A Harley is special. It’s not just any bike; it’s not even just a great bike, a Harley is family. An avid rider is most likely to describe a Harley Davison motorcycle as a companion, a best friend or even a soul mate.
So do you know how to wash a Harley smartly? Washing your Harley, making sure it’s clean, polished and shiny will only enhance your experience and enjoyment of your bike and will in many ways protect its longevity. But does a special motorcycle like a Harley require a special attention in its cleaning or can it be washed like any other bike or automobile through a commercial car wash? The answer is NO.
To put a Harley through the regular automobile wash; through torrents of forceful water jets and uncompromising and stubborn brushes scathing the surface of a shiny Harley, is most likely to put a Harley lover at risk of nervous breakdown. It is of such importance to a Harley owner to ensure the welfare of his bike by providing the best cleaning practice for it. A Harley needs attention, respect, appreciation and care; it needs pampering.
Now, Take A Look On The Preparation
Do not start cleaning your bike straight off a ride. Make sure the bike has not been ridden for a bit and the engine has cooled down. Splashing cold water on a hot or running engine could be damaging to the bike.
Also, make sure your bike is not parked right under the Sun; best is to clean your Harley in a shaded area. A bike dying in the Sun make water evaporate from the bike’s surface in differential amounts and can leave water spots on your bike.
ENSURE THAT YOU KEEP THE FOLLOWING ITEMS HANDY FOR USE BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE PROCESS OF GIVING YOUR HARLEY A WASH
A Microfiber Wash Mitt
Wheel & spoke brush
2 Water Buckets
Chamois
Tooth Brush
Rubber Gloves
Engine Degreaser
Long Arm Brush
Chain Lubricant
HOG Blaster Motorcycle dryer
Harley Davidson Bug Remover
Harley Davidson Wheel & Tyre Cleaner
Harley Davidson Sunwash bike Soap
Harley Davidson Glaze Polish & Sealant
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4 Easy Steps To Help You Wash Your Harley Quickly
Now that we have made ample preparation, let the ritual of cleaning and shining your favourite automotive begin. It is imperative that you clean your Harley with care and with precision, which if not done, you could inadvertently damage your Harley.
The complete process of cleaning and washing the Harley has 4 steps and must taken chronologically for most spectacular results.
STEP 1. WASHING YOUR HARLEY
Before the actual washing of your Harley begins, you would want to micro clean your bike for areas that are difficult to clean just through washing. A thorough cleaning of the areas is essential to the looks and life of the bike.
____ The Front ____
The front fender and the headlight tend to retain a lot of bugs that have flown in and squashed on your motorcycle. The bugs stick to the bike’s body even through washings, so it is important to clean them using a clean piece of cloth with a Bug Remover spray. Harley Davidson’s Bug Remover is said to do the job best, you may want to check it out here:
____ The Nooks ____
The Swing arm, exhaust pipes, cylinders and the under-seat suspensions are some of the areas you would need to crane both your neck and arm to reach. With the help of a piece of cloth you and some engine degreaser will help in ensuring that you clean the exhaust arm which often gets dirty due to the chain lube. One can access the hard to reach spots like the cylinders and the suspensions under the seat, by the help of a tooth brush with a drop of degreaser.
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____ The Wheels ____
Wheels tend to get grimy due to the lubricant off the chain along with countless other factors of the road. Cleaning a wheel is not all the easy and requires some arm contortion for best results. Start by spraying the Harley Tyre and Wheel Cleaner on all nooks and angles of the wheel and gently wipe of the excess liquid using a cotton rag. Use a plastic brush to reach into the cranny of the wheels and remove any stubborn piece of grime or dirt. Give some time to the Tyre and wheel cleaner to settle before it can be hosed off.
For a detailed run down of cleaning the wheels, you may take a look at this article.
STEP 2. WASHING THE BODY
To thoroughly wash your Harley, make sure to keep ready 2 buckets ready; one with water and the other with the Harley Sunwash bike soap and water. Make sure the wash cloth or sponge is clean and does not have any dust particles on it.
First step is to rinse the bike entirely with clean water from the bottom up. Soak your wash mitt in the Sunwash soap bucket and then wash the whole body of your Harley, starting from the top and working it all the way down.
Once your Harley is all wet and spongy with the soap, now start rinsing the soap off from the bottom to top. Ensure that the soap should be entirely rinsed off the nooks and crannies of your bike. You may use your wash mitt to ensure detailing of the engine fins and such other tight spots, only take care that the you don’t wet the engine, chain or other moving parts of the bike too much.
A thorough read of the washing of the Harley could be found here.
STEP 3. DRYING THE BIKE
A Chamois is best used to soak the moisture evenly without leaving any streaks or spots on the bike’s body. A HOG Blaster Motorcycle dryer is the best to dry the intricate parts of the bikes which are not easily accessible. Complete drying of the water from all parts is very important as otherwise it can cause corrosion. Go for a quick and fast ride to make sure that the whole of the motorcycle is completely aired and no water or moisture may be allowed to lodge anywhere on the bike.
STEP 4. POLISHING THE HOG
A Harley looks its best when it shines and for this you need to ensure that the bike is well polished and Sealed. Also, a well-polished Harley repels dirt and bugs, so you must ensure you go the extra mile and polish your motorcycle’s paint work. Using Harley Glaze polish & sealant with a micro fibre or a soft cloth, apply the polish in straight lines on the bike’s body. Leave the polish on for a few minutes and then clean off with a clean cloth.
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To know just how to polish your bike like a pro, watch this video:
Bask In The Glory
So there you are, you have successfully completed washing and cleaning your Harley in depth and detail. You will now be able to enjoy the glorious outcome of your toils; a tuned up and renewed beast with a marvellous sparkle of beauty and magnificence.
Harley Davison’s are tremendous machines and it demands nothing less than an owner who loves it and is pride to possess it. After all, if you own a lion, it must roar.
If you liked our article on how to wash a Harley, feel free to share it! If you have secret tips that get your Harley cleaned up faster than the ones we have here, we’d love to hear them in the comments. Thanks for reading, and keep it vertical.
