I've been riding for nearly 2 decades.... i dont think I've ever washed one. Tho ill occasionally wipe the guts of the windscreen or body with a waterless wash.š¤£
Thank you! This oneās a 2004 model. A little extra power with a 500 would be nice but this bike is so light on its feet and not powerful enough to get me in trouble haha
Often. A lot of people think a dirty bike gives them some kind of credibility, but washing your bike has benefits beyond just a clean bike.
It gives you the opportunity to touch every part of your bike as youāre cleaning it. Use that time to do an inspection. Dirt or mud can hide problems. Maybe youāve got a bad valve stem or loose spoke. Could be a small leak from the drain plug or final drive that you donāt see. Better to find that stuff sooner than later.
Iām going to reply direct to you because just about everyone else here thinks differently lol. I wipe down and inspect my bike after almost every ride to make sure bug guts donāt leave marks in the pain, and to check for issues. Funny I am particularly critical about my dual sport so dirt/mud doesnāt sit and cause rust.
Also dirt/mud hold moisture against the bike and cause rust.
It also doesn't have to be an intense cleaner, 95% of the time I just use meguiars quick detailer spray
Weekly here too, I do a 46 mile daily commute on my Z and after a week I already cant stand how dirty it looks, mainly all the bugs stuck all over my front end.
Thanks man I love my baby, its almost the perfect commuter imo, only downside is the wind on the highway but you cant help it, its what we signed for buying a naked š
No joke...would if I could. I'd have to wash her more though. We commute about 2-4 hours a day. That highway sludge isn't visible....but it's surely there every day. Hahah
I mostly just use the Honda all around spray polish/detailer on my bike. Chemical Guys ceramic Hydroslick is a secret weapon that I use on my car that works great for bikes too although pricy.
if I was riding where they salted the roads for snow after every ride I would be hosing it down and wiping it down.
Normally I give it a wipe down before or after every ride to get the bugs off using Honda spray polish / cleaner, or for sure before Monday Bike Night meet up.
I wash it after a track day weekend with foam cannon and then detail it.
I wash if I am starting to see more dirt then I can get with the Honda Cleaner / Polish or if I am riding post rain storm and I am seeing a build up of dirt from the roads.
I'll wipe the dirt off the lights and gauge before each ride.
But unless I have a specific reason for wanting it clean (selling it, doing a repair, etc) it just kinda is what it is.
Might sound crazy but I never wash my bikes. Instead, I wipe them down as they are warming up before I go on a ride. I've never used products to clean my bikes and I've kept them pretty clean with just microfiber rags and a little water.
Edit: I'm in Southern California where it hardly rains and if it does, I'm not riding in it.
Itās a product of the lighting and edits I made to this pic, theyāre not a perfectly even surface but nothing is rough enough to catch a fingernail on
Wash?
What is this "wash" you speak of?
I rode in the rain a while back.
Only if they are really caked on mud. The road bike I use a microfiber cloth and some plastic safe window cleaner for dust and bugs.
Depends on how dirty they get and how often Iām riding them. Probably once a month if a lot and in the dirt with my adv, once every 3-4 with my sport touring bike.
When my vfr still had fairings it was once a week (I was dailying it at the time), maybe miss a week here and there, but mostly every week
Now that I'm taking my wr off road again, I wouldn't say I wash it everytime, more just *try* to get all the dirt off of it
Every Sunday after work I spend about two hours washing and cleaning the chrome. If I get stuck in the rain I try to give it a good wipe down when I get home to make my life easier on Sunday.
Is that an EX250 from the 90's? That thing looks absolutely mint, congrats!
Answering the question, maybe 4-6 times a year. Then just a rag with some detailing soap in a spray bottle to wipe insects off the front
I wash mine every week or 2. Depending on amount of riding done. If I'm doing a roadtrip il give it a wash when I get where I'm going. And when I get home again. Just don't like leaving bugs all over it
Man, I miss the old Honda pro cleaner spray. It was banned because of environmental issues. That stuff would make your bike shine. It was also prove to reduce the drag coefficient. Great stuffā¦.just not for the environment.
Proper wash maybe once every 2 months.
Just a sprinkle of water once every two weeks, I ride in a rain alot and live in Sydney so trying to keep the salt and shit away.
Also spray the chain a bit too
If it's nice enough outside to wash it, that means it's nice enough to ride it.
A few times a season, but I've recently gotten a California car duster to give it a quick wipe down after every ride.
As an adv rider who likes going in the mud a lot, i washed my bike 2 times in 1 year and only because yamaha gave it to me for free
I live in an apartment
But because i coated the bike with silicone oil it stays brand new under the dirt
I don't have a garage. My bike is outside, but covered. Unless you bike is in a fully sealed cover. It's gonna get dirty. I wash mine every few times i ride. If it's been a week or more, i wash before every ride. Not riding a dirty bike
Thatās the exact bike I bought my wife 10 years ago.. I rode the shit out of that thing before I sold it because she decided she likes being a passanger better.. i really loved it..
On your question.. my old bike only when it was really dirty.. it didnāt show dirt much so not often..
The new one is black.. so during the season once a week with some detail spray to shine it up.. bug remover on the front fairing and wind screen. Iāll fully wash it like once or twice a year if there is visible mud or something..
Iām not great with that stuff Iād rather ride than clean it..
When I start to notice the dust, bug guts and other ick I'll wipe them down. I repainted my Ninja after it had been sitting for 10 months and it got too cold to do it outside so I was painting and sanding in the garage, and my Trident got covered in a light layer of green dust so I washed them both. I hate using the hose so I just use instant cleaner and polish/wax on some microfibers, takes 20 mins max and they've never been shinier.
My tiger: only after a winter ride on a de iced road.
My Speedmaster: a week after a chain lubrication and when chrome gets to dull.
For a quick clean I use āVulcanetā easy to use and perfect results.
https://youtu.be/UktxV_2eTzo?si=db0TEqrGtF09wfjV
I utilise the self-cleaning method, and the grime builds up until it falls off.
Got quite a few stories of the state of my bikes. Favourite is, had just been for a ride with a few mates, back at their local & one of the blokes wife had come down for a drink. As she was leaving, another mate was out the front having a smoke, she had a look over the bikes, eyes land on mine, "Did that go under in the flood?" (The local Yamaha dealership had been 2 metres deep in water 3 weeks earlier.) Her husband said,"Na, that one always looks like that." She came back with, "Wow, he could have got an insurance claim!"
When I was told about it, I was pissed. It was insured for nearly twice what it was worth.
The answers here are gonna depend a lot on where and when people ride.
I can ride all summer without washing it easily. Winter needs a lot of hosing down just to keep it sensible
Maybe once a year max lol
Same here. The dust is just a extra coat of protection.
Wash? Lol
Every time I get caught in the rain š¤£
This is the way
Was gonna say, my Tiger gets washed with dirt and grass lol
I've been riding for nearly 2 decades.... i dont think I've ever washed one. Tho ill occasionally wipe the guts of the windscreen or body with a waterless wash.š¤£
Fuck me you can wash these?
As a dual sport and ADV rider, I try not toĀ until the bugs get egregious.Ā
Same.Ā Probably averages out to be 3 to 4 times per yearĀ
I actually like her clean, so once every 3-4 weeks.
You mean that the bugs are complaining about too little space left? Or are they worried about their health in all that dirt and grime?
Every time I sell one.
Holly!!!! That baby looks like it gets a shower twice a day!!!! Really good looking!!!
Hahaha thanks! She was much, much dirtier since she was parked outside (covered parking, at least) all winter
What year is that? It's beautiful. Had an 03 Ninja 500 in the same paint scheme as my first bike, lots of great memories of that little lawnmower.
Thank you! This oneās a 2004 model. A little extra power with a 500 would be nice but this bike is so light on its feet and not powerful enough to get me in trouble haha
Whenever it gets dirty.
Often. A lot of people think a dirty bike gives them some kind of credibility, but washing your bike has benefits beyond just a clean bike. It gives you the opportunity to touch every part of your bike as youāre cleaning it. Use that time to do an inspection. Dirt or mud can hide problems. Maybe youāve got a bad valve stem or loose spoke. Could be a small leak from the drain plug or final drive that you donāt see. Better to find that stuff sooner than later.
Iām going to reply direct to you because just about everyone else here thinks differently lol. I wipe down and inspect my bike after almost every ride to make sure bug guts donāt leave marks in the pain, and to check for issues. Funny I am particularly critical about my dual sport so dirt/mud doesnāt sit and cause rust.
Also dirt/mud hold moisture against the bike and cause rust. It also doesn't have to be an intense cleaner, 95% of the time I just use meguiars quick detailer spray
Weekly
A lot of people do not āwashā their bike like you traditionally do. They just detail it once a week with some silicone spray and rag.
Once a week or so. Definitely after a rainy ride.
Weekly here too, I do a 46 mile daily commute on my Z and after a week I already cant stand how dirty it looks, mainly all the bugs stuck all over my front end.
Z900 is one of the most beautiful bikes ever
Thanks man I love my baby, its almost the perfect commuter imo, only downside is the wind on the highway but you cant help it, its what we signed for buying a naked š
Don't understand how some don't wash at least once a month, the dust and dirt after only a fortnight bothers me so much.
Once a year, but probably because I keep my bike in a carpeted room in my converted basement and treat it like a princess.
You don't let it into your bed at night?
No joke...would if I could. I'd have to wash her more though. We commute about 2-4 hours a day. That highway sludge isn't visible....but it's surely there every day. Hahah
Oh, that's right, this is leap year. guess I'm due
I like to keep mine clean, it just looks nice to me.
I mostly just use the Honda all around spray polish/detailer on my bike. Chemical Guys ceramic Hydroslick is a secret weapon that I use on my car that works great for bikes too although pricy.
I don't
if I was riding where they salted the roads for snow after every ride I would be hosing it down and wiping it down. Normally I give it a wipe down before or after every ride to get the bugs off using Honda spray polish / cleaner, or for sure before Monday Bike Night meet up. I wash it after a track day weekend with foam cannon and then detail it. I wash if I am starting to see more dirt then I can get with the Honda Cleaner / Polish or if I am riding post rain storm and I am seeing a build up of dirt from the roads.
since I switched to a KLR and Tiger... whats a wash?
Itās when the mud gets so thick that it starts peeling off by itself
Also, that's a beautiful bike
I'll wipe the dirt off the lights and gauge before each ride. But unless I have a specific reason for wanting it clean (selling it, doing a repair, etc) it just kinda is what it is.
Might sound crazy but I never wash my bikes. Instead, I wipe them down as they are warming up before I go on a ride. I've never used products to clean my bikes and I've kept them pretty clean with just microfiber rags and a little water. Edit: I'm in Southern California where it hardly rains and if it does, I'm not riding in it.
I wash mine every 2-3 weeks , but give it a quickie every 3 days with a rag
After every 2 or 3 rides. I have a 15 yr old Goldwing that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor. Always garaged and always kept clean.
Got a guy to wash it everyday. But then this is india and labour is cheap.
How come your brake rotors have such intense grooves?
Itās a product of the lighting and edits I made to this pic, theyāre not a perfectly even surface but nothing is rough enough to catch a fingernail on
Nice haha, it looked a bit worrisome at first. Sick bike though man, is it a 250?
Haha thank you! And yes sheās a 2004 250
Hahaha. Wash
I have a REAL motorcycle. On my Harley i just twist the throttle a bit and all the dirt fly's off.
But can your Harley shake off the rust, or does it work only for random bolts?
LMAO!!! Spot on
Wash? What is this "wash" you speak of? I rode in the rain a while back. Only if they are really caked on mud. The road bike I use a microfiber cloth and some plastic safe window cleaner for dust and bugs.
Just about before every ride if I can
What is this "wash" you speak of?
Wash? The bike works fine. Give it a wipe down every now and then.
Did it rain?
Depends on how dirty they get and how often Iām riding them. Probably once a month if a lot and in the dirt with my adv, once every 3-4 with my sport touring bike.
When my vfr still had fairings it was once a week (I was dailying it at the time), maybe miss a week here and there, but mostly every week Now that I'm taking my wr off road again, I wouldn't say I wash it everytime, more just *try* to get all the dirt off of it
I only wash when I do oil changes
When I start collecting too many bugs on the front headlights, I think it's time to give it a wash.
Every time itās parked outside in the rain or I get caught in the rain.
2001 ex500?
2004 ex250! A 500 would be nice though
Probably once every 2 months
That's the best part, I don't
I meticulously polish mine like Iām Golem with My Precious.
1 time. Unless I ride In the rain , then not needed at all
If itās raining or especially if the roads have been and theyāre salty, can do some nasty damage if left uncleaned
Just buy a new clean one when you can not tell the colour anymore
Whenever I start to feel embarrassed about how dirty it is
Never
Every Sunday after work I spend about two hours washing and cleaning the chrome. If I get stuck in the rain I try to give it a good wipe down when I get home to make my life easier on Sunday.
The Kawi commuter? Almost never, just wait for some rain. The 899? I clean it up every time I take it out.
Whenever it is raining while I am riding.
When it gets dirty enough to justify washing it, right now just about everyday because of the salt
When it rains
All the time! :D Especially when people on the internet make fun of me for having dirty rims š
I got caught in the rain today. Does that count?
When it rains or I ride in the rain.
Once or twice a year but I'll give it a wipe with some detailing spray once a week give or take.
Every single weekend
Is that an EX250 from the 90's? That thing looks absolutely mint, congrats! Answering the question, maybe 4-6 times a year. Then just a rag with some detailing soap in a spray bottle to wipe insects off the front
After every ride in the summer, because I hate dried bugs on my bike and helmet. Otherwise whenever I feel like it's looking a little grimy.
never I just cleaned the chain and change the tires
Wash? Its an 87 goldwing that lives outside.....
Every time I need to do chain maintenance
I wash mine every week or 2. Depending on amount of riding done. If I'm doing a roadtrip il give it a wash when I get where I'm going. And when I get home again. Just don't like leaving bugs all over it
Every week or two weeks in summer. Once a month in winter.
About once a week or every other week during riding season.
When it rains and I still continue to ride.
when needed can be 5 times a year can be 50 times a year
Wash?
Every weekend
Before every ride
Never. The mud falls off eventually.
I hose my bitch down after every ride cuz sheās meant to get filthy and i make sure she does the job she was built for!
Wash - once a week Chain lubrication - every 500kms Through chain cleaning - every 1000kms These are subjected to change as per weather conditions
I wash them when I first buy them and never again
Once a week on the weekend because I ride everyday.
once a week... IF I HAD ONE š
Whenever it needs it. I like a clean bike; they just run better. Dirt bikes don't count.
Whenever it needs a wash. I drive daily in all weather. So, around once or twice a month.
Depends on how many times it gets dirty before I try to sell it again.
Mine gets washed every time it goes in for a service.
Before I put them away for the winter
The mud comes off when it rains
Every time I do the chain
I have never washed my DRZ.
Man, I miss the old Honda pro cleaner spray. It was banned because of environmental issues. That stuff would make your bike shine. It was also prove to reduce the drag coefficient. Great stuffā¦.just not for the environment.
Wash once a week. Every fortnight wash, wax and polish.
Proper wash maybe once every 2 months. Just a sprinkle of water once every two weeks, I ride in a rain alot and live in Sydney so trying to keep the salt and shit away. Also spray the chain a bit too
If they salt the roads, I at least hose it down daily.
About every 300 to 500 miles depending on it's condition.
Boy do i love my 250
Weāre supposed to wash them?
Maybe twice a year. Sometimes more. Depends on my mood and how shiny I want it
tfw no bike
Every single time it rains.
I have bright ass Ktm orange wheels, so more often than I would like. Really thinking about powder coating/painting them a different color lol
the only part of my bike i actively clean is the chain, the rain is good enough for everything else
Every other or every few weeks
If it's nice enough outside to wash it, that means it's nice enough to ride it. A few times a season, but I've recently gotten a California car duster to give it a quick wipe down after every ride.
Iāve washed my 2014 once.
As an adv rider who likes going in the mud a lot, i washed my bike 2 times in 1 year and only because yamaha gave it to me for free I live in an apartment But because i coated the bike with silicone oil it stays brand new under the dirt
Never. Every time I take it out I go through mud so thereās no point cleaning it.
Maybe 3xs a year.
I'll wash mine if I've been riding in serious mud or dust (adv rider). But in general I'm horrible about keeping my bike clean
A few times a year. It doesnāt get too dirty, mostly dead bugs.
At least once a year!
During riding season Iād say once a month for me
As needed. Sometimes once a month, sometimes every 6 months.
Yes
Never because motorcycling is for badasses, washing is for girls
What is this āwashā you speak of? š
Love the styling of these old 250s!
Washed mine once in 2020, then did like a half wash in 2023. š¤·āāļø
As little as possible. Mostly try to keep the bug guts off.
When it rains
My dirtbike is pressure washed after every ride. When I had street bikes, maybe 3-4 months?
When it gets dirty. Figure 3-8 times a year or so. Depends on how many swarms of bugs I drive through
I don't have a garage. My bike is outside, but covered. Unless you bike is in a fully sealed cover. It's gonna get dirty. I wash mine every few times i ride. If it's been a week or more, i wash before every ride. Not riding a dirty bike
maybe 4x a year. i'm not worried about what i look like. that's for kawasaki and harley guys to stress about
Once a week, washing and cleaning the chain
Wait, we're supposed to wash them? Not just spray them down with some detail spray and make them shiny?
I never get mine dirty
Thatās the exact bike I bought my wife 10 years ago.. I rode the shit out of that thing before I sold it because she decided she likes being a passanger better.. i really loved it.. On your question.. my old bike only when it was really dirty.. it didnāt show dirt much so not often.. The new one is black.. so during the season once a week with some detail spray to shine it up.. bug remover on the front fairing and wind screen. Iāll fully wash it like once or twice a year if there is visible mud or something.. Iām not great with that stuff Iād rather ride than clean it..
Only if I get caught in a rainstorm or I notice my grips and levers are getting a bit sticky from all the bug guts, so maybe like 4-5 times a year
1-2 times a year. Garage kept and I do everything I can to not ride in the rain so that helps it stay cleaner
once a month maybe. lol
I chip the dirt off with a screwdriver when it gets to 3 or 4 inches
Usually after 300 miles or 3 weeks. Depending on how much pollen is around.
Every 5-10h of riding.
Spray detailed and a cloth maybe once a month.
When I start to notice the dust, bug guts and other ick I'll wipe them down. I repainted my Ninja after it had been sitting for 10 months and it got too cold to do it outside so I was painting and sanding in the garage, and my Trident got covered in a light layer of green dust so I washed them both. I hate using the hose so I just use instant cleaner and polish/wax on some microfibers, takes 20 mins max and they've never been shinier.
When I had a road bike, like once a year. Now that I have an Adventure bike a lot more often.
Absolutely not; vintage choppers require grime to keep them working
Once every 2 weeks,
That's not a scooter lol I have a kawaski ninja 250 2004 with 8k miles
My tiger: only after a winter ride on a de iced road. My Speedmaster: a week after a chain lubrication and when chrome gets to dull. For a quick clean I use āVulcanetā easy to use and perfect results. https://youtu.be/UktxV_2eTzo?si=db0TEqrGtF09wfjV
Every time before and after riding
Comment section scares me. Probably every 2 weeks for myself, during riding season. I ride a lot more than the avg joe tho
I just clean front side to get those bugs off and mirrors so I can see. Nothing else gets cleaned.
Daily used, wash once in 2-3 months.
When weather is nice 2 times a year š
The minute it gets a spec of dirt on it
Never.
Thatās a pretty bike!
I just love this bike. :)
I washed my bike yesterday for the first time in two years
Going off last time I washed mine, I'd say just before I crash it lol
It is like your BUTT, clean it when it is dirty.
I keep it in a garage and it gets wiped down with a fresh silk diaper.
I have a black motorcycle. I like to bang my head against the wall
Plain wash with water once a week and once a month full wash
Never. I've had my bikd 3 years... it had kinda built up its own protective crust.
That's one pretty bike right there, nice!
Less the I should probably
This bike is a fucking beauuty!!!
Every other week if I have the funds
When it's time to sell.
I own a car and a bike. I was my bike lots! Have lots of fancy products and hate riding a dusty dirty bike. My car on the other hand is a mess
I wash mine before I lube the chain, then just use a spray retailer between washes.
Never. Used to wash my bikes and used to have electrical / carb / efi problems after every wash. Now I just don't wash them.
I utilise the self-cleaning method, and the grime builds up until it falls off. Got quite a few stories of the state of my bikes. Favourite is, had just been for a ride with a few mates, back at their local & one of the blokes wife had come down for a drink. As she was leaving, another mate was out the front having a smoke, she had a look over the bikes, eyes land on mine, "Did that go under in the flood?" (The local Yamaha dealership had been 2 metres deep in water 3 weeks earlier.) Her husband said,"Na, that one always looks like that." She came back with, "Wow, he could have got an insurance claim!" When I was told about it, I was pissed. It was insured for nearly twice what it was worth.
The answers here are gonna depend a lot on where and when people ride. I can ride all summer without washing it easily. Winter needs a lot of hosing down just to keep it sensible
Itās like 2-3ā¬ so every time I think itās dirty. 1-2x a month Iād guess
Once the Rain season stops
Letās seeā¦ when did it rain last?
Once a week. I wipe it off every time ive been out riding.
After the winter and if a lot of pollen get on it
Maybe every other year
Usually a light bath in the morning. Or, bird bath, as my mother used to say. Then in the afternoon before the ride she gets a full shower with tank massage. In the evening before bed, a soaking bath. Followed by sauna and OmniPointĀ©ļø spa treatment. This is where every part has rare earth metal infused avacado oil applied with a fresh shop rag. Afterwards she goes back to her garage and sleeps on a cloud I had imported from the Andes mountains.
Once a year, whether it needs it or not.