free website stats program Water Spots | Page 3 | Harley Davidson Forums

Water Spots

Micro fiber rags and Pledge, the micro fiber rags can be machine washed and used over again, Chamois can scratch the paint JMO:s
 
israguard said:
I am 100000% with Biscuit & Glider on this one.."Buy an "Air Force Blaster".Made in the U.S.A by the Metropolitan Vacuum Cleaner Co.".
Wasnt easy finding one in Montreal.. but oh goodness its amazing. This thing is numerous times more powerful than any leaf blower. Air is clean/filtered and beyond warm. Water regardless of hardness just vanishes and you will never see a spot in your life.

The real beauty of this product is that you can get into engine area and simply dry it all up including the connections etc. Worth its weight in gold.

They also have a model twice the size with 2 motors.. That will do Cars as well.
Click to expand...
I have the Metro Air Force Blaster and it is much better than the leaf blower that I used to own but I have found that it still takes me a solid 20 minutes to thoroughly dry my Ultra. Yes, the air is warm & filtered but here's what happens. I start at the "high side" of the bike from the very top and work my way down. Immediately the water droplets when blasted with the air, shrink and work their way to the lower side of the bike. So I go to the lower side and the water compresses again and works it's way back up the high side. I have to go from one side of the bike to the other several times before the bike is good and dry. It doesn't dry as quickly as I thought it would but it gets into every nook and cranny and I really like that about it. I'm amazed at how much water would be left behind had I not used the air dryer. BTW, no water spots either!
 
Hi Slap, I have an automotive detail service and actually specialize in bikes.(Yep, people DO pay to have their Harleys and others detailed!) If you want to minimize spots you have to remove the minerals from your hard water. Mr Clean wash kit utilizes filters that remove the minerals in the rinse settings, and it does a good job, but filters need to be replaced. I, personally, use a good old towell and compressed air from my compressor on my rig. It has a water seperator on it so it blows dry air. Then follow up with a clean dry towell. also, let the bike idle for a fiew minutes to help with the elusive water hiding from you.When you wash your bike you usually are looking to enjoy the process, so take your time and hand dry it mostly. Pop a cold one and turn the radio on to your favorite tunes. That is the only way to get a truly good spot free cleaning. However, you might find a spot or two you missed, wipe them away with the slightly damp portion of your drying towell then with a dry one buff it completly dry. As for other secrets/tips whitewalls are best cleaned with Purple Majic and a paint brush and rinsed rapidly. Pretreat your engine block wheels or any other greasy dirty areas with Simple Green and wash with Ivory Clear or other Ivory product in your water. A wonderfull shine to the paint is best obtained with a regular application of Meguires Cleaner Wax, it removes the dulling oxidation and will even fade some minor dirt scratches in the paint. Finally, windex for glass and chrome. A good detailing of your bike takes time, no shortcuts here, just quality products!
 
I use only car wash soap, as car wash soaps contain nothing more than a mild soap and a water softening agent. Hard water will leave spots as the water evaporates leaving behind the dissolved minerals.

S 100 will leave spots (I believe it says so on the label.) if it is not rinsed thoroughly but the problem with using it on MCs is that there are so many nooks and crannies it is impossible to completely rinse off even using a blowdryer.

I had chrome pealing twice on the low side muffler cap (warranty). On the second one the service advisor asked me if I used S 100 because he suspected that was the cause. It was the low side were the water will collect and drip down when the bike is on the kickstand.

It was easy for me to quit using it because I was already fed up with the spots.


I use Simple Green sparingly and diluted & only on the undercarriage and take great pains to make sure it rinsed off. It will also strip wax so I never use it on the tins. Simple Green has been banned by the military for aircraft cleaning because it was found to cause metal embrittlement. People that restore antique toys use it to gently strip the old paint.

They make a different formula that is safe for metals but it is not what is commonly sold at Home Depot, etc.
 
Instead of using a blower, I just go for a quick ride after washing.

The water seems to come out of nowhere and I get wet, but at least the bike gets dry.

:)
 
First if you haven't done this you need to clean the bike and give it a good coat of wax. I usually do this twice to three times a year. When I come in from riding (even during love bug season) I let the bike cool down and than, with a soft cotton cloth and a bucket of water, I clean the bike. If you keep rinsing the rag the bugs come off very easy. This takes about the same amount of time as washing with a hose with soap and water. I dry the bike with a soft towel, and give it a once over with Pledge. No puddles of water on the bike where you can't see it, no water in the controls or bearings. Don't forget the Pledge it makes the bugs come off easier.
 
I wash mine at the car wash. The spot free rinse is reverse osmossis water so it doesn't have the minerals in it. I shammy it off and take it for a ride. After its dry I have some water spots from the water that drips out of the fairing and other areas. A little pledge takes care of those.
 
Are you washing it outside? Like in the sunlight? I always bring mine into the garage. Keeps the surface cooler and makes it easier to wipe down. The higher the temperature of the surface you are washing the faster you have to work to deal with the water spots. It also sounds like you may just need a serious coat of wax
 
I use this:

Mirror Glaze Car Wash

I use it in the Mr. Clean system, but you don't need to. It leaves the bike basically spot free. If I am in a hurry I will blow dry the bike a little with a battery powered leaf blower. Otherwise, wash it and walk away.

I use Purple Dragon to clean my white walls and wheel chrome (works great on spokes) and Mirror Glaze plastic detailer on my windshield.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top