Power washing the bike at the track...

[Yoken]

Dear MX lovers,

Probably like some of you guys, I am not allowed to wash my bike in my front or back yard. I understand that and don't want to trouble my neighbours anyway so I am thinking to wash it at the track (when allowed) or in a field somewhere on my way home...

How are you set up for that? Generator + electrical power washer or gas powered washer?

How many gallons of water do you generally carry in the truck?

Assuming that water is stored in the bed of the truck and that the washing unit is on the ground, we only have a very little water inlet pressure, around 0.10 to 0.15 bar only (against 3 to 5 bar on the water line at home). Can a power washer work with so little inlet pressure?

Thanks for your help,
Yoken

 

[Bodge]

Why cant ya clean it in your back yard? As long as you dont rip up the yard and make alot of noise what could your neighbors say?

 

[darringer]

I used to take my bike to the neighborhood self car wash. The owners never cared as long as I washed all of the mud down the drain. And there is plenty of power to thoroughly clean your bike.

 

[PowerJoe]

We bring a gas pressure washer to the track on race day so we can wash bikes inbetween motos if it is muddy.

If you keep the water above the pressure washer, like in the bed of your truck or on the trailer and put the pressure washer on the ground, it will work just fine. Sometimes it may be hard to prime the pressure washer, but this is usually a sign of a cheap unit or one that is wore out.

About 30 gallons will wash 2 bikes a couple of times. If it is real muddy you may only get 1 wash for each bike with 30 gallons. Depends on how clean you want your bike.

I have been thinking about buying a small electric unit and running it off of a powerinverter from my truck, but I havent checked into if this will work or not. Has anyone tried this. It would be easier to bring an electric than a gas.

 

[nikki]

We have a 35 gallon jug that stays in the bed of the truck and we use a gas pressure washer. The gas ones tend to suck the water more than the less expensive electirc ones. We used to use an electric with a generator, but the water pressure and the consistency of water flow was much worse than the gas pressure washer.

 

[oldguy]

I also carry a gas power washer and 30 gallons of water. The power washer I have will not self prime so I have to do it before I leave home but once done and kept hooked up to the barrel it is good to go. For water I went to a local carwash and for the fair price of free I got a couple 30 gallon plastic barrels they get their soap in. I bought a hose bib at the hardware store and then drilled a hole just under the threaded fitting size. Screw the threaded pipe in (I also added a bit of JB weld to the threads) and you have your resorvoir.
Don't buy the most expensive high pressure power washer they sell because you don't need it. We bought a 1500PSI 2 gal per minute and it works perfect. It also helps to get some of the teflon scrapers made for cleaning cookware to scrape off the heavy mud without damaging plastics before washing. and a high quality cleaner like (unabashed plug here) PRO-CLEAN to really get the job done right

 

[Yoken]

Thanks all of you for your quick replies.

Bodge, I live in a subdivision (...I don't like it but have no choice for the moment...), you know the type of place where all the houses are on top of each other... the back yard is a playground for all the kids!

Darringer, that's not a bad idea. I'll talk to the local car-wash and see if mud is acceptable for them (they probably recycle the water and too much mud could be a problem for their filters). I could do that as an alternative.

Powerjoe, Nikki, what model of gas pressure washer are you using (Pratt&Whitney or Honda engine)?
And what type of tank do you have to carry 35 gallons of water?

Thanks again for your help,
Yoken

 

[Yoken]

Oldguy... Thanks for the tips. Sure 1.500 PSI is sufficient. That's about 107 bar pressure! In Europe, I used the wash my bikes with 80 bar MAX (about 1.100 PSI!)... and I still managed to destroy a couple of stickers!

Have a great evening,
Yoken

 

[GREENBEAN]

I used to carry one of those 3 gallon pesticide etc.. sprayers that you pump up yourself with the handle. It has a hose and adjustable nozzle that along with a spray bottle full of diluted simple green and a couple of different size brushes I used to wash my bike and have some water left over to watch my buddy wash half of his bike HEHE. I never use a pressure washer for fear of contaminating the bearings. I think they even make 5 gallon ones.