Adding This One Extra Step Will Really Make Your Bike Shine! 

Great video Dave! As a motorcyclist and a pro detailer I'll get a word in before the keyboard warriors show up. 😂 There's many roads to Rome. One small tweak to your personal process: try combining the drying step with the waxing step (Griots). It will save you time and the wax provides extra lubricant to glide the towel on the paint and further discourage swirls. Diluting the wax will reduce its durability a tiny bit but washing the bike that often, you'll never notice.

Was in Tellico Plains last year and a 76 year old guy on a Harley saw me cleaning bugs off my Tigers wind screen. He brought over a small spray bottle filled with a half and half mix of hydrogen peroxide and water and sprayed my windscreen. After an about a minute the bugs just wiped right off. Worked great. Glad to see ya brother. Been a while, hope all is well in your world.

Coincidentally enough I was cleaning my bike when this video notification came in. 😃 I routinely will clean when getting fuel, especially in the summertime. As you said it's far easier to maintain if you do it frequently. Make fun of my habits all you like...I don't like dirty equipment.

Leaf blower for drying! And then a wipe with a microfiber cloth after. Then a wipe down with Motul detail spray.

That idea of wiping in straight lines is really good, thanks

I found your channel from your most recent foot placement video. This IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT your channel is literally the most helpful in mc content. Thank you!

After rinsing it, I get my leafblower and blow most of the water out of all the hidden spots before I go to dry it.

Great video. I’ve owned the same Multistrada and put lots of miles on it. And I am also one to hunt down a DIY car wash on long trips. Especially after riding in the rain or very dirty/muddy conditions. I start my wash with a spraying of S100 to loosen bugs and oily grime. Then follow that with a rinse and a soapy pass with Griot’s Car Wash applied with a boar bristle long handle wheel brush. Gets in the nooks and crannies real well. Then rinse and blow dry from my battery powered leaf blower to get water out of those nooks and crannies and accelerate drying. Then dry with high quality Griot’s micro fiber towels. I use one for the upper parts and body work and another for the wheels and lower bits. Important to keep these separate. I do all of this on the bikes center stand and front paddock stand. But because the radiator and nether regions trap water, letting the bike drain on it’s side stand helps drain off extra moisture not reached in the drying phase. Warming the engine up at idle helps dry things out too. And then, it’s time to clean and lube the chain.

I never spray around the wheel bearings, plus I always use compressed air to blow most of the water out of the nucks and crannies then wax and shine.I know how you feel about being teased by your friends, I always clean my bike in the parking lot on trips, especially if we hit rain on the ride. That’s ok i enjoy cleaning my bike and I love how it looks when its clean. My 2016 BMW K1300S looks almost brand new, as does my Harley. I’ll have to try the moto brand, been using the S100.

Use a leaf blower to dry off the bike. No need to wipe, just lay the rag to absorb some of the water that remains after using the blower.

your multi doesn’t look anywhere near 11! puts my 950S to shame. thanks for the tips and great videos, given me some inspiration to get mine nice and shiny again this weekend

Great video as always. I'm sure the Motul chemicals work great, but I use WD40 and the same yellow Costco microfiber towels that you use. But I only use these towels to clean the wheels and all the mechanicals, (- before I spray water on the rest of the machine). I spray the WD into the towel, not directly onto the motorcycle. When the towel is too grungy, it gets pitched. And I use new towels on parts like the swingarm, and stainless muffler. I also take the opportunity to use WD to clean my chain/sprockets and wipe down my stainless exhaust system, too. At this point I use brake cleaner on the brake components, (calipers/discs), again spraying onto the towel not the machine. When it comes to the actual washing, I put plastic bags over the handlebar controls with elastics, and cover the exhaust tip, too. I use painters tape to seal off the ram-air ducts, and the key ignition. I use the two-bucket method for cleaning the bodywork, and use an automotive soap. Depending on how dirty the bike is, I'll dump these buckets with fresh water/soap. I only use 'real' korean microfiber towels on the bodywork, (-not the Kirkland's), and I've been using Mother's products, (-I'm sure other products work well, too), to polish and wax. The korean towels need to be washed separately with a special detergent and are only for the bodywork and my helmets. If bugs are an issue, I soak a large old cotton towel in hot water and let it sit on the bodywork for a bit before washing. I dry off the bike with plusher korean towels and lube/adjust the chain, and run the bike to burn any water off the motor.

Great video Dave! Always excited when you post a new video! All great tips my man.

Bike looks phenomenal man.

Great video Dave. Will give some of your ideas a go. Especially the shine and go. Hope you had a good trip. Nice to see you back on the screen. Ride safe and ride well. 🤓

Excellent video sir! It's nice to see you here again.

I’m actually excited to clean my bike now! Great video 💥

Great video! Useful information . I didn't realize about microfiber towels. Best!

Thanx for the great video. I normally use one cloth for the painted or upper parts of the bike and an older one for the lower/dirtier part like wheels and suspension. And always rinse the cloth in a bucket of clean water while washing

Those Harbor Freight Portland pressure washers actually came out on top for the most pressure and gpm out of like 20 different pressure washers tested under $250 👍

Really enjoyed the video, liked your presentation style, thanks 👍

If you have a pet dryer or leaf blower it works wonders in drying the bike. You’ll be surprised how much water comes out of all the nooks and crannies and pivots all around and also it’s fun to watch the water fly off the paint especially if you have wax or a coating on haha. One last tip acf50 is great as a corrosion blocker after washing bike if your up for it and it displaces any leftover water.

Love these tips and tricks 😊

Rode my 1967 norton atlas today after a 10 year restoration, the skills you teach made this a pleasure more than a terrifying experience. Chur

Simple green works well on both plastic and metal and it’s biodegradable . Thanks for your informative videos.

Cool video, thanks 4 the tips, that's a nice bike man it shows you take care of it. 👍🏻👍🏻

Absolutely! a lot of good points. I would also recommend getting a ceramic coat like CQuartz or Cerakote. It will make washing debris and bugs way more easier.

Very nice, it makes a big difference keeping your bike clean as much as possible. Great video. 👍

I pre-soak with S100 (sprayed on the dry bike) and let it sit a couple minutes. Then rinse, wash with soap and sponge and rinse again. Dry with a blaster detail blower to avoid water spots and a microfibre for any left over wet areas.

Here in UK we have a different climate to you so I always use an air blower to dry the bike. Helps prevents corrosion and for the winter I can switch on the hot air.

Those Pirelli Angel GT IIs are the bomb, you can drag knee no problem on those

I have used the exhaust from a shop vac to dry my bike. I take out the bag inside. Spay nine is good for oil or grease removal. I use Mothers wax as well.

That moto floss that looks like shoelaces works great for those hard to hit spots.

GREETINGS FROM THE PPRC GREAT TIPS. 🇺🇸🏍️

I usually dry or wipe downwards for washing or when applying wax. Saw it on some detailing video that even if you do scratch the clear coat, its harder to see as you have to be looking directly down at the spot to spot it compared to if you went sideways.

I use spray and wash laundry spray. It works awesome. You can find it anywhere and it’s cheap. Just rinse the bike, spray and let sit for 5 minutes then spray off. Then leaf blower to dry and a quick wipe down. SC1 to finish if you want.

Another great video thanks. What's the little bell on the bottom of the radiator? Also, those 1098R wheels look great on the Multi

G'day from Tasmania. Where have you been for the past three months Dave? Missed you!

I see a lot of spots and dirt left on the bike,I am a freak cleaning my bike-)If I detail it,it takes me 4 hours but you won't notice it's a used bike anymore,fortunatly that's a hobby of mine-)Had people come to me offering 150 to clean theirs-)Nice video man!

I use most of the same overall process but not necessarily the products. Also, instead of drying with a microfiber towel I first use an Absorbent shammy towel. Primarily because that's what I have for drying my autos. This is great for sucking up the bulk of the water and I only need one towel for a complete session. I finish drying with a wipedown with a waffle weave microfiber towel. This is especially good for glass and plastic windscreens. It doesn't leave those micro beads of water that the other towels can leave. The waffle weave towel has extremely fine and short fibers and does not shed them. They can be washed often without losing their fibers.

Great video, I pretty much do what you do with different products I’m into ceramic coating atm ,as I’ve got three bikes it really cuts down on cleaning time. I’d be interested in what or how you go about the chain ,cleaning oiling maintenance 2 of my bikes are chain so I seam to be forever cleaning oiling at least one lol . Here in the UK especially this time of year it’s a full time job 🎉🎉🎉

Great common sense tips. I don’t wash my Harley Ultra LTD unless I take a long trip or get caught in the rain. Most of the time I use a microfiber sponge in hot water to remove the bugs. Then go over it with the same Kirkland microfiber towels you use. I do wash mine in a bucket with Dawn dish soap a couple of time before they’re no longer worth it. Great video!

Thanks for sharing good video but for the cost of all those cleaning products you could put a paint protection kit on it and if you use an air dryer you will never mark the bike and always ensure that every bit of moisture is removed......... tried and tested! I have a 2014 Muliti that looks showroom and unmarked via this method.

use a powerful landscape leaf blower for drying the bike which will get water out of all cracks

I always dry mine with my EGO battery leaf blower, with a flat nozzle. Works great and leaves a small amount of drops here and there, that's when I use my final detailer and it glistens when finished.

Simple Green is good option.. Easiest way is to use dishsoap + water.. Spray it at the tight spots & use the detailing brush to agitate the dirt. Give a minute after spraying, as it gives time to dishwashing soap to break down dirt, greese, oils which comes off quite easily with the detailing brush.. I've a spray bottle with dishwashing soap + water & I use it on both, my car & bike.. Much better than any other solutions I've ever used. For trims, I use meguiars ultimate black plastic restorer. Best thing ever.. Literally turns the trim parts brand new.. Hope this helps.. Super nice video, thanks for making it :)

i’ve been using a home brew bug remover for years on my bikes, helmet and visor. 1 part household hydrogen peroxide to 10 parts of distilled water and a few drops of Dawn dish soap. Spray it on, wait a bit… bugs will foam up. Rinse and finally clean with microfiber cloth. Cheap and effective.

I swear by my heated pet dryer that I use to blow-dry my bikes after the wash and before the wax and detailing. It gets water out of the nooks and crannies and therefore helps to prevent corrosion from sitting water in hidden places. The pet dryers are way cheaper than similar products that are marketed as motorcycle dryers. They are loud though, so I wear ear defenders when using it.

I use a leaf blower to get all the water out of the engine area and off the brake rotors and chain and sprocket.

What do you guys recommend for the wheel stands (not sure that I the correct term)?

I like to take the bike for a short ride after I've washed it. My thinking is that it dries off all of the nucks and crannies and I might be preventing/reducing some corrosion.

I really enjoyed this video. Your Multistrada honestly looks better than showroom quality. Do you ever find the soap with wax or some other shiny additive makes the tires and seat feel kind of slippery on the first ride? Someone will probably correct me, but I recently got my first brand new car and I've resolved to use only Dawn for cleaning it. I postulate the shiny additives of car wash attract dust and grime like a magnet. Other than the wash, I totally agree being on team Motul. Thanks again for the great video!

I used my leaf blower to dry it in stead of a towel.

Any thoughts on the new Champ U Traffic Survival online course? Loved the original Champ U course! 🤙

Need a handguard/wind deflector for a 2018 Yamaha R6. Any suggestions?

Use a leaf blower to dry everything get all the nooks and crannies and no spots

I’m from New Zealand I couldn’t help but notice that sign that says Aotearoa ( Maori for New Zealand )

The problem I have, I live in Arizona and it's hard to rinse before the soap dries, even in the shade.

What model Ducati are you washing?

What do you do to clean your seat? My bike seat is upholstered in grey vinyl and there are a couple of old faded stains that just won't come out (not skid marks, TYVM). I'd like to hear what other people are doing for that.

Any suggestions for cleaning chrome parts?

Not too many bugs here in MN this time of year.

Clean chain. Rinse, debug and grease remover, leave it few minutes. Rinse. Wheel cleaner, leave. Rinse. Debug and wheel cleaner, don't Rinse. A thick snow foam and leave. Rinse. Wheel cleaner and agitate now most of the grit and grime is off. Rinse. Snow foam again. Soft thick paintbrush and get into all the hard to reach areas. Rinse. Shampoo wash (two bucket system). Rinse. Dry. (I could clay bar but don't) Polish. Wax. Treat the black trim. Lube chain. 🤔 Think that's it.

What happen to your Muc Off motorcycle psi washer?

Rarely wash my '15 R1. Maybe if I get caught in the rain. But with that said, Lucas Slick Mist after every ride. I am just afraid that with all the electronics she has, spraying her down with water is not a good idea.

Pray tell, what’s the bell for next to the radiator guard?

If there was only a cleaning brush that you could get into all the places you can't with a towel or a sponge. If anyone knows of one let me know.

Use beadmaker its way beeter the griots stuff

Wait. Did you wash off the little dude's racetrack while washing your bike? 😄

I wear my bugs with pride.

save a little money: "Zout" stain remover which works on clothing. Bugs and blood are protein.

👏👏😍😍👍👍❤️❤️

👌👌👍👆

Yeah great thanks but tbf i never let my bike get that dirty.

Are you still running this channel or have you stopped doing your videos?

Wait, we supposed to wash 'em?!

Wait.... you guys wash your bikes?

Sponsorship aside, I’d like to hear an opinion about Chemical Guys products.

All that black plastic is used because its cheaper.

Just another point of view: NEVER wash your motorcycle with a pressure washer. Wash it like you would wash your dog and it will last a lot longer before problems starts. A pressure washer will make water enter electronics (which are everywhere on bikes nowadays), engine gaskets, wheel bearings and remove grease from where you need it. But of course, you can all do what you want to your bike, its yours. Yes, I have bought motorcycles that were pressure washed and even steam cleaned. Now I know better.

all the audio is left channel. Good video but this is really annoying if you are someone who listens with earbuds, hearing aids, or headphones!

I wonder do you really believe someone is painting the motorbikes with a paintbrush in the factory? ¯\(°_o)/¯ Those are very likely have powder coat industrial paint, or sprayed the least, there's no direction on them whatsoever. The circular motion is used for buffing paint for a reason. Don't mind me though, you do you.

Motomuck

never ever wash when engine is warm. soap will destroy shine!!! never use same rag for wheels and body.

I stopped watching at the bell

Funny how all the youtubers end up with a Ducati. It is a nice bike, and very very cool. But it always smell a little of inferiority complexes. I know all human have this, but no reasson to show it on youtube 🙂 By the way, I ride Kawasaki, then I can just pay the workshop to clean it, because the bills a smaller.

Waaay overcomplicated... Power wash, then wet wipes and paper towels. Sometimes I even skip power wash with a small spray bottle.

Your approach to washing a bike is a bit of an environmental catastrophe - could you possibly find any more chemicals to throw at it? Looks clean though I’ll give you that!