How clean is your bike?

[4N099]

The overall bike is relatively clean.
I have a dirt road to travel from my house to the pavement
so there is some fine grit on the engine in the unlikeliest of places thrown up from the rear.
We've had a lot of rain so even a dry day sees a wet dirt road
and I don't obsess about it too much.
I'll probably pull the skin and clean it up proper here in a month or so.

[Curt955i]

I've had mine three weeks now, cleaned it 3 times. I've been riding it in dry weather, and really a cleaning has just been a dusting twice and garden hose and shammy once. I need to do a little more reading on proper cleaning methods to get a little better at it though. Good thread

[DaveM]

I clean mine after every ride unless I am exhausted then I'll do it the next day.

Cleaning also helps you notice anything out of the ordinary or loose.

DaveM

[ruscook]

Originally Posted by steventhechef

I have owned my RS for a while now and only washed it 4 times in that period.

Coincidentally, I just washed it on the weekend.. so I thought that I'd brag about it..

Congrats Steven, a man after my own heart. I bought a bike to ride not wash

That said I will wash it every month and after long (multi day) trips. And I agree with Dave's point, washing it does help you notice anything out of the ordinary before it bites you. I'm just not paranoid about it considering I ride at least 6 days a week, in all weather. That kinda tempers the enthusiasm to wash it a bit!

Russ

[gallowglass]

Mine is washed and polished at least once every month or more if its grotty; I ride nearly every day and don't have the luxury of leaving it in the shed when it rains.

If I didn't ride mine in the rain down here in Tassy I would hardly ride at all ( although this year we are in the midst of a very bad drought)

I use the cleaning process to inspect cables, brake pads, bolts and lubrication.

[DaveB]

I clean it once a week & it takes about 45 minutes. I don't remove the bodywork often but I always do the inspection routine.

DaveB.

[gsbeamer]

I have cleaned all my bikes with a paint brush, because the Bristles on
a paint brush can get into all the little nook and crannies that a sponge or a rag
pushed by a finger cannot go....I also tape the metal part on the brush that holds the Bristles with insulation tape to stop scratching anything.
It works a treat, even if I say so myself, all my bikes look good after
many miles.

gsbeamer.

[Groucho]

My bike is very clean under the protective layer of bug DNA.

[dolson]

Originally Posted by Groucho

My bike is very clean under the protective layer of bug DNA.

Ah, a rider after my own heart.

[sallison30]

I like a clean bike but I don't like cleaning it. I have a friend who enjoys cleaning his bikes. Me, like many others here, I prefer riding than cleaning. I have decided though, that a regular "once over" is better than leaving it till it needs a major wash.