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You can wash your bike to death if you are not careful. heres a thread posting i posted on my site so time back. it might look familiar Its from a dirt rider article Now understandably some of us know the dangers of a pressure wash to our bikes but time and again I see people killing their bikes with a pressure washer. Most see the factory mechanics pressure washing the racing bikes. They keep them spotless going all out and laying the bike down on both sides and having a pressure washing party. So we all see the surgically clean moto weapon that works great on the track. But what we don’t see that really matters is that once the mechanic has his little party he/she completely tears down the bike between races. He/she cleans checks and greases every bearing if not out right replace them each week. Factory race team bikes need to look like an advertisement every time they are seen in public. The service life of parts used by a racing team is measured in minutes, But you need your bike to live until the loan is paid off, and with out breaking the bank. If you are going to wash your bike like a pro you better be willing to work on it like a pro. We know that is not going to happen, right? Instead here are some washing tips. Riders who practice and compete in heavy mud know there are times when you need to pressure wash a bike, but if you use hose pressure, soap and brush when ever possible your bike will live longer. 1 Pressurized water, even from a garden hose, should be kept out of the airbox and off the filter element. On modern bikes that can mean closing off a variety of openings. Tape or packing the opening with paper towels works. 2 If you don’t have an O-ring version, its easier to remove the chain before you wash the bike. If there is dirt on it, hit it with a stiff brush first. Consider soaking it in heavy oil while it is off the bike. 3 It doesn’t matter whether your bike is a two stroke or four stroke, The muffler packing will last longer if it doesn’t get wet. So use a plug of some sort to shut off the end. 4 A four stroke exhaust has a larger opening, so you may not have a plug that fits, but the end of the pipe will not be oily as on a two stroke, so you can easily tape the opening. 5 Mix up a bucket of soap and water. You can use a variety of soaps; Dawn dish soap,Mr Clean, Simple Green or one of the dedicated bike washes, such as Honda Brite or S100. 6 First, just get the bike wet all over. Don’t bother trying to blast off all the mud and dirt as you go. Get it wet and let the gunk start to soften and loosen. 7 After wetting down the bike thoroughly, start to blast at the mud under the fenders or wherever else it has built up. 8 Try to keep the direct spray away from the bearings and seals, such as the axles, steering head and swing arm pivot. Don’t blast away at the linkage, either. 9 If there are remaining areas of heavy grime, grease or mud, treat them with a concentrated cleaner or degreaser depending on the muck you are removing. Let any spray-on soap soak in a bit, but don’t let the bike dry completely. 10 While you are letting the spray on soap soak in, grab a long handled brush and get to work. You can buy brushes and Home Depot. Some riders like the loop-type toilet brush; they cut the loop and straighten it out to get in the tight places. 11 Even a stiff-bristled brush shouldn’t mar the surface on hard parts. If you are worried about the plastics or the graphics, try the brush in a small area first, or use it under the fenders to see the effect it has on the surface. 12 It is tough to get the tires and rims clean, even when you use a pressure washer. Don’t bother with the tread, but hit the sidewalls, rims, hubs and spokes with a small brush and soapy water. 13 Go ahead and wash off all the soap. Then check over the bike to see how you did. No doubt you will see some spots you missed. 14 Use a small brush to get at any tightr places that are still dirty. 15 Lay the bike on its side and use the brush on the parts underneath. Make sure the fuel is turned off before laying down the bike. 16 Wash off the soap again, then stand the bike back up. Rinse it again while it is standing. 17 If you have an unplated pipe, this is a good time to clean it up. A light oil such as wd-40 and a scotch brite pad will bring back the natural metal look and preserve it. Scotch Brite works great for cleaning mud stains on pipes. Ok so now that you have your bike squeaky clean, it’s time to follow up with after wash care. 1 Start out by using an air hose with a blower attachment to dry the bike as quickly as possible. The air is great for forcing water out of tight and odd spaces you could never reach with a towel. 2 Next disconnect the fuel, put paper towels under the carburetor, then remove the float-bowl plug to empty the fuel from the carburetor. You don’t want to chance water entering the float bowl through the vent hoses while the bike is being thoroughly cleaned. 3 Leaving the paper towels under the carburetor, reconnect the fuel line to run a small amount of fuel through the carburetor. Of course, the gasoline runs right out thgrough the float-bowl opening. Paper soaked with fuel is a fire hazard, so make sure to despose of it properly. 4 Remove and replace the air filter. The filter may be barely soiled and or have only a few drops of water on the out side, but why risk starting the bike and sucking water and dirt through the filter to the carburetor and engine. 5 If you did not remove the chain and thou you have already used compressed air on the chain, blow it dry again to ensure there is no water left on the outside. Aim the air right at the edges of the side plates to blow out any water inside the rollers. 6 Lube the chain here a factory mechanic would lightly coat the chain probably more lightly then a rider paying for the chain would, but he doesn’t want chain lube all over the bike, you on the other hand want your chains life to last you so a little mess is why better then coughing up money to keep replacing the chain just because you didn’t want your bike dirty. 7 The final mechanical prep is to use compressed air to make sure the breaks are completely dry. Brake calipers are usually cast from aluminum, and the brake pistons are a ferrous metal. Even though the pistons are often plated, they suffer from electrolysis, a corrosion that occurs between dissimilar metals. Drying the water as soon as soon and as completely as possible minimizes the problem. 8 After it is prepped, and you want to look like a pro you can go over the bike with a silicone spray to renew the gloss. This step is strictly for looks, but it does help the bike retain its shine.
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