Air gun on the Gen 3

[gazza]

Guys

Just thought i'd share something i do now on the Gen 3 which i never did on the Gen 1. Now before you start calling me a garage queen i'm raking up some reasonable mikes on the new bike with a 500 mile day yesterday so don't go there. What i wanted to say is that i have got use to using a air gun to get rid of the excess water on the new bike after i have given it a wash. The gen 3's are a bit more fiddlier to get my micro cloth into especially around the screen and dash area so i am now using the air pretty much on everything now. Not only that but black really does show the water marks so i need to wipe the lot down after every wash. Why don't you give it a shot ( if you have an air compressor) and see what you think. Works for me.

Regards to all

Gazza

 

[rushes]

Yup.

Nothing like a good blow job....

 

[lonerider]

Would recommend a filter at the inlet for the hose - any rust particles from the receiver won't do the paint any favors.

 

[majicmaker]

I've been doing that for years. It works great.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

If you use an electric leaf blower it does the same thing BUT with way more air, and a lot less electricity than running an air compressor.

I can dry 95% my SUV with the blower ONLY. Gets in all the nooks and crannies...

 

[SLK50]

The electric leaf blower is the way to go.

High volume, low pressure.

 

[bluesdog]

afaik, a 'garage queen' refers to a rarely ridden bike. The owner of said bike would be called an eedjit!

And yeah, I use a (filtered) compressor, with the nozzle at a sane distance from the bike, for those hard to reach areas.

A good hair dryer with a 'cool' setting also works well.

 

[Lowcountry Joe]

I take what some would say is a non-typical approach to washing, but the result is always good. What I do is have three items...pale of soapy water with your favorite soap wash (I prefer Honda wash)....pale of clean water....a few new microfiber towels. I buy those big packs of yellow or green microfiber towels at Costco.

I wash the bike in sections. I start just like you do on the car..I start the soapy cloth at the highest point which is the wind screen and work down on the front and down to the fender and legs. I then go back with another microfiber cloth from the clean rinse water and wipe off the soap. I then take a clean dry microfiber cloth and wipe the surface down. I do this for the sides, the tank and instrument cluster, the rear, then finally the wheels. Now the bike is clean, dry, no spots and and shiney. Do not use the same microfiber cloth to wipe the whole bike. You have to use a clean cloth on paint and/or clear plastic or you will start micro scratching the surface. Don't cheap-out on microfiber towels, keep a bunch on hand.

The advantages to this method are threefold as far as I can tell: I can do this in the garage, when it's cold out, and not make a mess. I don't use a pressurized hose and spray water at angles where it can get into non-typical places and contribute to intermittents, wheel bearing issues, or start the process of early connector oxidation. I can stop at any time, between sections, for a beer without fear of any spotting. Point number three is the most important!

Sometimes I will follow this up with some MotoPro Spray Polish (available at Cycle Gear). That's the best shit on the planet for cleaning and polishing anything on your bike from the windscreen to the wheels to your helmet and faceshield. It leaves a "wet" looking shine and the bugs don't stick nearly as bad.

This method may not be for everyone, but it works best for me for all my bikes.

 

[garyahouse]

A good hair dryer with a 'cool' setting also works well.

Eh... why not just use a heat gun? Look and works like a hair dryer but much hotter. Even gets all the stickers off them brand new Gen 3's. Ha... two birds, one stone.

 

[art miller]

For about the price of a case of Bud (wet air beer) you can buy a Blaster Sidekick blower which is specifically made for the job. It comes with several nozzles as well.

 

[bluesdog]

A clean (!!) shop vac with the canister removed and hose connected to the output works well, too.

 

[C&C]

Maybe the newer 'gens' are different, but with my gen 1, if I wasn't careful when blowing water off around the instrument cluster, the high volume/fairly high speed air (leafblower in my case) could blow water (droplets) between the speedometer dial and cover.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

For about the price of a case of Bud (wet air beer) you can buy a Blaster Sidekick blower which is specifically made for the job. It comes with several nozzles as well.

I bought the "air force Blaster" years ago, 4 HP ( https://www.amazon.com/Metro-Vacuum-B3-CD-Blaster-Motorcycle/dp/B0000CCXWA ) and it does work very well. I did add wheels to the bottum of the unit for easier movement around the bike. It is filtered air, slightly heats it and has a hose.

With the shortish hose, it doesn't do well on a cage, especially the SUV.

But, costing several hundred $'s the blower is way more economical and blows way more air. I did put the soft side of velcro around the tip of the blower tube of the leaf blower just in case I bump the paint / body work..

I also have another leaf blower out by the boat as again, it works so well and saves me time and effort after a boat wash...

 

[xcsp]

I have a Metro Blaster Sidekick, use it more on other vehicles actually.

Like the idea of filtered air when drying off painted surfaces.

https://www.metrovacworld.com/Blaster_SideKick_SK-1/overview

 

[08FJR4ME]

We are suppose to wash are bikes? Never done it on the Feej anyway. I have hosed down the XR a few times. Sun dried afterwards.

Seriously all I have ever used is Honda spray polish or simular product when not available. Generally after a rain soaking. I let the heavens wash it for me.

Dave

 

[Uncle Hud]

You guys wash your bikes?

 

[lnewlf]

spritz of S-100, quick hose job [mostly lower half], and take er out for a fast ride... done

 

[Oly]

Washing is hopeless for me.

I live in the rainforest on an unpaved road.

Maybe someday when it quits raining and the mud turns to dirt and gravel ...

Side note: The mud all over the bike didn't bother me with the DR650 or the VStrom. The FJR is a whole different story.

 

[Warpdrv]

You guys are doing it all wrong.....