power shower...!

[thrupp]

ok - winter should be over now. time to get the salt off the bike. anybody aware of a place where i could use a high pressure cleaner? Ideally somewhere round south west london.
any tip much appreciated
Thomas

 

[NeverRodeBefore]

Do be careful, I don't know what you ride but the R1200GS is not meant to be washed with a pressure washer.

A gentler way would be a garden sprayer and a brush for the stubborn bits.

 

[GSmonkey]

Top tip: don't

 

[chad]

you can but you have to be very selective where you point the lance, ie,wheel bearings,electrics etc

 

[thrupp]

jo - garden sprayer would be nice if i had one... beeing carefull makes good sense - had a triumph tiger once that would stop working by only coming close with at a power cleaner. if it is used carefully it should not be a problem though.

 

[motobiker]

Bucket of warm water + cheap car shampoo. takes less than 10 minutes including a good rinse... I would rather stick pins in my eyes than use a power wash.

Seems that not a month goes by without some tale of woe following a powerwash. There's a reason for this: the bikes hate it.

 

[elevensies]

wash it properly, water and car shampoo

dont do the powerwash route

 

[Lugs]

I have a hot washer that I bought several years ago. Karcher 510.

Washed every bike, including the Ducati, at all times of the year.

I NEVER EVER had one go tech on me as a result. You just gotta watch where you are aiming the lance and how close it is.

Ignore the Doom Mongers, find a hot washer and just apply common sense.

2p

 

[motobiker]

I would prefer to do it the old fashioned way than completely ignore the owners manual.. which couldn't be more clear about power washing. BMW devote a whole page.. and have a big picture for the illiterate. showing the bike and powerwasher.. with a big X through the thing. backed up with a 'Do Not....'

'common sense' is not to thumb your nose at the manufacturers advice... thinking you know better than the people who actually made the thing and then advise others to follow your lead.

 

[sproggy]

'common sense' is not to thumb your nose at the manufacturers advice... thinking you know better than the people who actually made the thing and then advise others to follow your lead.

No, common sense is to understand why they recommend that you don't use pressure washers and to then make your own judgement. Because they're not going to list all the places you shouldn't direct a pressure washer at (wheel bearings etc) it's far easier to just say don't use one at all.

I've used a pressure washer on all the bike's I've owned for the last 5 years (didn't have a pressure washer before that) - from Ducatis to BMs and several Jap bikes too. Same as Lugs - I've NEVER had a problem. If you're sensible in how you use the washer then there's no reason why you would have a problem. In this weather I use the pressure washer weekly to get the salt off the bike.

Guess how my local BM dealer cleans both their and customers' bikes? With a bl**dy great pressure washer, that's how.

 

[Pauly S]

trrouble is

It forces water in where water shouldnt be, like inside the wheel rims and then because the wheel rims are all alloy, will start to corrode from the inside out, normally causing the tyres to go down sooner cos there is corrosion between the rim and bead of the tyre.
I do agree that when using the hot washer for certain jobs it does bring it up sparkly clean, but that normally means the heat has washed away all the grease and dirt, and left the whole bike open to external corrosion unless you re-apply some form of anti corrosion stuff.
A simple sponge and some decent(why use cheap) car shampoo will clean and put a microscopic coating of wax over it,then lots of elbow grease to clean and polish afterwards.
The wash is only the first stage for me, its then blown dry with compressed air, then around 6 hours of cleaning ensue.
I use old toothbrushes dipped in liquid wd40 to clean stuff that you normally cant get to, also go to the shops and buy several dishwashing,bog cleaning,and bottle brushes too, to use in the wash stage.
you cant beat elbow grease, and its free.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I've used a cold pressure washer on all my bikes for the last 20 years, with no premature bearing or component wear

All dealers, BMW or otherwise use them

You have to use common sense, naturally......................but I prefer my bikes to look like this

 

[thrupp]

done

as no doityourself car wash avaliable close by i went for a valeting thing. great value - 5 pound plus 2 for the coffee round the corner and excellent service. very recommendable, called lmc valeting - just off chiswick roundabout. btw the guys do use a power cleaner of course, but apply common sense and do know what they are doing. Went across the road to have a look on the honda showroom in the meantime, had a cappuccino while the bike has been cleaned. its still running.
thomas

 

[motobiker]

No, common sense is to understand why they recommend that you don't use pressure washers and to then make your own judgement. Because they're not going to list all the places you shouldn't direct a pressure washer at (wheel bearings etc) it's far easier to just say don't use one at all.

I've used a pressure washer on all the bike's I've owned for the last 5 years (didn't have a pressure washer before that) - from Ducatis to BMs and several Jap bikes too. Same as Lugs - I've NEVER had a problem. If you're sensible in how you use the washer then there's no reason why you would have a problem. In this weather I use the pressure washer weekly to get the salt off the bike.

Guess how my local BM dealer cleans both their and customers' bikes? With a bl**dy great pressure washer, that's how.

They don't mention wheel bearings.. what they do say is that "High water pressure can damage seals, the hydraulic brake system or the complete electrical system" They back this up by saying in the other paragraph: "It also ensures that safety-relevant parts remain in good working order."

really I couldn't give two hoots that you or anyone else who uses this method has 'never' - sorry "NEVER had a problem", you never have a problem until you do have a problem. You can be sensible about where you direct the water stream.. but because it is under pressure it will spray elsewhere; how do you avoid that? Obviously, you can't. Water will go to places it shouldn't.. or rather; wouldn't under normal circumstances at a rate of knots you simply would never experience under normal conditions.

Nor could I couldn't give two hoots what the stealerships do either.. I don't use them. If you have an electrical problem a month or so after it's been powerwashed at a stealership.. are they likely to put their hands up and say.. "it was our fault"? of course not.. they'll simply blaim water ingress.. fix it and charge you for the pleasure.

I take great pride in the cleaning and general maintenance of my bike.. I rely on it completely. washing allows me to get up close and personal and see any potential problems long before they get out of hand.. and fix them.

A bucket of water, a cap full of car wash. (cheap because I don't like the idea of fancy waxes and such like) and then a rinse down with a couple of buckets of cold clean water.. job done. Safe in the knowledge that water has only gone where i want it to.. and nowhere else. Grease.. seals... the electrics.. the brakes and so on.. completely undisturbed.

But.. you prefer to do it your way.. that's fine for you. carry on.

 

[elevensies]

im with motobiker on this, the last thing i need is some fault occurring unknowingly because i power washed my bike, even though i may have been carefull, and having my pockets ripped out by a dealer to fix it.

i would rather spend the 50 or 60 quid it would cost for a pressure washer on a few trays of wd40 or similar




better still, go for that ''adventure'' look and dont clean it at all.

must admit to trying that method, but when the time comes to do anything on it, you spend most of your time cleaning the shite away from where your working anyway and you end up washing it