A clean bike is a happy bike! Keep it looking new.

First off, Never POWER wash your bike. A good way to get water into seals and cause damage.
A gadren hose is all the pressure you need.
After letting the bike cool down, Plug the exhaust.
Then with a hose, Rinse the bike WELL and get all the packed mud off using only enough pressure to get the job done.
Then using WARM water not hot as it will take the wax off...Using a car cleaning spoung and Dawn dish washing soap (Works GREAT) and mild. Clean the whole bike not forgetting under the fenders.
Rinse WELL.
Now the key is to dry by hand! Dont be lazy and just roll it into the garage. I use one bath towel for the initial wipe down then another for the finale drying. Then, Using hard shell car turtle wax, Put on a GOOD coat of it on all Plastic, Again not forgetting under the fenders As this will keep mud from sticking and adding lbs to the bike while riding.
Then after buffing it out really well with a clean hand towel clean your rims and spokes with the same towel with the wax on it. It will make getting mud off on your next wash easy and prevents rust as well as puts a nice shine on your expensive rims and protects them from weather.
Never wax your seat!!!!!
Then i use a spray (WILL SHOW) and spray a clean wash cloth and go over my plastic and rubber. ALL Rubber. It keeps it black and shiney as well as protecs it. Using this spray on top of the wax i have found that all minor scratches buff right out and big ones are barely noticable.
With that same, Do your plastic radiator fins and behind your shrouds. Do all cables boots and mud flap.
Next i do my frame. Yes i wax my frame. Again...Keeps mud from sticking and makes washing a breez. Will show what i use.
Never spray or wax the carb! When the bike is nice and soapy i use a SOFT tooth brush to clean the carb. And dont be afraid to break out the Q tips to get in there.
With the wax cloth do your forks.ONLY The outside fork not the arm itself. Wipe that down with a clean cloth. Then using a seal puller, Pull the fork seal gaurd and clean under, Will save you lots of money in seals. Can get from your dealer.
Then i use a throw away rag and go over my chain.
DONT hit your chain with the hose to clean it.
Rinse it yes but thats it! Clean by hand.
Get all off with a rag and then do your sprockets.
Yes...clean the old oil and dirt off the sprockets.
It only takes a few min and will save you ***
Then re spray with bike on stand, Spraying on top of the rear sprocket right where the chain meets the sprocket.
Then i pull the seat. Clean the air box! A fresh air filter is not ment to help a dirty box.
Does this sound like alot of work?
Well do you want to have a good running machine and save yourself some costly repairs?
I hard wax after 5 hard rides. Spray all plastic every wash. Bike loves it. Looks good,And a great feeling when you go for your next ride!
Hope this will help to impress upon new rideres the importence of bike maintnence. As bill said...It starts here.   YZ WOODS.  
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DIABETES SUX!

Last tip. Always pull the exhast plug ang start bike after washing!  
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DIABETES SUX!

Very good woods. That is the way to do it. One thing I do to dry my bike after a wash is compressed air. Its great for getting the water off the engine and carb.
I use a air nozzle with a long tube on the end curved at a 90 deg.  
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I love this dirt stuff.

Thanks pop. And good tip. Just don't have a compresser laying around. LOL  
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DIABETES SUX!

I am going to move this to the FAQ section and sticky it.  
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Dave H 2006 YZ250
(2008 YZ 125 son)

I see your point about not using a pressure washer... but I've got a question...

why do they use them in the pits at supercross & the nationals then?  
- Lindsey
Southern California, The epicenter of everything MX =)

Dirt Rider Updates:

To get the extra weight/mud off quick. They have a whole crew to grease the bearings. Boy wouldn't that be nice.  
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I love this dirt stuff.

Thanks dave. And yeah they tare the bike down after every race. We dont.  
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DIABETES SUX!

Well said, YZ....  I couldn't agree more!  One thing I do before I put her away after all the above is lube everything that moves.  Levers, cables, pegs, pivots, etc...  
It's all good!

Yeah me to. But i could have went on forever lol. Thanks for adding that on.
I also Wipe my pipe down with moter oil then wipe off all excess. keeps it shiney and rust free. If its really bad a soft scotch bright pad with the oil gets it looking new.  
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DIABETES SUX!

 
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DIABETES SUX!

awesome, Thanks for the answer!

I was curious cause my family pressure washes our bikes afterwards but they tear them down each time and clean them out.

I think my brother has no choice though, he has a Supercross bike with all the extras so he's constantly taking it apart...cleaning & checking everything.  
- Lindsey
Southern California, The epicenter of everything MX =)

Dirt Rider Updates:

OK Woods what about the black that gets on the frame from my boots. I have been using steel wool but that only gets about 90% of it off. I dont want to sit there and scrub the crap out of it. For some reason using the steel wool on my bike has never felt right but its the only thing I know to take off some of the black. Everyone says why are you worried about scratching it and keeping it so clean, you wreck it and dont gripe about that. I just cant help it, it treats me good on the track so I try to treat it good in the shop. Also I havnt been able to get the black off the seat where my legs grab up by the shroud.  

i use chrome cleaner for the boot scuffs and fantastic on my seat.  
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DIABETES SUX!

sounds good ill try it.