If I remember rightly the piss taking was because it was a 125.....:thumbup1:

A 125 parked next to a 110 that had gone half way round the world ;-)

okay, I'm gonna get geeky here...



Depends on the dirt... Road spray off roads and motorways is generally oily gunk, chemicals, salt etc. This stuff can damage your paintwork if left to go to work on it.

Good old fashioned mud might preserve your bike like a prehistoric cave man lol


Whatever you do, I'd keep the working parts clean and lubricated as necessary. Oil seals, transmission, switches, springs etc. Having nuts and bolts ROT with road salt with do nothing but irritate the shit out of you when it comes to removing parts & servicing etc.

Snapped header bolt anyone ??? :thumbdown:


Keeping your bike clean and looked after WILL preserve it's value too...


Ted

oh its to wash or not wash the BIKE :eek3:

Had me worried for a second or two.

I am with Genghis, Dazzer, Ted et al ... all very extensive adventure riders I might add.

Unless you feel you have to prove something to someone, then wash your bike. A dirty bike seems to be something that people like to ride up to the annual HUBB meet with, but to be honest, I normally drive there ... as do Austin Vince, Chris Scott et al.

I wash it several times a week when adventuring. Clean brakes, clean radiator, clean chain, clean suspension etc all work better than when covered in mud.

Its much much easier to spot things that arent as they should be when its clean. Its much much easier to do maintenance and fix anything when its clean.

It really comes down to the following issue:

Do you want to do adventure riding or do you want to LOOK like you do adventure riding.

Well, I knew that would get the comments going! I washed, and it felt AMAZING! Next time will definitely be before 5 weeks. And you do really look at the bike in a different way when you wash it than when I do my daily checks - thankfully nothing was wrong. Cheers chaps.

http://sginsa.wordpress.com

I also saw the thread title and was expecting a debate about personal hygiene whilst out on the road :blushing:

I washed, and it felt really good, can't wait until next year. : )
Washing the Bike,.... you have time to feel/see any breakages or future problems hidden under the crud, and its definitely something I do before routine maintenance.

But then there seems to be a market for THIS sort of foolery too...
The Belstaff"Muddy Jacket Steve Mcqueen tribute Jacket".£500. .With rubber mud pre-attached..I kid you not...:biggrin3:
http://wheelnuts.tv/wp-content/uploa...mud-jacket.jpg


Taken from this good BLOG.
What Do You Think You Look Like? | The Making Progress Blues

Hello
I wash off the mud and dirt with the "high pressure hose" or what it's called in english, when I can't see the screws and small parts of the bike.
But taking a sponge is waste of time, it gets dirty again.
For the Aussis I cleaned it 3 days with shampoo and diesel until it was cleaner than new.
What happed afterwards?
It got dirty again.
See my point?
sushi

To wash or not to wash, that is the question!
 

Ride in the rain and mix in a river crossing now and then. That should take care it.


Blunozr

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe it would not be held together in such a manner if it had been cleaned and repaired before being beyond normal repair.
By the way in around a million km's of travel i have never been left on the side of the road.

so I try to wash mine about once a month, if I am riding thru sand and saltwater, I wash it more often. having a clean bike helps with the maintenance and making sure everything is tight! Usually about one day down here on the baja and it is dusty again! I clean wind screen, mirrors, lights and helmet faceshield alomost every day...