Washing under the windshield

2752 Views 17 Replies 15 Participants Last post by TaiwanSkywave, Jan 30, 2005

Pinwheel

Discussion Starter · Jan 20, 2005

So the 400 has the stock windshield on it. I was washing it (gotta get it all cleaned up for saturday's ride) and I can't get to the dash area under the windshield. Is it easy to come off? Would a rag on a stick work?
I have the owners manual so I am sure it would tell me how to take it off but if it is a pain then I'll find some other way.

Thanks!

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

NormanB

· #2 · Jan 21, 2005

The only way to give it a thorough 'showroom' clean is to take it off (takes 5 mins) - BUT who would do that? (Not me!)

Yeah I would use a thin plastic spautla and maybe some kitchen towel or such like.

billmeek

· #3 · Jan 21, 2005

Nancy,

I've never removed my windshield to clean it (yet). Soapy water and a cleaning rag have done well for me so far. If you do want to remove it to clean, here are some instructions (copied and edited from another thread) :

There are a couple screws on the dash that you remove to take off the plastic around the base of the shield. The screws are on the far left/right sides of the dash. Once the screws are out, the plastic will be loose, but still has some snap fittings holding it on. One's at the bottom middle of the piece. I think the others are round the edges. Just pull carefully and they will pop out.

Once the base of the shield is exposed, you will see the rubber mounts in the windshield, with Phillips screws holding everything together by compression. Remove all these screws.

After the screws are removed, you can pull the screen off along with the rubber mounts. Be careful because they tend to pop out and bounce all over! You don't want to lose them. A second set of hands and eyes is helpful at this point.

Randy

· #4 · Jan 21, 2005

Nancy I would stay with the thin wood and rag, While it's not hard to remove the windshield IF everything goes right you really do not need to.
Another thing that works is a thin replacement head for the kitchen squeeze sponge mop. :wink:

Bleeder

· #5 · Jan 21, 2005

I never wash the thing anywhere, but if I did using a stick would make it interesting.

Peace.

swstiles

· #6 · Jan 21, 2005

Pinwheel said:
I have the owners manual so I am sure it would tell me how to take it off but if it is a pain then I'll find some other way.

Thanks!

Hi Pinwheel
As far as I know the owner's manual does not tell you how to take the shield off. The Service Manual might but I don't know mine has not come in yet. :roll:

Pinwheel

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 21, 2005

Well I think I will look for a sponge on a stick while I am a the store today. That would probably be the easiest. And since Murphy's Law tends to rule my life something would probably happen if I tried to take the windshield off.

Thanks for the input!!!

Russ Schaeffer

· #8 · Jan 21, 2005

The windshield does remove easily but what works well for me is to just fold up a thick towel and push it down there as best you can. There is only a small area that is hard to reach.

Thanx,
Russ

Timothy Ma

· #9 · Jan 21, 2005

Hey,

If you want to clean inside there....use lots of soap and be gentle. You could put a big scratch with a rag on the end of a sharp stick. Using soapy water will help. I would use an old cotton rag and fold it up. Thats my two cents worth

jkrerol15

· #10 · Jan 22, 2005

That it is a hard area to get to. It's probably the only spot on my 650 I haven't kept spotless most of the time. It sure bugs me though.

allwalk

· #11 · Jan 22, 2005

I use a sponge mounted on a long plastic handle that I found at the dollar store. I think its original intention was to clean bottles. Good luck and avoid the stick or removal.

David Fruge

· #12 · Jan 26, 2005

finding the easyist way to wash under the windshield

finding the easyist way to wash under the windshield and the rest of the bike for that matter was just a mater of finding the proper person to do the job. I have found that my dauter is perfict for the job. She works cheep I just have to taker for rides on it.

NormanB

· #13 · Jan 26, 2005

Re: finding the easyist way to wash under the windshield

David Fruge said:
finding the easyist way to wash under the windshield and the rest of the bike for that matter was just a mater of finding the proper person to do the job. I have found that my dauter is perfict for the job. She works cheep I just have to taker for rides on it.

David you are a man with the sort of style I admire and aspire to!

:lol:

Jim

· #14 · Jan 26, 2005

Re: finding the easyist way to wash under the windshield

David Fruge said:
finding the easyist way to wash under the windshield and the rest of the bike for that matter was just a mater of finding the proper person to do the job. I have found that my dauter is perfict for the job. She works cheep I just have to taker for rides on it.

"WINNER" for the best solution.

Randy

· #15 · Jan 27, 2005

OK your the winner but I get second place for washing under the windshield.
I sit my dog on the dash give him "Bacon strips"
and his tail does a great job wagging back and forth.
And he doesn't seem to mind the soap and water at all :lol:
I was going to use my Hamster for dry up,
but I think he's smarter then the dog -can't get him to work-

Rubble

· #16 · Jan 27, 2005

It sounds like those Swiffer dusters might be the ticket. They are soft and fluffy and slide onto a thin flat handle. I saw them at Costco and the cost foor 18 of them including a handle was about $18.00 CDN.

Brian

· #17 · Jan 27, 2005

I haven't tried the Swiffers, but on my 650 I used a sponge on a stick I got in the paint department at my local home improvement store.

Designed for painting trim, they work fine for getting into the tight spaces and are made strong enough that I don't worry about the sponge coming off or the windshield getting scratched. I also use lots of soapy water.

To prevent water spots I point a hair dryer down there to blow all the water out.

Of course now that I have some major miles and some minor scratches on the bike I don't worry about keeping it spotless as much as I did at first.

TaiwanSkywave

· #18 · Jan 30, 2005

When you finished the wash, please try to use the following item
to let it more bright. : )

See less See more

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.