put it away for the next ride. Not with cotton wool buds and stuff, that's not for me, but a good wash nonetheless. A really dirty GS takes me under an hour to clean and it looks brand spanking.

J

 

[Rhino]

There's a culture on this site of hardened GSers, riding in all weathers, never washing their machines. That's fine, each to his own. Me, having spent all that hard-earned dosh on what is for most of us a luxury hobby, well, I'll ride it in the wet, I've no problem with that, but I will clean it afterwards. Am I ashamed? No, why should I be?

And, moreover, let me add this. Imagine, if you will, one of these hardened GSers looking at second hand bikes - let's say, for argument's sake, that there are two to choose from - one a grubby well-used machine - the other well-cared for and much-loved - will they go for the unloved hack? Will they b*llocks.

I ride my bike, I get it dirty, I wash it and dry it and put it away for the next ride. Not with cotton wool buds and stuff, that's not for me, but a good wash nonetheless. A really dirty GS takes me under an hour to clean and it looks brand spanking.

J

Well said. I do a 70 mile comute to work in all weathers, I might not wash it every night but it does get clean at the weekend, I use ACF to help against the salt, as I still need to have a decent resale value on My bike, which is hard as it seems 10k + miles a year is classed as high milage by My BMW dealers !
I think the don't clean it is more a case of being too lazy too, or is it trying to say look at Me I can afford to spend £10 grand on a bike and not give a s**t about it?

 

[LiquidLAN]

when i get in from a ride, i always hose me bike down..once it has cooled off.....then i just get a bucket of soapy water and a soft brush and i give it a clean and a rinse................then i give it a rub over, to dry it and put it back in garage...............have done this will all me motorbikes....like them to look pretty...................

I like the dedication, but I’ve always found it more fun getting dirty than cleaning up… bike and car cleaning rituals for me get further and further spaced out the older the bike/car gets, more so if its been dinged or dropped


that said it does depend on who you are doing the cleaning up with I guess…

 

[oie]

I admire the people who after a ride clean their motorbikes.
Honestly.
I just prefer to expend my time doing other things.
And is the same with the car, I am not too bother about it and always I pay someone to do it.
Shame they do not clean motorbikes round here...

Cheers

 

[jonothan]

I'll be honest, cleaning a bike is actually very therapeutic for me. It's a mindless, easy, if a bit dull, task. You can think about other things while you're doing it. Lovely to see the end result. No hard decisions to make. When you're doing it, no-one tends to bother you.

I get an inordinate amount of pleasure from my GS. Riding it - of course - but also admiring it, or fiddling about with bits and pieces.

So is it OK to keep it clean? Yeah. And if you hate cleaning bikes, is it OK to leave it dirty? Sure, I've no problem with that either.

It's your bike. How you own it is up to you. I won't criticise someone for polishing the chrome on a Harley for hours on end, any more than I would criticise a GSer for riding it through mud and leaving it dirty.

J

 

[Rhino]

what really matters is you enjoy riding the damned things

 

[pedmo]

Its funny how different we all are...

As a newby rider I have read all over the place that salt eats bikes faster than Jane Goody can upset the nation.

Yet, tons of folk here don't seem to bother with cleaning their bikes.

So do the non cleaners not ride in the winter or do their bikes get eaten and they don't care or is all this salt stuff just bollocks?

On my 2004 1200 I have corrosion on the attachment point from the exhaust to the frame and of all places on the engine number/serial number mounted under the handlbars. I guess on both cases caused by two different metals touching.

What do the great unwashed say to that?

I ride mine everyday in all weathers and never clean it. The corrosion is very bad indeed. if I had known it would corrode to this extent I would have cleaned it more often. I am assured that all corroded components can be replaced before the warranty expires. I will take a bit more care of it after that. It looks better dirty though .

 

[Wierpig]

I'll be honest, cleaning a bike is actually very therapeutic for me. It's a mindless, easy, if a bit dull, task. You can think about other things while you're doing it. Lovely to see the end result. No hard decisions to make. When you're doing it, no-one tends to bother you.

I get an inordinate amount of pleasure from my GS. Riding it - of course - but also admiring it, or fiddling about with bits and pieces.

So is it OK to keep it clean? Yeah. And if you hate cleaning bikes, is it OK to leave it dirty? Sure, I've no problem with that either.

It's your bike. How you own it is up to you. I won't criticise someone for polishing the chrome on a Harley for hours on end, any more than I would criticise a GSer for riding it through mud and leaving it dirty.

J

Ye jonothan,great points.Ive also found loose fastners etc while cleaning occasionally that might not otherwise get spotted.Not to mention the dreaded oil leaks.

 

[Ian916]

couple of tips:

If you go out on salty roads never use hot water to wash the bike down after, always cold water, - hot water reacts with the salt to become more corrosive, - I am sure exactly why, - a scientist can explain it better.

and.......

if you ever smell burning plastic whilst riding along, stop and take a look at your exhaust, don't assume like I did that it was the damn Rice Burner next to me on the way through Streatham and then get home to find one of those corner shop blue bags melted to your link pipe, - it takes hours to get off, - I know as that is what I was doing yesterday, - and some is still left burnt on.

 

[JohnC]

There is cleaning and there is cleaning. I use the bike every week, 500 miles or so each week and seven days a week on many occasions, and in this weather with grit and rain forming a coating of crud each day I dont find threre's is a great deal to be gained by thoroughly cleaning it (theraputic or not) when it's going to be just as minging the next day. I do give it a wash and hose down now and again when I think it really needs it (not a degrease), taking care with the areas that can cause problems; screen, lights, brakes etc. But what's the point in covering it tip to toe in ACF if you try to wash it off every week/day

6 months, 9000 miles, some ACF and WD, washed with soapy water when it needs it, no corrosion yet. It's a machine and it doesnt care

 

[camel_landy]

There is cleaning and there is cleaning. I use the bike every week, 500 miles or so each week and seven days a week on many occasions, and in this weather with grit and rain forming a coating of crud each day I dont find threre's is a great deal to be gained by thoroughly cleaning it (theraputic or not) when it's going to be just as minging the next day. I do give it a wash and hose down now and again when I think it really needs it (not a degrease), taking care with the areas that can cause problems; screen, lights, brakes etc. But what's the point in covering it tip to toe in ACF if you try to wash it off every week/day

6 months, 9000 miles, some ACF and WD, washed with soapy water when it needs it, no corrosion yet. It's a machine and it doesnt care

Yep, much the same here too. Doing 500-750 miles per week in all weathers & I'll give it a hose down every week or two. There's a couple of spots of corrosion that I've noticed but I'm not too fussed as when it gets pensioned off it'll probably become an off-road hack (though I'll see if anything can be sorted under warranty before it runs out).

M

 

[Janie]

i must be sad then, cos i love sittin on me beer crate in the garage on a orrible wet day............cleaning and polishin the bikes........and i even have a cover for them so they don't get dusty............same for me car......when she goes in the garage i put a cover over her............it must be a girlie thing....... and i use me bikes weekly...........

 

[LiquidLAN]

i must be sad then, cos i love sittin on me beer crate in the garage on a orrible wet day............cleaning and polishin the bikes........and i even have a cover for them so they don't get dusty............same for me car......when she goes in the garage i put a cover over her............it must be a girlie thing....... and i use me bikes weekly...........

that's not sad at all... it sounds really sweet... do you tell them bedtime stories to???

 

[JohnC]

it must be a girlie thing

 

[22Yellow]

Here you go:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NngElIbTboU

No, wait that's an 1150, might work for the 1200 though

 

[LiquidLAN]

Thats almost a direct rip of a Land Rover Discovery advert...

big shot of suburbia, rows and rows of driveways with families out cleaning their cars and one Disco in the middle of the lot of it caked in mud.

The tag line "and everyone else spent the weekend cleaning their cars..."

 

[jonothan]

...it must be a girlie thing...

Maybe - but there are dust covers on our bikes too!

I think the girlie thing is giving cars and bikes names. Mrs J has been racking her brains for a name for hers.

J

 

[ovenpaa]

I think the girlie thing is giving cars and bikes names. Mrs J has been racking her brains for a name for hers.

J

I must admit my wife names most bikes, the Adv is called 'Precious' as an example, The only bike I named was the Rotax CMX 500 - known as 'BASTID FEKIN BIKE, I HATE YOU' - mostly because of it's starting characteristics.