It’s time to wash the bike.  Now what?  While shopping for bikes back in February I remembered stumbling onto Triumphs website.  Triumph publishes very detailed instructions for washing their motorcycles.  It turns out there were several things that I have always done wrong.  First, I’ve always thought that more pressure is better.  It cleans faster with less elbow grease.  I did not realize that that extreme pressure can force water into bearings, and other sealed areas.  Extreme water pressure can also force water into electrical boxes that are only designed to resist water from rain. 

Second, I always figured that the stronger the soap the better it would clean.  Super concentrated soap may not rinse off properly leaving a filmy residue.  The wrong type of soap can also be a problem.  I have used dish soap in the past.  Many dish soaps have a high sodium chloride, AKA salt, content.  This can cause premature corrosion.  It is best to use an automotive soap and mix it according to the directions.

The last thing that I’ve always done wrong is abrasives.  A little steel wool will shine chrome up nicely.  It works by wearing away the top layer of chrome.  After years it will no longer shine.  Only use the strong abrasives for restoring a neglected bike.  It is much better to keep the chrome shiny by washing it regularly.    

By the end of the day I had spend about $30 in soap, micro fiber wash-rags and soft brushes but my bike is now clean and free of bug carcasses.  

If you would like detailed instructions of how to wash a bike visit Triumph’s “How to Clean Your Bike” page.