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On the ride home from work I passed by a house that had a man with a hose and bucket and bike in the driveway. Sounds like a lot of us right? But he had a gas powered leaf blower in his hand, and way drying his bike off with hurricane force winds.
Just wondering if anyone else does this?
Not me. I just use water and a micro-fiber cloth, to wash a small area, then dry that area with another micro-fiber cloth. Then move to another area on the bike. Never used a hose or any type of pressure sprayer, or any type of blower for drying. I have the Matte/finish paint, so I also never use any type of polish or wax. Everyone has their own way to clean their bike, just saying how I do it.
When I wash my bike, which isnt often (have yet to wash my '15 6), I use my air compressor to blow the water away, then use a micro-fiber towel to dry.
The leaf blower will sandblast the paint! I have a special air dryer just for that job and it works great on the bike and the autos,... no spots and no water hiding!
Not a gas powered blower but I use my electric Toro leaf blower to dry my bike off all the time. No damage to the bike at all. "coffee"
I dry it first with cotton towels, but then use an electric leaf blower to get water out of the various crevices. No damage to paint at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by VaBob
+1 In addition it's great for occasionally blowing out the radiators:shhh:Quote:
Originally Posted by DaWadd
No way would I use a gas powered leaf blower on my bike, period...I purchased the long handled air device that some of us got a while back from Harbor Freight and hook it up to my air compressor if I need it...Have never washed any of my bikes with water anyhow and only clean with Honda Cleaner/polish..(now called Original cleaner/polish)...Been lucky I suppose to have not gotten on dirt roads or in the rain when riding.....Ride safe
Several years ago, my dealers washed bikes after a service or repair. They used pressurized air to dry them off This became an issue, as it forced water into connectors and there it would slowly corrode and begin a host of electrical issues. Many dealers stopped due to customer issues and arguments about the air pressure and the issues they found it caused. I get this info from my brother who owns Harley Dealership in Connecticut. They found some mold and/or corrosion and with electronics not using high amps, there in lies the problems!
I discovered that by accident one day a big bug blasted my bagger shield and I had forgotten my can of cleaner wax and polish. What I had on the bike was a couple bottles of water and a micro fiber towel. I wetted the towel on one end and the bug even though it was dried on wiped right off. I was amazed and since that day its been a wet microfiber towel followed by a dry one and the bike comes out great and it doesn't cost me 7 bucks a can for cleaner wax and polish anymore. Who would have guessed that would work so well. I never did use any water hose or leaf blower or soap on my bikes. It was always Bike Spirit cleaner wax and polish. But the matte silver bike is a different animal for sure, not the glistening paint job of my old bike. So this was a wonderful discover for that flat paint.Quote:
Originally Posted by jm21ddd15
I always use a microfiber cloth to dry. That is a major reason I love the B. It can be wiped down in a minute or two because of the lack of chrome and the large areas of plastic and fiberglass.
I did try the leaf blower for a while, but it takes 3 times longer and not as good as the cloth.
At times I use a quick spray of detailer---sometimes Pledge Furniture cleaner and polish.
After I wash mine, I take it for a ride and use the engine heat and wind to blow out and evaporate the excess water. Great excuse to take a spin!
I use a Ryobi blower with the rechargeable Li-ion battery to dry all my bikes. It works great -- no water spots! I'm not sure how it could sandblast the paint unless there was lots of dust in the air. I avoid washing the bike in sandstorms.
I sometimes get caught in the rain. I sometimes wash my bike with soap and water. That's what I do. YMMV :icon_biggrin: cueman
:yes: I do the sameQuote:
Originally Posted by F6Dave
I tried that trick, but I have a mile and a half dirt road I live on. By the time I got to the end, the bike was dirtier than when I started.....:yikes::yikes::yikes:'riding'Quote:
Originally Posted by VStarRider
I use a gas blower on all my vehicles. No problems, no sand blasting, no electronic failures.
I have been using a gas powered leaf blower to dry my bikes for years. Never had a problem. I do try to hold the nozzle away from the paint a little bit to allow the pressure to spread out some.
Self serve car wash dry with old towels and ride. Guys at work used to give me a hard time on my fj 11 and my fj 12 cause they were always covered in bugs. I told them it's cause when I go out to look at it I ride it not wash it 😯
Agree:yes:Quote:
Originally Posted by F6Dave
I use a shop vac, well actually it's a Kolbalt wet dry vac. I no longer use it for vacuuming. I only use the discharge air and the hose to blow off the excess water. Works really well.
A leaf blower is only blowing air. There is no media being injected like a true sand blaster. A leaf blower is perfectly fine as compared to your specialized blower.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wing'n it
I live on a dirt road so there are times when wet that the bike gets to much dirt on it to just wipe off with water or a cleaner.
I will gently hose down the bike while using a soft cloth to gently dislodge any debris that might scratch the paint. After it's rinsed and dried I use a microfiber cloth and a "between waxes" type cleaner to buff the finish and remove any water spots.
Aside from the occasional needed washing, I usually just use the between waxes, cleaner.
I hose it down, scrub it with soap and water, then give it a quickey blow job :yikes: with the air compressor. Finish it off with a wipe down using a white cotton towel (I acquire from the hotels I stay at) and some quick shine. What's all this :bsII: about "micro fiber" towels anyway. If they were really micro fiber you wouldn't be able to see them with your naked :moon: eye. Easiest bike I've ever cleaned in my life. Like washing a really small car. :banana:
Basicaly the same here, only I use a dedicated for 'bike dying only' leaf blower to dryQuote:
Originally Posted by HBWinger
I use my gas powered leaf blower to dry my bike. Of course not at full blast and up close. As far as water goes..........when I get caught in down pours as well as many others, it's worse than any garden hose could even come close to. It even says use water on page 176 in the owners manual. So it's a bucket and hose pipe for me, and no i don't directly soak the electronics. But in a rain storm:iduno:Quote:
Originally Posted by cueman
I use a small pressure washer to wash, gas blow dryer so you have no water spots. Most gas yard blowers will have a small filter to keep sand and grit out. Bikes are driven 80--90 in the rain for hours, water and wind doesn't hurt it or cars either. Car washes have high powered water and high power blowers at the end. A GL is covered with so much plastics that you get very little inside anyway. Still had multiple scratches and finally re-painted since Honda would not admit there faulty finish.
$37.00 electric one from Lowes. Just fine on all my vechicles. :039::cheers: