Cleaning your 3 wheeler questions..

[dcreel]

I've always been a hose it off and done kind of a guy. But I don't like the dirty dingy way my trikes look when they are put up in the garage.

Besides soap, and a bucket of water what do you guys use to get your trikes looking good. Especially the engine area.. I've always used Gunk Engine Bright before hosing the engine off. Is there something you can spray on the engine and undercarriage and hose off besides Engine Bright? Break out some small brushes and things to clean the cracks and crevices..

I know about plugging certain holes to keep the water out and not spraying directly at electrical wiring.

Just wondering what your secrets are to keeping them looking nice on a regular basis between rides.. I know Armor All on the seat is a bad idea as well..

[BiGDawG]

lol i learned that armor all or any leather cleaner is not fun on the trike seat.. lol i did it twice before i learned my lesson from almost slipping off when popping a wheelie, as for cleaning i been wondering the same thing i can get my plastics looking good with the turtle wax car wash i use on my truck but can never get the motor looking good..

[tri again]

regular hair shampoo in warm water works great on cars
and trike plastic. Haven't tried cream rinse yet tho.

ez off oven cleaner is like a buck at the dollar store
and seems like it would be one step closer to
non toxic but I doubt it. Probably eats plastic and wires too.

I'll have to read those directions.

[adam38654]

Maybe an aluminum brightener for rims. I think they are slightly acidic.

[tri again]

Maybe an aluminum brightener for rims. I think they are slightly acidic.

yeah, didn't mythbusters clean something with coca cola?

[just ben]

I use purple power its cheap like 5 bucks a gallon at dollar general and works well

[ForeverThreeWhe]

I pull into a DIY car wash (Car Lovers) http://www.carlovers.com.au/ on the way home from the dunes and i hit the trike with a hose, then a hose with soapy water, then a rinse that off and drive home.
When you het home, spray everything except grips and seat with WD40 or a similar water disperant.
WD is the trick. It will make your whole bike shine and gets rid of that dull look especially if you ride in mud.

[Jason125m]

I clean my bikes after every ride that they become dirty, i hose them down as a starter, I then do a soap and warm water treatment. Then I will break out the brushes, and clothes. I roll up cloths into a tube shape to clean the head. I use tooth brushes, and other brushes for other hard to reach areas that a cloth will not do. I use " rust check " on every metal component. Its expensive, but it keeps it rust free, and makes her shine. I use armor-all " ultra shine " on everything else. Except the seat. Unless i need to make it look really good. I use tire foam, or armorall on the tires also.

[brd812]

Simple Green, won't tanish the polished stuff as bad. Neverdull on all polished stuff once a year, WD-40 by the gallon on metal and wiring except. brakes and chain, can make hell of a mess, esp on white plastic. armor all on everything else, but the seat and grips and even do them when it going to sit for a while. 1 shot of sea foam on full tank of gas.

[Dammit!]

Wisk laundry detergent. I forget who it was that figured this out but there's enzymes or something in it that break up dirt. Mix it up with water in a spray bottle, coat the entire trike, then hose it off. Works awesome. Even gets the dinge off white fenders, usually without even wiping it. Maybe one pass with a rag at most.

After that I spray everything metal with wd40. Plastic gets armor all once in a while, as do the tires just to prevent dry rot.

[zzmegad]

good to know about the wisk, ill have to try that... Ive always hit it with water, then soapy water, then some wd and clean rags to polish some things up. Most times my stuff is always dirty and dingy looking too. Thing is when I put all that work into cleaning her up, I feel bad thrashing her the next day. I need a garage queen and a rider..lol

[dcreel]

I'm definitely going to try out the the Wisk and the WD40.. Thanks for the replies fellas..

For the guys using silencer plugs and clamp on filters on the carb, what do you do to keep the filter from getting wet or water out of the carb inlet? Are there any silencer plugs that are better than the others? Or are they not generally needed?

[aldochina]

just wrap a plastic grocery bag over the filter, and tie it tight, or a couple wraps of electrical tape. if its not to much of a hag, take it right off, and stuff the bag in the carb opening itself. wrags tend to wick the water in, but better then nothing. i use wisk in my wash bucket, and wash as usual. stuff works good!

[Tri-Z 250]

I always hose and use Dawn or Joy dish soap....and treat with WD-40 as I heat the motor to dry.

As a NOTE: DO NOT SPRAY THE ROTORS or DISC's brake area. The WD will come off when ridden, but it takes time. If it gets on the pads it will glaze them causing them to work less effective, and cause heat buildup.

Purple POWER degreaser WILL eat your magnesum covers, and your casted heads if left on too long(like oven off it strips the paint first)....I do recomend it for resto work for the degreasing and taredown of the machine. I recomend wearing gloves when using the product as well...unless you like split cudicals and hangnails.

[Mosh]

I use a hose to get the heavy stuff off, then super clean except on anodized and polished parts and rinse.
The wife gets nuts and uses a sponge and baby bottle brush for the nooks and cranys..
I hose the engine, electrical, and airbox down with wd-40, and chain.
Then Maxima SC1..for the body, and cables, and switches, and tire cleaner for the tires. the SC1 will actually take oxidizing of the tank down too and hide the white film.
WD 40 will stain your fenders.
I had a new Banshee with white plastic. 2 years of WD on the fenders made them turn yellowish brown.
I get the 1 gallon can of WD with a spray bottle. Lasts about 1 year for everything I use it for.
I use the 1 gallon super clean jugs with a sprayer. you can clean bikes about 10-12 times, depnding how muddy you get them, with 1 gallon.