Water or Compressed Air

[dcarver]

I travel 5+ miles of dirt road daily, sometimes in a dust cloud caused by other vehichles. Every day my new yet very dirty FJR needs a good wash or dusting. Up to this point I've been using Meguiars Quick Detailer, or a Mr. Clean system (soft soap / water softener). Yesterday I fired up the oiless compressor and was amazed at what a good job it did. The dust can be very heavy. Can't see the silver of the rims, front / rear. Swing arm, tank, etc.

The question: which does the least damage - water or compressed air?

 

[chickey191]

I travel 5+ miles of dirt road daily, sometimes in a dust cloud caused by other vehichles. Every day my new yet very dirty FJR needs a good wash or dusting. Up to this point I've been using Meguiars Quick Detailer, or a Mr. Clean system (soft soap / water softener). Yesterday I fired up the oiless compressor and was amazed at what a good job it did. The dust can be very heavy. Can't see the silver of the rims, front / rear. Swing arm, tank, etc.
The question: which does the least damage - water or compressed air?

tough question.

answer: It depends.

[insert Opinion disclaimer here]

it depends on what you are trying to accomplish and how you do it. Are you saying that you want a dust free bike everyday and are willing to wash it every day? do you wash it and park it - or do you wash it and ride it dry?

If it was a dust issue only - I would probably try the following - if it wasn't too difficult (compressor is near by).

I would GENTLY blow off the dust with compressor - definitely not forcing anything near air filters, or seals. I would dust the bike perhaps with a california dust mop - or even one of those static hand dusters. I would then wipe it down with Griot's Garage Speed Shine (you were using something else).

The point would be to remove as much of the dust as possible without jeopardizing the paint with swirl or scratch marks and then protecting the finish. ProtectAll does a pretty good job, too - but I think it is a bit of a dust magnet. cycle clean seems to be more of anti-static dust repeller - but I like Speed Shine.

If you are washing the bike - just make sure you either blow dry it or ride it dry. Getting everything hot enough to steam or boil or cook any water vapor from engine parts and out of nooks and crannies.

paying attention to either protect the pipes from water intrusion or heating them up so that they burn off any water.

 

[C&C]

I'm thinking low pressure water would rinse the dust off better, as opposed to blowing dust into the nether regions.

 

[bikerschim]

As I have done years of research on this very subject I recommend the following:

Get yourself a beater motorcycle (any brand, model) drive it to work in the dust every day. Use it for the rat bike rides on the weekends, never clean it.

 

[Scab]

Move.