Comments on: Keeping a Motorcycle or Scooter Clean

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 12:54:00 +0000

steve: What is it about bugs? I find I will clean those off too. It looks unsanitary or something….

By: smorris

smorris — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 01:43:00 +0000

Cool thread, Steve. I kept My LX150 shiny for about the first six months. Now I clean it when it gets muddy or when I'm going on a group ride. I haven't washed it since August, I think. I don't have the gravel roads around that you do, so mine is mostly splashed from puddles. I do knock the bugs off the front after an evening ride, though.

My two trucks got washed a total of about six times in 17 years, other than sproaying off the underside to get rid of the salt in the spring.

Steve

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 10:54:00 +0000

Roadbum: It sounds as if you might be the voice of reason. Makes perfect sense to me that keeping the scooter clean is a ritual to keep in touch with the mechancial state of the machine. And unlike a camera or other device staying on top of the scooter could have a critical impact on one's physical longevity.

At times I see things in an either/or way. My simplistic thinking says you are either riding or you are polishing. As you point out one can and probably should do both especially if one is a rider.

So as always I have to modify my thinking. I am not fastidious with the cosmetic appearance of the scooter. I do not let the fear of dirtying or showing wear interfere with ridin. But I also realize I am not looking close enough at the scooter beyond the main items like tires, oil, cables, etc.

A better cleaning scheme is in order. It will probalby put my mind in order and the safety of the scooter. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. Consider me changed - a little....

steve

By: Roadbum

Roadbum — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 19:29:00 +0000

I guess I'm the dissenter. I like a clean ride. A fresh bike. One of the times I do the walkaround its after the bike has been ridden after a good cleansing. A bike that's been kept fairly fresh also allows the rider to do the walkaround before each ride. As I see it, there are enough things that can go wrong with a machine, little telltale signs that appear only when a machine is spotless. I take late evenings when the family's asleep to maintain the bike. Its my quiet time.
I also have to disagree with the term garage queen. A clean machine belies nothing about how often its been ridden. Only the odometer can provide that information. And only the distance so far. Nothing about the individual rides or where they took place.

Roadbum

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 22:53:00 +0000

lucky: We'll have to pursue the clean camera thread. I've posted aobut it before. I use cameras a lot and while I don't go out of my way to abuse them I treat them like tools. When they wear out I get another. Every camera has been that way, an all weather, all environment tool. I once had my Nikon dipped in disinfectant as I was coming out of an Avian Influenze site. Happened before I could speak. It kept on working though...

steve

By: Lucky

Lucky — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 17:38:00 +0000

Just to chime in: NEVER wash your bike, unless it's something you enjoy doing.

I'm not going to stop someone from enjoying their ride, however they choose to enjoy it.

But I'd rather see a dirty, high-mileage rat than a pristine garage ornament any day.

However, you must take care of your cameras. Photography is about obsessive attention to detail.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 22:48:00 +0000

Forgot to add this. I stopped for gas on the way home tonight. Was daydreaming while fueling and suddenly realized gas was running on the ground. Dumb. Got home and washed the back end of the scooter off. I hate the smell of gas and didn’t want it permanently staining the paint.

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 22:46:00 +0000

hrw115: Bicyclists identify more as riders than many motorcyclists do. They are not as often treated as sculpture to be admired or fine jewelry to express inclusion in a subculture. Dirt, wear, and boo boos are a badge of strong living.

scooterguru: 17000 miles a year on a scooter is a ton. If you don't mind me asking what are you riding and how much mechanical attention does it take to get automobile type use out of it? I love riding and seldom use my truck but I do wonder how much life my Vespa has in it...

irondad: You sound like you line up pretty well with Hannah's view of bikes. I do wish was a little better at taking care of my things. It just seems like I never have time (or interest) in doing those little things like washing the Vespa, cleaning the garage, balancing the checkbook....

By: irondad

irondad — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:29:00 +0000

I’m more of a long distance rider and my bikes ain’t no garage queens!
In my world a dirty bike and a worn ‘Stich are badges of honor. I guess it boils down to what a person bought the bike for. For us, we ride. Some like to fuss with things and that’s what brings satisfaction. I can’t personally relate, but I’ve heard it’s true!

By: ScooterGuru

ScooterGuru — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:24:00 +0000

I think you are doing good to wash it once-a-month. I wash mine a little more often than any of you do, but I also ride every day no matter what, and put alot of mileage on it. I average 17,000 a year. They are machines, made to enjoy. I’d much rather see them ridden than sparkly clean just to be looked-at. I used-to be a BMW tech, and while Beemerphiles do tend to put more mileage on their machines, every once-in-awhile I would get a bike in that looked wonderful, but was having running problems from sitting too long. A damn shame.