Cool Squirt Bottle Options?

[Ignacio]

I've done 100,000+ miles with a 6 oz. or so squirt bottle full of Windex I got from a Home Depot to clean my visor while on the move, and it's worked OK except that I have to reach behind me in my fuel cell cover for the bottle and rag. I just recently got a new Linda T tank bag with panniers and would like to move the cleaning solution and rag to the pannier, but the size and/or shape of the round squirt bottle just isn't gonna work.

I know I can probably wander the aisles of a Wal-Mart and maybe find something, but thought I'd ask if anybody has come up with a spiffier solution or bottle source that's a bit more industrial strength for those suffering from Farklistis Syndrome? I'd still like to have 5+ ounces of capacity. Maybe an online source?

The pannier pouch space I have to work with is about 5x5x2.....so you can imagine why sticking a 3" diameter cylinder (or can of Plexus) doesn't work so well.

Thanks.

P.S. I did some searching on terms like +squirt +bottle and +cleaning +bottle and didn't find it being discussed before....maybe I missed something.

 

[Bigbeavk]

Googled small spray bottles wholesale and came up with this.

Clickitiyclack

:yahoo:

 

[Ignacio]

Clickitiyclack

:yahoo:

Thanks, but looking for something a bit more robust and larger than wholesale lots of ubercrap generic bottles they sell at the $1.00 store.

 

[exskibum]

Clickitiyclack

:yahoo:

Thanks, but looking for something a bit more robust and larger than wholesale lots of ubercrap generic bottles they sell at the $1.00 store.

I dunno, Iggy. That looks a LOT like a couple accessory spray bottles I have gotten with a larger spray bottle containing detailing/cleaning solution (B.O.M.) off the net. I have been using the first one to clean my face shields since about October 2006, it's always been perfect for the task and looks like it'll go another 10 years. Except that mine have been 2 fl. oz., while that appears to be 100 ml = 3.38 fl. oz. (i.e., even more perfect).

I roll my spray bottle in a 12" x 12" microfiber cloth that I fold in half and keep it in the tank bag. A couple squirts to the face and wipe it off.

For that price, I don't see how you could go wrong. Maybe if it came in pink?

 

[Bigbeavk]

Dangit I blew my chance to help out our #1 Honcho. Now I owe ya a beer. :yahoo:

 

[BwanaDik]

Googled small spray bottles wholesale and came up with this.

Clickitiyclack

:yahoo:

Exactly what I use

 

[Ignacio]

I have been using the first one to clean my face shields since about October 2006, it's always been perfect for the task and looks like it'll go another 10 years. Except that mine have been 2 fl. oz., while that appears to be 100 ml = 3.3 fl. oz. (i.e., even more perfect).

I roll my spray bottle in a 12" x 12" microfiber cloth that I fold in half and keep it in the tank bag. A couple squirts to the face and wipe it off.

For that price, I don't see how you could go wrong.

I've tried 3 or 4 over the years that looked similar and each one either busts off the feed straw, the squirter goes wonky, the thing leaks because of poor threads, and/or the plastic cracks. Rolling it in a cloth while at FJR nominal speeds is suboptimal. And 3.3 seems to make it about 2-3000 miles for me...which is a fraction of what I need.

I'm not concerned about price. I just don't want the thing to have a 50/50 chance of failing when I just spent a grand or more doing a rally.

It very well may be that it doesn't exist or you have to get lucky with a good batch of the cheapy stuff, but that's what I'm trying to figure out. Maybe it involves repurposing a bottle of a commercial product that sources their own bottles (e.g. a leather spray that uses a high quality bottle), just looking for a high quality 5oz plus squirt bottle...prefereably even 8 ounces that fits in a 2" compartment.

 

[BwanaDik]

You could try this

Helmet

Or possibly this

 

[Gramps]

Why not just forgo the spray bottle altogether. If I think of it when planning for a trip, I simply saturate a cloth & put it into a zip lock bag that won't leak. Packs in small places and when it gets too grimy just rinse it out at the next gas stop. The obvious is to pack a dry cloth as well.

 

[Good2Go]

I got a Wee Willy (glad it's not Friday) for Xmas. Haven't tested it on major bug splat yet, but works well for a quick cleaning while on the move. Neat to have cleaner + sponge + squeegee integrated into a single palm sized device. It doesn't meet your 5 oz. criteria, but it's still cool.

 

[Niehart]

Matt, check out Napa. I have a bottle that was made for oil. I dropped the bottle at 35 mph, went back and found it, still in one piece and still working.

If I understand you correctly, you looking for something stout that you can use while still moving. I think this would work.

 

[Ignacio]

Why not just forgo the spray bottle altogether. If I think of it when planning for a trip, I simply saturate a cloth & put it into a zip lock bag that won't leak.

Tried that too. I haven't figured out how to reseal a zip lock at FJR nominal speeds with one hand yet. And even tried the little Windex wipe dispensers. They kinda work, but I haven't found they work as nearly as well as sprayed on Windex to truly dissolve bug guts.

I got a Wee Willy (glad it's not Friday) for Xmas.

Matt, check out Napa.

The Wee Willey thing is exactly the kind of possibly higher quality bottle I'm thinking of. A possible even with it's size...maybe I buy two or three to compensate. And I didn't think about Napa....I'll go look around there.

Thanks.

 

[juniorfjr]

I've seen some plastic pocket flasks that have a screw top, if you can find one that your current top can screw onto.

 

[squeezer]

...maybe I buy two or three to compensate.

Heck, yeah. I'd say that's a better idea than one bottle that fits. Drop one or break one, no big deal.

When was redundancy in your rally setup ever a drawback?

 

[H-Town FJR]

Ignacio,

I know you mentioned Plexus cans being large. The 7oz can is...but have you seen these?

https://www.skygeek.com/20205.html. Its a .42 oz spray can. Very small. You could carrry a couple of them if you needed to.

 

[RaYzerman19]

I guess I don't know why you wouldn't stop to clean your visor, and I certainly wouldn't spray Plexus on it while moving, kinda dangerous when you lose all sight until you find your wiper.....

If you're concerned about cleaning, those cheapie 5 oz. spray bottles of lens cleaner at the dollar store work very well. The cleaner is just isopropanol and a bit of soap. Microfiber cloth and you're good to go. You could try a pump bottle of hydrogen peroxide (Walmart USA) unless that bottle is too big for you.

But, again, stay safe, stop to do it, keep the bottle in a plastic bag.

 

[phroenips]

Instead of something to spray on, maybe some sort of tear-off film like the racers use would be better?

 

[BIODSL]

I guess I don't know why you wouldn't stop to clean your visor,

:lol: This is why.

 

[Ignacio]

I know you mentioned Plexus cans being large. The 7oz can is...but have you seen these?

https://www.skygeek.com/20205.html. Its a .42 oz spray can. Very small. You could carrry a couple of them if you needed to.

Even though Plexus is better than Windex.... 0.42 oz of the carbonated stuff isn't going to come close to 5 oz of the blue stuff. And although price isn't a big concern....$5.99 a pop is a bit rich for my blood. I'd go through 20 cans of that stuff in a typical rally. The don't have 4 oz versions do they?

But, again, stay safe, stop to do it, keep the bottle in a plastic bag.

Thanks Mom, I will do that....I swear.

Instead of something to spray on, maybe some sort of tear-off film like the racers use would be better?

I'll have to look at that again. I think I estimated needing like 8 or 10 of those a day and was worrying 40 for a rally would be pretty thick and might affect vision a bit.

Still looking for a quality 5-8 oz spray bottle that fits in a 5x5x2 area.