Cleaning Dirt Bikes

**pervert** · 10th December 2006, 18:29

My bikes are fucking filthy...

I want to give them a good clean (in all the hard-to-reach type areas of course) and get rid of all the grease/oil/dirt/shit/mud and other build up.

I don't want to get all anal about cleaning like that guy with that oooold DR and his thread, I just want them to be a bit cleaner for next time I break something and have to do any work on them haha. I also don't want to put in much effort or time because I hate cleaning motor vehicles, it's such a waste of time on things built for abuse and dirtyness.

I was thinking about buying one of those cheap waterblasters, sealing airbox and electrics etc, and just blasting the fucking things, then spraying all needed areas with CRC.

Once again, I want to put in as little time and effort as possible...so does anyone have any better ideas?

**Crasherfromwayback** · 10th December 2006, 18:59

Originally Posted by pervert

Once again, I want to put in as little time and effort as possible...so does anyone have any better ideas?

Yep...pay someone else to do it!

**Motu** · 10th December 2006, 19:03

I can't help you I'm afraid - that's what I do.Don't worry about all the worry warts saying you'll wreck the wheel bearings or head bearings - it's never happened to me.There should be a shield on one the spacers protecting the wheel bearing seal.Give it heaps.

**pervert** · 10th December 2006, 19:11

Originally Posted by Motu

I can't help you I'm afraid - that's what I do.Don't worry about all the worry warts saying you'll wreck the wheel bearings or head bearings - it's never happened to me.There should be a shield on one the spacers protecting the wheel bearing seal.Give it heaps.

Thanks heaps.

I'm not too worried about wrecking stuff, I do enough of that when the motor's running anyway, I'm sure I'm more destructive than water...

Do you think a cheap water blaster give a decent result?

I have access to a truck company's blaster, would it be the better bet? Not too sure as when I use it on cars I always end up missing a lot of paint...

Originally Posted by Crasherfromwayback

Yep...pay someone else to do it!

No, I don't pay anyone to do anything mechanical, so I sure as fuck won't pay for something so easy (although time consuming if done 'right')...

**Buddy L** · 10th December 2006, 19:13

Just pull out the water blaster, clean in a jiffy, CRC will get ride of all the exse water around the electrics that is what it does best.

**Woody@nztrails.com** · 10th December 2006, 20:31

Mate, what I do is blast all the crap off with a cheap water blaster - mix some persil automatic with water in a 5l garden sprayer, coat the bike with that and then give it another blast to rinse. When finished, lube the chain and spray her down with CRC. Comes up magic.

Also turn the feul off and lay the bike down on it's side, much better for getting the built up crap out of the front sprocket, suspension and under the gaurds.

This the the routine I've used for years and mates keep telling me I'm anal about keeping my bike clean!

I have to come clean and amit that every 5-6 washes, i remove all the plastics and do this

**Woody@nztrails.com** · 10th December 2006, 20:32

Mind you, this is the routine for the KTM, the Harley gets a little more respect!

**kro** · 10th December 2006, 21:12

Supercheap sells a product, and the brand name is "Koala Care", and it's in a green 5L bottle, and it's $10.00. This stuff lifts anything off, with no water blasting. You put some in a pump spray bottle, and add some water to dilute it a bit, (and make it last) and spray it on, walk away, come back in 5 mins, and hose off, and the shits literally falls off the bike.

I have tried a lot of cleaners before, but this stuff is magic. Failing that, get some truck wash, which will do the same thing.

**Danger** · 11th December 2006, 06:28

Sounds like the go Kro. Have you tried dynamo? It works pretty good, but wondering if the Koala Care works even better?

**ArcherWC** · 11th December 2006, 08:41

My vote is for liquid Dynamo as well, spray on, leave for 10-15 mins and all the dirt residue just rinses clean

**35tickets** · 11th December 2006, 09:00

Cheap water blaster for me was a small Karcher (about $400). If you can still get it (try Repco) i use Simple Green. Spray on, let it sit for about 5 minutes, then blast off.

With the commercialized time of the year it is, suggest waiting for the after xmas sales when check your local hammer hardware, mitre 10 or bunnings for your waterblaster. Otherwise check half day hire rates at a near by hirepool or similar.

Crasherfromwayback does have the right idea though, but its hard finding someone to do the job right at a cheap price.

**cheese** · 11th December 2006, 09:02

I got some fancy bike wash stuff from colemans, don't know why I spent $20 on bike wash shit, but my bike come up really good after I used it. Its in a little spray bottle, but I'd just use washing powder.

As for water blasters, I got a small Kratcher one and it's great. cost me $200 and it has a spinning head that cleans mud off really easily. the direct jet doesn't work any where near as well on thick mud. The cheaper water blasters have ali pumps and fuck out quickly, plus if you use them for longer than 30 mins they fuck out as they overheat. Plus that spinning head gets into all the places you can't reach.

**barty5** · 11th December 2006, 09:48

cheap as cheap ive got two water blasters but the time it takes setting up its quicker and easyer as i keep bike at work to use the fire hose and the waters free to the neigbour pays all the water rates (not that he relises this but hey whose complaining) one thing i will say ive got black plastic and made mistake of over spaying them with deagreaser big no no makes them go white plotchy took ages to get colour back (lots of silocon spray and let it soak in)

**barty5** · 11th December 2006, 09:49

Originally Posted by cheese

I got some fancy bike wash stuff from colemans, don't know why I spent $20 on bike wash shit, but my bike come up really good after I used it. Its in a little spray bottle, but I'd just use washing powder.

As for water blasters, I got a small Kratcher one and it's great. cost me $200 and it has a spinning head that cleans mud off really easily. the direct jet doesn't work any where near as well on thick mud. The cheaper water blasters have ali pumps and fuck out quickly, plus if you use them for longer than 30 mins they fuck out as they overheat. Plus that spinning head gets into all the places you can't reach.

lucky u did go to ardmore ive heard it close while they sort out the complaints bout the noise with the council but you did miss a bloody good ride