Okay, I admit that I don't detail my bikes often enough.  I once had a license plate frame that stated "Riders ride, posers polish."  I generally just don't worry about it, if you ride every day you can't keep them immaculate, at least I can't.  My windshield is clean, isn't that what matters?  But she was looking a little rough so I spent 2 dollars at the car wash and knocked the critters and major dirt off, and my wife wrote it down on the calender. 

I have a pic around somewhere of my bike at about 9000 miles. Hadn't been washed yet, and every time I stopped the swarm of flies that landed on it was just a bit more than disgusting.

Found it:



-darrell

Okay, I admit that I don't detail my bikes often enough. 

Detail ? ? ?

I think I wash Sam once, maybe twice, a year. I even used soap last year.

A fella told me a story about meeting 'someone', and they asked when was the last time he washed his bike (apparently it was filthy). He replied "at the 1998 rally in so-and-so when it rained".

Rick

I wiped the dew off last weekend and when I was replacing the front rotors I cleaned the rim up.  I do wipe off the bugs from the light on a regular basis, at least semi anually.  Found a dragon fly about 3 layers deep.  It's supposed to rain on Sunday, should get a nice bath then.  Time to pull out the stitch!

Wow...If flys land on you windscreen to feed when your stopped.
That gives new meaning to "Meal on wheels" I guess.   
Ride safe all, and ATGATT please.
Greg

Detail ? ? ?

Rick

+1

I never thought a little dirt would harm my scooter, high pressure water on the other hand...,

I bet I wash my bikes more times during the week of Nationals than I do all year.
My mother comented on the amount of people washing their bikes at the rally in VT. I had to explain to her thats the  reason we go to the rally's. We get free water and a chance to wash off a years worth of grime. 

Windshield and lights get cleaned... mirrors too... rain takes care of the rest.  I'm notorious for not cleaning my bike... I ride, the bike will get dirty as soon as you clean it and ride. 

A sound philosophy in my book!

Now I know I am in good company!

Nope, not I.  I wash and wax my bikes religiously.  They cost to damn much not to keep them in the best possible shape.  That includes maintenance and cleaning.

Nope, not I.  I wash and wax my bikes religiously.  They cost to damn much not to keep them in the best possible shape.  That includes maintenance and cleaning.

    Why would you let it look like schist?  Ya wash yourself don'tcha

Nope, not I.  I wash and wax my bikes religiously.  They cost to damn much not to keep them in the best possible shape.  That includes maintenance and cleaning.

That's the way I am too. I like to keep my bike clean. Besides, you can't drink and ride but you can drink and clean the bike.     

That's the way I am too. I like to keep my bike clean. Besides, you can't drink and ride but you can drink and clean the bike.     

I too like to drink and clean my bikes in the garage on a rainy day, I must be a freak... 
 
And I live in the PNW, so that's alot of drinking! 

Rain = FBW (free bike wash)

I keep all the important stuff clean, like the headlights, mirrors and stuff.  Don't look under the fenders or other similar locales though.

I too like to drink and clean my bikes in the garage on a rainy day, I must be a freak... 
 
And I live in the PNW, so that's alot of drinking! 

...but I'll bet your bike's clean!

Well there's the problem - I quit drinking, no wonder my bike's so dirty!

I too like to drink and clean my bikes in the garage on a rainy day, I must be a freak... 
 
And I live in the PNW, so that's alot of drinking! 

Hmmm, it's raining today and my bike is dirty. I guess I'll be doing some drinking later! Plus the Bears are playing so that's a given anyways.

I'm somewhere in the middle.  I ride my bike every day and I don't clean it every weekend.  I do keep the windscreen, mirrors and headlights clean though.  Every 1-2 months I will go over it with a bucket of water with a few drops of soap and wet rag it, but I have only done one proper washing with a hose since I've had it.  Well, that isn't counting another proper washing where I intentionally rode it in the rain to clean it.  That did the best job of all.

I think overwashing is probably more damaging to a bike's finish than under washing though.