Best way to wash/clean your 650
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A bucket with soapy water and sponge, and hose for washing and rinsing.
Chamois cloth and leaf blower (for drying).
I'm concerned about high pressure, getting in where you don't want it. After a 50+ mile run in the rain, a lot of lubricants can be washed off, and I check everything for proper lube. If you use one, be prepaired to relube some areas. Also there is the dash, with all the electronics. It can take some wet, imagine a pressure washer.
You may want to wax, after a heavy soap wash.
Chamois cloth and leaf blower (for drying).
I'm concerned about high pressure, getting in where you don't want it. After a 50+ mile run in the rain, a lot of lubricants can be washed off, and I check everything for proper lube. If you use one, be prepaired to relube some areas. Also there is the dash, with all the electronics. It can take some wet, imagine a pressure washer.
You may want to wax, after a heavy soap wash.
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30,273 Posts
Here's another thread on cleaning your burgman that you might read thru :
http://burgmanusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3399
http://burgmanusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3399
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605 Posts
Soapy water always does it best. First though, wet the surface down with a good hosing down. Remember to wash from the top down so you don't by chance bring up sand or abrasive material from the dirtier parts of the bike to the wind shield or paint. I am very careful with this procedure. The windshield is done first. Water it down, then gently with a cotton cloth dap the surface without wiping, after this initial step then you can wipe the shield with a very soapy cloth. The 650 or 400 is a snap to clean. After each wash throughly rinse with the water from a hose and then start dabbing off the water with a camoise or air pressure if you are lucky enough to have it.
You could wax after this point and use a detailing spray for the darker plastic parts. This really makes the scoot look brand new. I got a can of the stuff from my local Harley dealer.
You could wax after this point and use a detailing spray for the darker plastic parts. This really makes the scoot look brand new. I got a can of the stuff from my local Harley dealer.
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394 Posts
Mr. Clean Auto Dry
Sort of surprised that in the earlier thread on this topic that the Mr. Clean Auto Dry systemwasn't mentioned as an option.
For those unfamiliar with it the Mr. Clean Auto Dry system is a combination of a nozzle for use on your garden hose that has a water filter in it and a special soap to use in the nozzle. The nozzle has a setting for normal rinse, low pressure soap dispensing, and filtered water mist rinse. You use the normal rinse to wet the scoot and get the loose dirt off. This is followed by using it to dispense the soap on the scoot, which you then use a clean sponge to gentle wash the machine. Follow this by rinse again in normal mode, then final rinse with the filtered water mist. The soap is specifically designed to work with the system to rinse spot-free without towel or power drying.
My findings is this is a great system to speed washing the scoot between thorough wash and polishings. The caveat I give is the soap used is great on the painted plastic, windscreen plastic, metal bits, and mirrors. However, it is not the best on the black, unpainted plastic pieces like the engine hump or my Givi case. If a good protectorant isn't used on these parts, the Mr. Clean soap can dull the finish pretty quickly on the soft plastic.
I clean my scoots frequently, at least once a week during riding season. Once a month I do a thorough washing with Turtle WaxZip Wax Car Wash, then apply Turtle Wax 2001 Car Polish to all the surfaces, except the unpainted plastic pieces. For those areas I use Turtle Wax 2001 Super Protectant. Finally, I gentle towel dry the scooter. For the other three or four washes I do each month I use the Mr. Clean system and reapply the 2001 Super Protectant every other time. Mr. Clean saves me a half hour at least on each scoot. With three machines that adds up to saving 24 hours or more a riding season. Less time washing equals more time riding for me.
Sort of surprised that in the earlier thread on this topic that the Mr. Clean Auto Dry systemwasn't mentioned as an option.
For those unfamiliar with it the Mr. Clean Auto Dry system is a combination of a nozzle for use on your garden hose that has a water filter in it and a special soap to use in the nozzle. The nozzle has a setting for normal rinse, low pressure soap dispensing, and filtered water mist rinse. You use the normal rinse to wet the scoot and get the loose dirt off. This is followed by using it to dispense the soap on the scoot, which you then use a clean sponge to gentle wash the machine. Follow this by rinse again in normal mode, then final rinse with the filtered water mist. The soap is specifically designed to work with the system to rinse spot-free without towel or power drying.
My findings is this is a great system to speed washing the scoot between thorough wash and polishings. The caveat I give is the soap used is great on the painted plastic, windscreen plastic, metal bits, and mirrors. However, it is not the best on the black, unpainted plastic pieces like the engine hump or my Givi case. If a good protectorant isn't used on these parts, the Mr. Clean soap can dull the finish pretty quickly on the soft plastic.
I clean my scoots frequently, at least once a week during riding season. Once a month I do a thorough washing with Turtle WaxZip Wax Car Wash, then apply Turtle Wax 2001 Car Polish to all the surfaces, except the unpainted plastic pieces. For those areas I use Turtle Wax 2001 Super Protectant. Finally, I gentle towel dry the scooter. For the other three or four washes I do each month I use the Mr. Clean system and reapply the 2001 Super Protectant every other time. Mr. Clean saves me a half hour at least on each scoot. With three machines that adds up to saving 24 hours or more a riding season. Less time washing equals more time riding for me.
Ruined my Honda CX500 when I washed it with a high pressure hose at a do-it-yourself car wash. The water broke something & as I rode away I was soon being sprayed with hot water & the temperature went past the red line. I had already had it for fifteen years so it was a good excuse to buy a new bike.
Any auto soap in a bucket and then wash down the bike (wet & rinse first) if you don't like wiping or want to get rid of water spots there are plenty of products on the market. I use a photo drying chemical very cheep and 2 drops in a gallon of water. As far as filtering the water, if it's clean enough to drink it will do fine. 
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498 Posts
Never use high pressure hoses - I can recollect one Summer day cleaning my spotless, unmarked Aprilia SR125 with a medium pressure hose only to realise that I was tripping off the paint on the exhaust pipe...
I haven't seen the English owners manual, but the Japanese owners manuals for both my Hondas and Suzuki advises not to use hoses at all. Sponge and soapy water first, dry it with a cloth, then apply wax and buff.
Good luck.
I haven't seen the English owners manual, but the Japanese owners manuals for both my Hondas and Suzuki advises not to use hoses at all. Sponge and soapy water first, dry it with a cloth, then apply wax and buff.
Good luck.
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394 Posts
Actually our tap water is so hard (mineral rich) it leaves water spots on everything unless you either filter it or chemically treat it. Given the choice both for drinking and for washing my scoots, I prefer to filter particals out as opposed to putting more chemicals in. :wink:Randy said:...As far as filtering the water, if it's clean enough to drink it will do fine.
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120 Posts
I'm with minnmax on the Mr. Clean Auto Dry. It's nice not to have to chamois with the way it dries spot free. The weather here the past couple of weekends have made the burg a little anxious to hit the road. So I had to let it have it's way and now a cleaning is in order. ?? Where's the bald headed man with the earring??
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76 Posts
Up Down or Down Up
I've been conflicted about the best way to wash a vehicle for many years.
When I went to aircraft mechanic's school, they taught us to wash from bottom up. The reason given was that the detergent would trickle down through the dirty part and cause streaking of the lower areas.
When I went through Mequiar's car care course at the Meguiar's training center in Irvine, CA, they taught us to wash from the top down. That was consistent with what Timothy Ma suggests in earlier posts.
What I have concluded is that both institutions have lots of experience but the difference could be the kinds of vehicles we're dealing with. Airplanes are bigger than cars, soyou may tend to take a while to get around to rinsing, and that would give the dripping detergent time to etch the paint. On the other hand, washing from the top to avoid scratching the paint with the grit and road grime is a real possibility. The compromise is to wet down the whole vehicle before starting the wash. Use lots of sudsy water and a sponge (not synthetic, but real ocean sponges) so the grit can float away from the paint surface. I still start from the bottom, and I rinse as I go. Don't let the soap sit and especially on a hot day.
And most important, don't ever buy more scooter, car, airplane, etc., than your (girlfriend/boyfriend) can wax in one afternoon.
I've been conflicted about the best way to wash a vehicle for many years.
When I went to aircraft mechanic's school, they taught us to wash from bottom up. The reason given was that the detergent would trickle down through the dirty part and cause streaking of the lower areas.
When I went through Mequiar's car care course at the Meguiar's training center in Irvine, CA, they taught us to wash from the top down. That was consistent with what Timothy Ma suggests in earlier posts.
What I have concluded is that both institutions have lots of experience but the difference could be the kinds of vehicles we're dealing with. Airplanes are bigger than cars, soyou may tend to take a while to get around to rinsing, and that would give the dripping detergent time to etch the paint. On the other hand, washing from the top to avoid scratching the paint with the grit and road grime is a real possibility. The compromise is to wet down the whole vehicle before starting the wash. Use lots of sudsy water and a sponge (not synthetic, but real ocean sponges) so the grit can float away from the paint surface. I still start from the bottom, and I rinse as I go. Don't let the soap sit and especially on a hot day.
And most important, don't ever buy more scooter, car, airplane, etc., than your (girlfriend/boyfriend) can wax in one afternoon.
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76 Posts
Do Not Do This at Home
Thank you Tehachipi Mike :salute: for your kind appreciation that so many of our Vietnam brethren missed...until the next war woke a lot of people up. Contrary to the norm, except for having to leave the wife and kids behind for a year, I have to admit I had a good time flying over some of the most beautiful landscape...mountains to ocean and jungle in between. No longer being an enlisted guy, I never had to wash the airplane. One day I broke it into a zillion pieces. I blamed it on the guys who shot it down. Lucky mechanics never had to wash it again. :laughing5:
Thank you Tehachipi Mike :salute: for your kind appreciation that so many of our Vietnam brethren missed...until the next war woke a lot of people up. Contrary to the norm, except for having to leave the wife and kids behind for a year, I have to admit I had a good time flying over some of the most beautiful landscape...mountains to ocean and jungle in between. No longer being an enlisted guy, I never had to wash the airplane. One day I broke it into a zillion pieces. I blamed it on the guys who shot it down. Lucky mechanics never had to wash it again. :laughing5:
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76 Posts
Yeah, I was "Cutie 11" one of the Forward Air Controllers for 9th ROK Inf. and worked the area around Tuy Hoa They wouldn't let me use "Chickenman" for my call sign. :roll: Glad to see you made it home.
Sorry folks for getting a bit off thread. :notworthy:
Sorry folks for getting a bit off thread. :notworthy:
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639 Posts
That's all right!
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to those who selflessly fought to preserve our freedoms (& who continue to do so to this day).
God Bless America! :sunny:
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to those who selflessly fought to preserve our freedoms (& who continue to do so to this day).
God Bless America! :sunny:
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