A Clean Harley Means Removing Bugs
Bob LaRosaDescription
Bob reviews an easy way to have a clean Harley by washing away those big bug splatters on your windshield and faring.
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No matter where you ride or when you ride, eventually your motorcycle will need to be cleaned. I want to take a few moments, and just go through a few of what I prefer. Cleaning processes. Again, there's an array of products available to the consumer. Do your homework, always stay towards good quality, mild detergents and cleaner. On a fairing such as this, that's full of road, debris and bugs. I like to presoak with a mild soap detergent and warm water. Just lay clean rags on the fairing, lay them right over the windshield. Speaking of windshields, never apply Rain X, or any type of carnauba wax to windshield, it'll fade them. Be very difficult to see through. Only good quality glass cleaners should be used. I'll apply a couple of wet rags again with hot soapy water. We'll let them soak on this for a minimum, depending on how dirty, how bug ladened the fairing may be. Especially with a black painted surface. You want to try and avoid scrubbing any debris into the paint. You want to try and pre soften it, before you hand wash the bike. With either a nice clean Shammy cloth, clean Terry towel, or, or a natural sponge. Let me go get a sponge and a hose. I'm going to wash up the rest of this bike.
The best time to remove bugs is immediately after your ride. A spritzer of a waterless wash product & a couple microfibre cloths are the cats pajamas. In less than 5 minutes you're good to go with no scratches whatsoever.
Nothing works better for removing bugs than a wet dryer sheet..
I live and ride in Klamath Falls Oregon. We have a ton of bugs here in the summertime. I use a window washing mix called 20/10 bug off sold in the summertime about $3 a gallon. After my rides I either use an old towel soaked in the bug off or use a sprayer if coated with a lot of bugs. Let in soak in the shade and rinse off with water. Works well and does not hamper paint chrome or your hard earned wax job. I don't know how many states 20/10 is sold it was created for the Northwest.
Paper towel roll? Never EVER use a paper towel product on ANY of the motorcycle surfaces. Wood does not make a good surface cleaner. The only place the roll of paper towels should be in a motorcycle shop is in the lunch room!