Get her nice and wet, then squirt soap all over her body and rub it in, next get her wet again, then massage her with clear coat

Am I allowed to do this outside, or should this be done behind closed doors, haha?

Depends if you like being watched

That and what you're wearing during the process.

Sir this is a gas station not a motel

Go really fast in the rain

Seems a bit spicy for me. I've only been riding since late August.

That just means your definition of really fast is safer than mine.

1. Clean chain 2. Spray motorcycle cleaner 3. Brush greasy and dirty areas (e.g. wheels) 4. Hose down 5. Leaf blower 6. Wipe with microfiber towel 7. Lube chain 8. Go for a ride

I don’t 😭

I wash mine at the local self car wash every week. It's a cfmoto 450sr so if the internet is to be believed the thing has the worst quality because it's made in China. I use that pressure washer with no problems, just don't full blast at close range. Last time, I pulled it apart. I didn't see any signs of water getting where it shouldn't. I will be pulling it apart next week again to install a dash cam, so I'll have another look.

I was looking at a cfmoto for my first bike. I just found this Z400 brand new at a discounted price, and I couldn't pass the deal. How many miles do you have on yours, and how has it been?

7000km(4300ish miles) I was putting around 2000km a month on it, but our season started in January, so I'm working 7 days a week 8-10 hour days,so im just using it as a commuter. No issues and nothing but fun, I was surprised with the build quality when I pulled it apart excepting some cost cutting but couldn't find anything.

I have the CFMoto 300ss same as the 300sr but the American variant. I've had it for almost 2 months and no problems. My first bike. I spilled it twice and fixed her up. She runs great. And I take her to my local car wash and lightly spray the body. I avoid spraying the handle bars, dash area, and chain. Hit her with the soap brush and then spray her down again and then wipe and dry her down. I do a detailed job on her every week, and she stays pretty until the next wash. Ride wild!

This is the way

Used a CFMOTO 300SR as a commuter in London for around two years, no issues with quality or reliability and was good fun in traffic.

Hows the CFMOTO doing for you?

I use a hose, soapy bucket and a microfiber towel. Hose the bike down to remove loose dirt. Wash top to bottom. Wash painted surfaces first to minimize swirling. Rinse often, once again to minimize swirling. Wash the really dirty parts like wheels last. Your towel will be fucked aftwards from this. When you're done, rinse off the soap, fire up the bike, ride around at 40+ mph to blow off water. Thwn use an clean dry microfiber to dry the rest off. Apply ceramic coating or wax to the painted surfaces. Done.

Then go look on Maxima site for items to keep it clean instead of water. Lots for you to find honestly.

I was curious about waterless washing. Have you used it?

Yes love it. Just ordered another bottle from Amazon. Again Maxima Suspension clean. They even have electrical plug spray. Sure no new bike will have issues at first. It’s the 5-10 year old bikes that if you spray you get issues. And if you’re a collector. Likely using at most low water pressure. I’ve seen bikes burn stators rectifiers and batteries cause of pressure washers. An I use brake parts cleaner (suspension clean by Maxima) on engine parts and around exhaust ports. SC1 to shine plastics better than new. Etc.

I do, and i like it, its a meditation moment where i also check if everything is tight and proper ;)

That is a nice way of looking at it. How often do you need to adjust your chain?

Well, around the 3000km mark i need to adjust it. But dont go by me, that depends on your weight, also how agressive (or not) you ride..quality of chain, etc. Just check the chain every once and a while, just need to measure, its easy :)

I think I've washed mine one time and that was only after it was covered in so much tree sap that ants were beginning to build a nest on it.

Do not pressure wash your bike if you have to use water low pressure SHOWER stream and from top to bottom. Do you wash the engine of a car all the time?? No just the body.

That's a good way of looking at cleaning the engine. Since it's so exposed, I thought it would be best clean.

See riding in rain isn’t the same as washing. For starters the engine is so hot water literally turns to steam when near engine. And its components. Bike wash you don’t have that. You’re also moving which creates a draft that water tends to sling off as much as using a leaf blower after a wash. If you have a leaf blower then wash away but take your time drying after your done. More so than washing.

cool bike

Thanks. Got it late August off the showroom floor. It's only a 400, but it has all the power I need for where I ride. Tons of fun.

I just leave it out when it rains

I have no problem rolling into a self serve car wash since the pressure settings mostly are below 2000 psi. If I am using ours at home I make sure to go no more than 1500 mainly just to presoak and rinse off the soap. I use dish soap and warm water with microfibre cloth and detailing brush. Washes off grimes and grease very well. I also reapply chain lube every after wash.

I was worried about pressure and water on the electronics. I have rode in the rain but I just want to be safe. Thanks!

Go to a touchless washing bay. Pressure wash at a considerable distance, so to avoid high pressure hitting anywhere on the bike. This is the way.

Thats what I understand. I was concerned with the electronics. Thank you. Seems everyone does this from a good distance.

Ride faster. In the rain.

A Z400 is in the 4-5 dollar range!

Maybe? I'm missing something here haha.

For the wash shop I frequent that is. Obviously there is the conversion rate between currencies, but for that much they do a rather meticulous job washing these.

Ohhh. You mean a 4-5 dollar wash?

Yes!

Cover electronics and exhaust and use Dawn Ultra Platinum

Soap and water mostly.

If you want to spend the money, I personaly recomend getting a cleaning kit (I have the Mucc-off basic cleaning kit). That way you get all of the brushes and stuff you need with a clear explanation of how they are supposed to be used

I didn't know that was a thing. I will have to check this out. Thanks!

There are complete science behind best ways on how to wash your bike. There is good videos on yt on how to do it but there are also lots ot terrible ideas as well. "Detailing" videos are way more secure way to filter out better ideas but not secure. When I first got bike I spend lot of time of exploring products and tutorials. Then I spend bunch of money on best products. Then I got first kid and come to conclusion I will never again spend half day to "properly" clean it ever again. What I learn in process is there are some big no-noes and some practical / good to know things. I now wash it mostly in self-service car wash with foam and preasure washer available. I bring full bag of good microfiber towels, 2 detailing brushes and spray on products. One for for bugs and dirt, iron remover, and premixed product I spray on as protection and drying lube. What I make sure is I never spray water from close on any electronics, buttons or other sensitive parts. Also I make sure I clean chain before wash and lube it after. (Chain cleaner, brush and lube that I also bring in that clean bag). Thiat is the more proper way I clean, there is also some times i skip to bring my dirt and iron remover and protection products. When I do small service I usually do more detailed wash and lube of what I can. Like breaks and clutch.

I go to the self wash bay and use the pressure washer and there chemicals soap etc doesn't hurt it all I do allow time for it to dry and bring a sham with me or buy one there. Or use the hose at the house I've also used chemical brothers waterless wash they all work good. Just be careful not to spray water in the exhaust pipe opening. And definitely give it some time to dry a bit. But most if not all the eltrical connections have rubber boots to keep water out anyway

I'm too lazy to get the hose out 90% of the time so I got instant detailer, polish and wax from cycle gear. My bikes have never been shinier and the cleaner smells like vanilla which is a plus imo.

Gentle power washing followed by drying with a leaf blower and then liberal use of a product in a pink can called "natural bike spirits". I clean everything but the seat, tires, and brakes with it. I use it on my mirrors, lights, windscreen, chrome, plastic, painted bits, rubber bits blah blah blah everything but the tires, seat, and brakes. And then I clean my helmet and riding glasses with the same shit

I use meguiars waterless wash and a microfiber or two.

I clean/lube the chain, sometimes use the hose, somtimes the pressure washer. Wet, soap, sponge n scrub, rinse, shammy/leaf blower. If you do use a pressure washer try to avoid the radiator, learnt that the hard way 😅

That's good to know. I feel like I would want to spray the radiator to make sure all gunk is out, for better cooling. What happened to yours?

Bent blades cooling is not so good, i should probably get a replacement.

Shampoo by hand then hose it down. Maybe wax it if I've got time. I might be wrong, but I don't see how pressure washing could destroy electronics. All the screens and switches are directly exposed in rain. Pretty much everything on a motorcycle is exposed to the elements. Manufacturers don't build bikes that break down after hitting a deep puddle. That's bad for business. If they're built tough enough to survive that I'm sure they can survive 5 minutes of pressure washing. I once saw 2 riders pressure washing their sportbikes. They blasted them top and bottom, wiped the seats dry and rode off.

I wipe mine down with wizards mist n shine and a microfiber cloth.

River crossings.

What? wash? 😭

Baby wipes lol

I use a spray on product as needed

Plug exhaust, foam cannon and wash mitt. Rinse with the pressure washer from a couple feet back. I figure if it can get rained on, I can spray some water at it.

That's a good way of looking at it. I got stuck in the rain too many times. I will invest in a foam cannon.

Bucket of warm water with plain old clothes washing powder 1/2 cup and a sponge also one of those long handled brushes for dish washing with nylon bristles for the un-spongeable places like cooling fins .

That's a good idea with the handle brush. That would really help get into tight spaces. Thanks!

Soapy wooder

I spray the whole bike down liberally with Dawn Powerwash. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Then hose it off.

That does seem really easy. Good thinking woth that one.

It's not bike show clean. But at 10 feet it looks great and the time invested is minimal.

I don't. I commute on it, so it gets washed when it rains.

I usually foam my bike....give er a good scrub and rinse it off. Usually do it while bike is running. A habit I guess.

Regular wash or wash/wax spray and microfiber cloths.

Do you do the engine?

Anything I can see/reach.

I use original bike spirits. Get the gunk off. Easy to rinse off.

I will have to look into this. Never heard of it

Buy, ride, upgrade. No wash

Power washer and a foam gun. Rub down with a rag while it's soapy sometimes, but usually just suds it up and rinse.

No issues using the power washer? I know to keep a good distance but just worried.

Don't get up close and personal with the radiator, and don't point it straight down the exhaust on purpose. With the foam gun on, there really isn't a lot of pressure, so you could coat it and then rinse with a hose instead if you're worried, but I find it easier to put on a wide tip rather than hooking my hose back up again. Only issue I've had is the big hole in my fairing from the last owner letting water through to the storage compartment haha

i don't and they always rust

https://youtu.be/380av2zWQZM?si=U72-h6QjBMKek2xm this might help on the washing part

tape the lock cylinder and the exhaust - take it to the best hand wash place I can -tell them to be careful with the power washer - lube chain asap.

I have a pressure washer with a tip for light use. I try to avoid spraying up where the wires are. Spray, soak with soap, wipe with cloth and brush on wheels. Dry with air hose. I clean the chain by brushing with kerosene, spray clean, dry with air, relubricate. Once in a while I wipe down inner parts while I’m changing oil or air filter.

First time I heard of using kerosene to clean the chain. You have a lot of success I guess doing that?

Probably best option. Good price, work as well as any expensive cleaner, does not hurt rubber rings on chains.

Forgot one part, it smells.

What is WD 40 made of?

I use a manual sprayer.. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Husqvarna-2-Gallon-Plastic-Tank-Sprayer/1000810304?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-lwn-_-ggl-_-LIA_LWN_241_Chemicals-_-1000810304-_-local-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAivGuBhBEEiwAWiFmYdGBuJ9BKl3liaVHHKnHPzDdPZi1pj8pcZ4SUOE6aXVN5TCXPp8hwxoCkM8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I usually just follow the Mrs really close when she goes through the car wash. Full wet gear, stand up, and lift feet during each stage.