O.k. you 08 owners...

[JimH]

If you don't like black Home Depot sells paint in spray cans.

 

[fjrob1300]

Wash it??? and wash away all the history??? Different colours of dirt and mud and bugs tell a story. Like where I've been and how I got there.

 

[Warchild]

 

[Tek]

I've also got one of the 08's, and the one time that I've washed it, I just used a chamois to dry it off. I didn't have any waterspotting problems at all... Waxed the bike with Meguire's Tech Wax 2.0 afterwards and have been very happy. Bike looks great... Just what worked for me...

Tek

 

[Scoobyvroom]

I'll see you and raise you.... :haha:

 

[ShawnKing]

Now, I couldn't care less about that and it's too much like work to wash it... often.

LOL My problem is, if it's nice enough to wash it, it's nice enough to ride it.

So I ride it.

 

[CRMH Eagle]

Meguiars.

https://meguiars.com/

Car wash: Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner. I've spoken with their tech people and this is better than the newer cas washes they carry.

Spot & scratch remover: Scratch X. This stuff really works.

Polish: Show Car Glaze #7. This gives my 07 cherry the sparkle that makes chicks ooh and ahh....

Wax: Nxt Gen 2.0.

Wash the bike, use Scratch X on spots and scratches, then polish, then wax. Then next time you wash then simply dry off with cotten tees or whatever and no more water spots.

After I wash it I love to take her for a spin in the sunlight..... it never fails the looks and comments the bike receives.

 

[SR-71]

After your first scratch or the first time you drop it, you won't notice the water spots so much!

 

[bramfrank]

Meguiars.
https://meguiars.com/

Car wash: Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner. I've spoken with their tech people and this is better than the newer cas washes they carry.

Spot & scratch remover: Scratch X. This stuff really works.

Polish: Show Car Glaze #7. This gives my 07 cherry the sparkle that makes chicks ooh and ahh....

Wax: Nxt Gen 2.0.

Wash the bike, use Scratch X on spots and scratches, then polish, then wax. Then next time you wash then simply dry off with cotten tees or whatever and no more water spots.

After I wash it I love to take her for a spin in the sunlight..... it never fails the looks and comments the bike receives.

What a lot of work!!!

Did a 300 miler yesterday and the bike was covered in bugs when I got back.

Some cheap car wash solution in a bucket, spray the bike, wash mit the bugs away (incuding the wheels and rear fender liner) with the soapy water, rinse and then some air to get the majority of the water off.

One pass over the bodywork, windshield and exhausts with the wax-as-u-dry and the bike looks new again. Required one microfiber towel for the task and all it did was get damp . . .

Looks new again.

Total time from parking to beer? 17 minutes.

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

300 miles and it gets washed?

Wow. Mine has only been washed once this year.

I'll probably wash it again if I decide to sell it.

 

[LDD]

I was really exited to get my new 08. Until I rode it home in the rain the other day. So then I tried to wash it I ended up with water spots all over. I remembed that I had one of those Mr Clean Auto Dry things. It was a pain in the but to use on a car with so much surface area. Tried it on the new bike and it worked alright but still had the spots. Anyone have any good tips on washing a black bike?? Never had anything that was black..
Thanks a bunch..

Scooby

Get the Griots Garage Detailers Handbook, it has a section on MC detailing.

His products are very good also. I put some on my 08, it shines like mirror.

https://www.smartandtiny.com/product.php?productid=124272

 

[wiz1974]

My two cents on the whole bike washing thing...

I have always and will always take care of my stuff. I have a 98' BMW 5 series with 130,000 on it that is always clean and right now is covered up in the garage. Needless to say, the FJR will always be clean. If it needs washed, it gets washed. Apparently, no one here has heard of the best polish/wax products in the world from Zaino. I have been using their products for many years and have always been very pleased with the results. They have come out with an new product called All-in-One which is way easy to use. I use their wash (yes, there is a difference) and detail mist. Check them out. I haven't used a chamois in 20 years. Been using my handy dandy Black and Decker leaf blower to thoroughly dry my vehicles. It works great on the FJR. I think the neighbors have finally gotten use to it... no better way to dry. For polishing microfiber towels are the only way to go. I get mine from Wayne's Towels.

 

[jmdaniel]

My two cents on the whole bike washing thing...I have always and will always take care of my stuff. I have a 98' BMW 5 series with 130,000 on it that is always clean and right now is covered up in the garage. Needless to say, the FJR will always be clean. If it needs washed, it gets washed. Apparently, no one here has heard of the best polish/wax products in the world from Zaino. I have been using their products for many years and have always been very pleased with the results. They have come out with an new product called All-in-One which is way easy to use. I use their wash (yes, there is a difference) and detail mist. Check them out. I haven't used a chamois in 20 years. Been using my handy dandy Black and Decker leaf blower to thoroughly dry my vehicles. It works great on the FJR. I think the neighbors have finally gotten use to it... no better way to dry. For polishing microfiber towels are the only way to go. I get mine from Wayne's Towels.

Not so fast, Kemosabe....

Zaino...

And I totally agree with taking care of your stuff.

 

[wiz1974]

I stand corrected... sort of. Someone mentioned the first application is difficult, which can be true, but with the new AIO from Zaino simply Dawn, clay bar, AIO, and your done. When I first started using Zaino, by the time I was finished with my car I would have gone over it 15 times. Wash, clay, z-2, detail mist, z-2, mist, z-2, mist, z-2, mist, z-5, mist, z-5, mist z-5, mist. Man, what was I thinking. Now, at the beginning of spring, I Dawn it, clay bar, mist, AIO, mist, cover it up and go riding. Way more fun!

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

I stand corrected... sort of. Someone mentioned the first application is difficult, which can be true, but with the new AIO from Zaino simply Dawn, clay bar, AIO, and your done. When I first started using Zaino, by the time I was finished with my car I would have gone over it 15 times. Wash, clay, z-2, detail mist, z-2, mist, z-2, mist, z-2, mist, z-5, mist, z-5, mist z-5, mist. Man, what was I thinking. Now, at the beginning of spring, I Dawn it, clay bar, mist, AIO, mist, cover it up and go riding. Way more fun!

Whatever makes you happy.

I'm just glad I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. "clay bar" ??

 

[Rayzor61]

I have HARD water with a lot of calcium which leaves the spots on black paint. I just piss in the water bucket and add some vinegar. The final touch is the leaf blower hair dryer method and throw on an air freshener from Pep Boys to mask the smell of amonia ..........lol

 

[Knifemaker]

The best way to avoid getting water spots on your bike is...not to use water.

Really, it just makes stuff rust, and takes alot of time to dry. It seeps into electrical connections and makes things icky...

Have not figured the total amount of surface area on the FJR, but pretty sure even with a can of Pledge and a MF cloth it should take less than 20 minutes to spiff up your "shows dirt like it's got spot lights shined on it" Black 08.

Using a garden hose to wash a bike just seems so, uh, Country*??

KM

*and by Country , I mean "red-neckish"....

 

[RadioHowie]

You have got to be kidding! Water spots?
what has this world come to. Next thing your going to be asking is how to take care of your bad flatulence and pimples.

:jerry:

Nobody on this forum is young enough to have pimples. Bad flatulence... that's another story.

Hey, we're all guys here....

There's no such thing as "bad" flatulence.

 

[RadioHowie]

Gees, has no one used a leaf blower?
Use one and you'll never dry your bike again with a towel or chamios.

Try it.

Exactly. I use one to keep these clean:

:yahoo:

So......you own a Tank AND a Skank?

 

[RadioHowie]

Seriously, don't waste your money on microfiber cloths and chamoisessess (what's the plural of chamois???)

One of the best kept "detailer's" secrets is to polish your vehicle with one of these:

ESPECIALLY on a buffer at about 1750rpm.