[AROTH]

This question is for those riders in the Sunshine State and similar locales.

As I was cleaning up the scooter today and getting rid of 200 miles of dead bugs and the like, a curious and stupid thought entered my mind.

I often go (in my truck) down to the Gulf Coast to visit my family. Sometimes I have run into the infamous "lovebug" swarms and get pretty well plastered by them. Any of you riders ever get into this situation and survive? What do you do, not ride at all or just pull over?

I was thnking of trailering the Burg down there in a month or so and was just wondering.....:book:

 

[ChipDoc]

Love Bugs are pretty much a May & September phenomenon but you don't see the giant swarms of them in the cities, which is where about 99% of my riding happens. I just drive right through them and clean the front end a lot more often.

My personal favorite cleaner is Lemon Pledge, but that's a discussion for another thread. One important thing to note is that those little critters are otherwise known as "little flying bags of acid" so do NOT let their mangled corpses sit on plastic, paint, or chrome. If they dry on your windshield, soak a towel in water and lay it over the windshield for ten minutes or so before trying to clean up the mess. Do NOT cover the trailered Burgman to keep the bugs off while hauling down the interstate - a little bit of cloth flapping in the wind will do WAY more damage than the bugs will.

And keep your mouth shut as you're riding the Burg! Incidentally, Florida requires eye protection when driving. It's not just the law, it's seriously necessary. You do not want the little creatures slamming into your corneas at 80mph. Not just the little ones either; I once had a Gypsy Moth splatter all over my right eye - I simply never go riding without something covering my eyes.

 

[Liamjs]

My personal favorite cleaner is Lemon Pledge...

Sorry, I can't relate. We don't have NEAR the bug problems you boys on the east coast have to deal with. I've been to FL and was floored not only by the variety, and quantity of the local insect population, but the size! My God I saw a beetle that could fly off with your first born if not well protected.

Be that as it may, we do have a few, more petite bugs, flying around in So Cal and this Pledge thing interests me. I've heard about it before. Just didn't believe it. Doesn't the lemon hurt the paint?

Do tell... Anyone who's tried it.

 

[Liamjs]

http://burgmanusa.com/forums/12-general-discussion/22461-lemon-pledge-clean-off-bugs-2.html

Looks like its been discussed before. But I'd still be interested in anyone that has experienced the "waxy buildup" using it.

 

[cliffyk]

Here in NE Florida, during the lovebug seasons, I avoid riding anywhere more than 5 to 10 miles from the coast--for that matter I do not drive any further inland than that except in the wife's SUV...

 

[DougInKY]

I used to use Honda Spray Cleaner on my bikes, I switched to "Original Bike Spirits Spray Cleaner" when Honda switched the formula on their spray. Works good and doesn't attract bugs like the Lemon Pledge which I started using back in the seventies. The Lemon Pledge builds up and looks nasty after a while. The Bike Spirits doesn't.

 

[Fulton Williams]

love bugs

Plus 1 on the Honda Spray cleaner and Plexus on the windshield. To the original question, yes I do ride when love bugs are out with a full face helmet, Costa sunglasses and the windshield up higher than normal. Last love bug ride was New Smyrna to Cedar Key and back in one day. On way back close to home ran into a major thunderstorm with heavy rain. Much less cleanup after that.

 

[model28a]

Another thing that works good to remove bugs is hydrogen peroxide. It eats dead meat and don't harm the paint or plastic. I've found it works much quicker and better than water.