There is hardly a motorcyclist who would be pleased to ride a dirty machine, so you need to wash it more often. In urban conditions, this is especially true, because even after a light rain, all road dust and dirt sticks to all parts of the motorcycle. Dirt that has clogged into the cells of the radiator of the cooling system worsens heat transfer, which is fraught with engine overheating; dust getting into the bearings of the running gear causes increased wear of parts, «eats» rubber seals. It’s especially unpleasant when dirt accumulates in the most undesirable place - on the stays of the telescopic fork. If it is not removed in time, dirt will get inside, which can lead to oil sweating through damaged oil seals and incorrect operation of the front fork - it will stop performing its functions.
In order to remove dirt from the most inaccessible places, it is recommended to wash them with a stream of water under pressure, having previously treated all contaminated areas with a special motorcycle shampoo and allowing the dirt to «get wet». It is worth noting that the use of car shampoos can negatively affect aluminum parts. Excessively strong active elements of car shampoos are safe for paintwork, but often leave behind an indelible whitish oxide deposit on aluminum parts and spoil the unpainted surfaces of plastic parts. Therefore, it is recommended to have a special motorcycle shampoo in your household.
It is important not to overdo it with pressure washing: the water jet is extremely fast and can therefore penetrate into all poorly sealed areas. If possible, you should protect wheel and steering column bearings, electrical wires and connectors, the instrument panel, control panels and air filter from it (if water gets into the engine intake tract, the first start after washing will be complicated). Particular care must be taken when washing the radiator of the cooling system: the radiator cells, made of thin sheet aluminum, are easily crushed under the pressure of water, and the efficiency of the radiator with jammed cell plates is sharply reduced. It is almost impossible to straighten them, and replacing the radiator will cost a pretty penny. After such a wash, you need to wipe the parts with a dry cloth, and remove any remaining water using a jet of compressed air or simply let the motorcycle dry. Particular attention should be paid to drying the spark plug caps, starter contacts and other electrical connectors and connections.
After all the washing and drying procedures, it will be useful to treat the motorcycle with a polish. When treated with a polish, the paintwork becomes resistant to atmospheric influences, will be less prone to fading, and dirt will stick to it less; in addition, polishing can mask minor defects in the coating and make it more attractive. Chrome parts are recommended to be treated with a special polish. It is recommended to apply polish every two to three washes.