Any tricks to keeping a motorcycle clean in towed?

While we all love our bikes (Harleys especially) if you tow a showbike, then do it in an enclosed trailer. For a daily rider, dirt is part of the picture no matter what.
Hosing the thing off at a campground takes but minits (2)?...and using a clean towel or two to wipe it down is the same as being home. I mean, you're not gonna DETAIL the thing at a campground, are ya?
Personally when on a bike run to, say, Laconia or Americade I WANT some dirt on the bike so when I get home I can look at it and say "I've been somewhere"!

JetAonly wrote:
Don't cover it. Use this stuff.

http://www.revzilla.com/product/s100-total-cycle-cleaner

What, may I ask, in the world does that product have anything to do with what we're discussing here? The bike is going to get dirty, period. It' inevitable. The only real, guaranteed way of transporting a bike and NOT GET IT DIRTY is with an enclosed trailer. I've done it that way too. But, that has benefits and, pitfalls. The bennies, stays ultra clean, and, is secure from "un-wanted" types that might be lurking in the night. And, it's great for inclement weather, if and when it happens to pop in on you.

The pitfall, unless you get an extra big totally enclosed trailer, one that's large enough to haul the bike AND A TOAD, you only get to have a bike/trike with you in your travels. And if you're the types like us, FAIR WEATHER RIDERS, you get to stay in the RV while the inclement weather passes.

JerseyJim,
Yep, they do get dirty. No doubt about that. I don't travel off road with my any of my setups. When we carried the bike on the Hydralift on the back of the coach, it got dirtier than it does now, carrying it in the back of the truck while we're towing the truck. But, with that large size fan on the CAT engine turning all the time, it stirs up a ton of dust etc. in many conditions which, can kick up extra dust and debris that gets deposited on the bike, in the back of the truck.

Yep, a hose will work but, as you and most other experienced RVers know, about 99.99999999% of the RV parks and campgrounds out there WILL NOT ALLOW you to wash your vehicles/motorcycles/boats etc. or (whatever you tow) in the camp grounds, period. I usually do it anyway when they're not looking. And, I'm not one of those that lets the water run when I'm suddsing up the bike.

I sprits it down jus enough to get it wet, nozzle off. Wash, nozzle on and rinse, just enough to get the soap off. DONE! About 99.99% of the time, there's not even enough water used to puddle. And if the bike is only lightly dusty, I just wipe it down. Although I don't really like doing it that way due to the fact that, it's quite possible that you're grinding dust into the paint.

Don't cover it. Use this stuff.

http://www.revzilla.com/product/s100-total-cycle-cleaner

Thanks all for the suggestions. I'll check into those covers that were suggested. http://www.gezagear.com/

Yeah, I can -and do- wash the bike, but MC have more nooks and crannies than cars or trucks. And you can't just run them through the automated wash like a car or truck. :)

Original Bike Polish, don't leave home without it.

X2. But why pay? Get a hose. I do wonder why your bike gets as dirty as you say. Unpaved roads? I towed a bike for years in an open trailer. Yeah, it got dirty, but nothing a brief wash with a hose couldn't take care of.

Here's my suggestion.....:W...Dennis

Take cleaner and wash motorcycle up after I arrive. I have to rid the windshield wipers of the toad of tiny pebbles after long runs too. I have a nice back end cover from the RV, but it still happens, so we deal with it.

wa8yxm wrote:
They sell motorcycle covers.. Like the tire covers (Same stuff) only it's a full "Tent" designed to cover your motorcycle and keep it clean..

Keeps the rain off too.

NOTE: only use on a clan bike,, If dirt gets under it they can do a sandpaper job if the fabric touches the body.

Yep, that's what I have, the "Ultra-Gard". As stated, it's not too bad to install and cinch down while the bike is in or on, an open, flat bed trailer but, on a bike the size of a Goldwing or, Harley Ultra Glide, it's one serious pain to install and cinch down. If one was going to load the bike on the west coast and not un-do it 'till they got to the east coast, it MIGHT be worth it.

It does not flap like light duty covers. It's thick and heavy.
Scott

They sell motorcycle covers.. Like the tire covers (Same stuff) only it's a full "Tent" designed to cover your motorcycle and keep it clean..

Keeps the rain off too.

NOTE: only use on a clan bike,, If dirt gets under it they can do a sandpaper job if the fabric touches the body.