Rain. It's great for the garden, but not so great for the Red Flash. Although a bit of rain shouldn't stop you riding, not if you're serious, it does mean washing the bike a lot more. A morning spin quickly turns gleaming chrome into a dull collection of mud spatters.
So you need to clean it.
Keeping your bike clean gives you all the normal benefits that you've probably heard about time and time again. It helps prevent corrosion. There's no quicker way to rust through chrome than to leave road grime sitting there for any length of time. Keeping the painted bits of your bike - tank, guards, and so on - polished keeps them looking great and helps shield it against sun-fading. And, simply because you're looking at it really closely, it helps identify other potential problems.
All very practical reasons to keep your bike looking tip-top, but on top of those, I just enjoy cleaning my bike and like to allocate a few hours at a time to make sure I do the best job I possibly can.
A regular process helps me ensure that I don't miss anything.
First, I’ll hose the bike down completely to soften up the light stuff and remove any loose grit. Then, I wash the bike from tip to tail with warm water and mild detergent. The bike immediately starts to look better as you remove the film of dirt and muck that builds up with everyday use.
Next, the detail work begins.
Washing a car is easy. Lots of flat panels, easy to polish. A Harley-Davidson, on the other hand, has a multitude of angles and sharp bits. In this part, I like to go slowly over the bike, cleaning engine parts & bolts, wheel rims, and all the little bits that can detract from the look of the bike if left untouched.
The last run over is to polish. Despite all the expensive polishes on the market, I find that Mr Sheen, a silicon-based household polish offers the best value for money. For chrome and bare metal, I use The Original Purple Metal Polish. It puts a deep glow on chrome and really lifts aluminium without the harshness of some other metal polishes.
Generally, this process takes a bit over two hours. Some may say that this is a waste of time. They’re entitled to their opinion.
Personally, I find cleaning the bike very relaxing. It gives me time to think, without the phone, or any of the hundred other distractions that can do your head in. Washing my bike gives me a great excuse to listen to music. I bring the CD player outside, throw in a couple of my favourite albums, and completely zone out, focussing on nothing but the bike.
Others may have a different approach, but mine works for me. And it makes sure my bike looks great when I take it on the road.
