How often do you clean/wash/detail your bike?

[Particle Man]

every month or so and every time after I ride in the rain

[t-homo]

Good news. Planning on cleaning the bike tomorrow.

[Frostz28]

lets just say not as often as I should. I always start out with good intentions of cleaning it on a nice day but with in min. I start thinking of how much more fun I would have taking a ride. so I tell myself Ill take a quick ride and then wash it.... well Im sure I don't need to tell you how that works out most days!

[Archren]

Picked up some Honda polish this weekend. But with the weather looking crappy, doesn't look like I'll have a chance to use it until next week.

[ceo012384]

Originally Posted by DLIT

It's just a waste of time, especially if you wipe down your bike frequently. I used it on my '04 one day and nothing changed. Just a waste of time, money and a waste of quick detailer that you could use just wiping it down normally.

Evidently you know nothing about clay barring.

[marko138]

Originally Posted by ceo012384

Evidently you know nothing about clay barring.

What do you know. Share your thoughts.

[ceo012384]

Originally Posted by marko138

What do you know. Share your thoughts.

A proper clay barring is like applying an extremely fine wet sanding to your paint. It removes crud and contaminants from the paint surface.

Strip all products off the paint using a soap like lemon dawn, then use a little bit of quick detailer as a lubricant for your clay barring... keep the clay bar lubed so it slides nicely and work around the vehicle.

If you run the back of your hand over a clay barred and non clay barred section and you can tell me it's a waste of your time and money, then you're either Helen Keller or just plain stupid.

You will notice as you go that the clay bar starts getting discolorations on it and such. That is the crap you're pulling out of the pits and craters in your paint that contaminants and acids and stuff have etched into it, and you're 'sanding' it smooth. Just keep kneading/folding the clay occasionally to keep the part of the clay touching the paint fresh.

After clay barring the paint is truly 'naked' and perfectly smooth. Now you lay down your protection. Lay down some wax, then some polish on top.

That's how you get the magazine look where the paint looks wet and you can see deep into it.

[marko138]

I'm gonna do this to my Jeep when the weather is a little nicer...and I actually have a day to do it.

[GSXRGirl]

After every group ride.

Before a track day.

After a track day.

After a few days of riding to work.

Basically it is always clean, for the next ride.

[Dnyce]

Originally Posted by ceo012384

A proper clay barring is like applying an extremely fine wet sanding to your paint. It removes crud and contaminants from the paint surface.

Strip all products off the paint using a soap like lemon dawn, then use a little bit of quick detailer as a lubricant for your clay barring... keep the clay bar lubed so it slides nicely and work around the vehicle.

If you run the back of your hand over a clay barred and non clay barred section and you can tell me it's a waste of your time and money, then you're either Helen Keller or just plain stupid.

You will notice as you go that the clay bar starts getting discolorations on it and such. That is the crap you're pulling out of the pits and craters in your paint that contaminants and acids and stuff have etched into it, and you're 'sanding' it smooth. Just keep kneading/folding the clay occasionally to keep the part of the clay touching the paint fresh.

After clay barring the paint is truly 'naked' and perfectly smooth. Now you lay down your protection. Lay down some wax, then some polish on top.

That's how you get the magazine look where the paint looks wet and you can see deep into it.

never use the back of your hand to "feel" anything. whether its bodywork, color sanding, runs, anything paint related, i see u use the back of your hand, your opinion is now useless. use your the palm of your hand.

anywho, i helped a friend clay bar a car, and yea it felt incredibly smooth and looked gd, but it didnt feel any smoother than the paint job i had on my bike at the time, and it didnt look quite as "wet" as my bike. the paint jobs were about the same age, but i took way better care of mine. clay bar isnt always needed to get a magazine worthy shine.

edit-but from what id gather marko, if u took the time to do it on your car-u would be happy with the results based on your climate and the fact your jeep doesnt get pampered like your buell...