Spotless to grungy, and all with a smile!

[hoodoodrum]

The LT when polished up and detailed is a killer looking bike. Grungy, dusty and dirty...well it looks "ridden", but that's what we like about Beemers anyhow. Shows we're riders and not fuss budgets over polish and chrome, right?

Last week I gave my LT it's quarterly scrub down. You know, the cleaning where you take a rag with WD-40 on it and clean every last tar goop off the wheels and body parts. I sat back and admired it for one evening then convinced the SO to ride the Mohican with me on one of the last sunny days left. We turned to go into the park and found the roads had a fresh chip and tar. Told the wife "the he!! with it, let's ride". One hour later, the bike was returned to that good ole used condition.

Anyone else take their LT from sparkles to dust cloth?

[SilverBuffalo]

It just doesn't make any sense to me to wash a bike in Florida in the summertime.
It can rain at any given moment sometimes on one side of the street and not on the other.
I love a clean bike, it even runs better after a thorough scrubbing and polishing :)
but nothing will attract rain quicker than a clean bike.

[dandiver]

Seems to rain about every day around here in the Summer so I generally wait till Fall to give it a good wash. Generally takes about 15-20 minutes!

It is an easy bike to wash. Much easier to just ride.

[DaveDragon]

Man I pull into the garage and whip out a microfiber cloth and clean the clear parts! Thats after removing the rain gear http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif

I'll knock the bugs and boogers off the lights and mirrors if I need another excuse to drink a cold one http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/images/icons/icon12.gif

I'll wash her in December, maybe.

[CharlieVT]

I hose off the bike at least one a year.

I clean the windshield and mirrors sometimes.

And I clean enough off the rims each time I change the tires so the weight of the grime on the rims doesn't affect the tire balance too much.

I do envy the showroom sparkle of those bikes which are kept spotless but for my bike, what's the point?

[katnapinn]

Well I guess I'm the OCD person here I wash mine every 6 months "weather "it needs it or not :histerica Had to put new tires on her so the wheels are clean for now :D

[hoodoodrum]

Dirty is what keeps me attracted to the 1200GS. I love my LT, but it doesn't seem to just look good dirty. When I see a GS, I think "ride it in all weather, except snow". I'm getting used to the dirty LT though.

[ibbones]

Well I guess I'm the OCD person here I wash mine every 6 months "weather "it needs it or not :histerica Had to put new tires on her so the wheels are clean for now :D

Agreed. I like a clean bike. I do not clean it as much as my old HD but I do hose off the dust and clean the windshield fairly often. Once a year I will throw on some polish and make it shine a bit.

[alabrew]

Hell, I left the cover off the other day at work so the forcasted rain would wash the bike!

[petepeterson]

Alright now come on!!!

I put gas in it and ride it,,, now you're telling me I'm suppose to wash it too???? :confused: ...............Pete

[meese]

Nope. Just ride it. Eventually it will rain and it will get washed then. :D

[charlieg]

Speaking of washing the LT, are the f-in love bugs mating anywhere else besides central and east coast FL. I road 441 to south FL last week and what a mess, Daytona to Orlando yesterday was not as bad but still very messy. -Chuck-

[Powerman]

But if you need a quick make her sparkle look try a microfiber cloth and some lemon Pledge. It's a lot cheaper the Plexius and I think last a bit longer. We won't talk about using used Bounce Fabric softner rags to keep the static cling to a mininum..

[KayGee]

Almost every week :) The more often you do it, the easier it is. Also a good way to check for leaks and cracks.

[hschisler]

I've had my '05 LT for just over a year. It took me 8 months to wash it the first time -- simply put, I was much more interested in riding it than washing it. I washed it the second time a couple of months after that, then a week later, and now I find myself giving it a quick going-over inside the garage if it looks dirty. It does get easier the more you do it.

My motivation?
1. I found it doesn't take me that long to wash it, after all.
2. Love the way it looks when I'm done.
3. (most importantly) I park near an '06 Gold Wing; that guy, a daily rider, keeps his bike spotless and I feel it's my duty to present a BMW in the best possible light. :)

[ajs]

Schisler
A clean BMW is NEVER in the best possible light no matter what it's parked beside.

[Woolly]

I've had my '05 LT for just over a year. It took me 8 months to wash it the first time -- :)

8 months - normally takes me bout an hour :rotf:

seriously though, how do you clean it - I use Plexus & a cloth, all over, - wary bout using hose & brush, coz I don't know where the water will end up. Bit anal, but are you'all happy just splashing water round all over it ?

[meese]

Woolly, do you ride in the rain? doesn't that get water splashed all over your bike? I wouldn't soak it down with a hose, but spraying the bike to get it wet enough to wash with a soapy rag is fine. Then hose the remaining soap off, and dry. No problems here, the once or twice a year I get 'round to washing mine. :)

[hoodoodrum]

Bit anal, but are you'all happy just splashing water round all over it ?

I complained about having to blow off the water with my "turbo dog jet blaster", the wife went and bought me a peacock feather duster for the in-between washings. I LOVE THE DANG THING!!!!

[Woolly]

Woolly, do you ride in the rain?

:o:o:o duhhhhhhhhhhh never actually thought of that (honest, I'm not dumb !!) - just the thought of squirting water over the bike does nowt for me. - OK, I'll stick to cleaning it after every couple of long trips with Plexus

[meese]

I just figured you rode it in the rain rather than take the SLK out. Or is that what the Vectra is for? :)

[Woolly]

Or is that what the Vectra is for? :)

...you've got it !! rain, plus 4 months of mud, salt & horse dropping on our local roads :mad:

[Steve_R]

I've had my '05 LT for just over a year. It took me 8 months to wash it the first time -- simply put, I was much more interested in riding it than washing it. I washed it the second time a couple of months after that, then a week later, and now I find myself giving it a quick going-over inside the garage if it looks dirty. It does get easier the more you do it.

My motivation?
1. I found it doesn't take me that long to wash it, after all.
2. Love the way it looks when I'm done.
3. (most importantly) I park near an '06 Gold Wing; that guy, a daily rider, keeps his bike spotless and I feel it's my duty to present a BMW in the best possible light. :)Last time any guy made a comment about how dirty my bike was, I asked him how many miles he put on his in the last year. Then I told him how many I put on. His closing comment "I guess you don't have time to give it a bath." Here's your sign.

I'll think about a cleaning sometime after the end of October.