Should I wash my Triumph?

[The Seeker]

Should I actually WASH my '96 Trophy 1200 or not? Please vote!

I think the last time it was washed was around 2000 h:

I do everything it says in the owner's manual, but it doesn't mention washing. I figure by now washing it won't be a violation of the warranty. :ya2:

I DO ride in the rain a lot though and that washes most the dead bug carcasses off my fairing. :y115:

Here's my Trophy once when it was clean (minus the panniers).....

 

[DaveM]

I don't know I have heard that those old Triumph tend to fall apart if washed. Something to do with the glue holding them together gets dissolved by the chemicals in the soap

 

[CarlS]

Naw, washing is a waste of time; they just get dirty again. Also being the ardent greenie you are, you don't want to waste water by washing it and contribute to polluted run off. :y114:

 

[The Seeker]

[quote author=CarlS link=topic=5450.msg30532#msg30532 date=1241525807]
Also being the ardent greenie you are, you don't want to waste water by washing it and contribute to polluted run off. :y114:
[/quote]


This was definitely part of my reasoning....although I'm torn because washing off the 5 lbs of dirt and dead bugs would probably increase my fuel mileage and aerodynamics!

 

[CarlS]

Being a greenie is tough. Sometimes it is damned if you do and damned if you don't. :ya2:

 

[The Seeker]

Maybe Al Gore would sell me some carbon credits if I were to wash it?

Better yet, I'll wash it and then ride out into the a State Park and cry over dead trees......that could be my penance for wasting water.

 

[DaveM]

Now here is an idea chain yourself to a tree in the nude that should do it :y114:

 

[CarlS]

I think the carbon credits is a great approach!

 

[Dilligaf]

Who is the naked woman in the upstairs window?

 

[dazco]

Fuggedaboudit ! Leave that thing be....the dirtier everyone else's bike looks, the cleaner mine looks. Never clean your triumph, please :y115:

 

[The Seeker]

I guess since the board has voted in favor of me washing my Trophy, I'm going to have to do it now. I was hoping it would go the other way because...well, I'm lazy!

Anyhow, I went to a bike night on Wednesday and since I haven't been caught in the rain yet this Spring, the bike had a nice layer of winter dust on it. Even I was a bit embarrassed. To add insult to injury, someone left a post-it note on my bike that said WASH ME!

Heck....I did clean the dead bugs off of my visor before going, I don't know what more they expect of me!

 

[CarlS]

AJ, I have been riding in the rain and on wet roads since last Sunday. I had a PGR mission near Ocala today for which I was the Ride Captain. I didn't bother to wash the bike since there was an 80% probability of rain. I had, by far, the dirtiest bike there. My chrome looks gray and the black component are the same color of gray. I did rain on the way home; but I missed the torrential downpour. Just has to ride on the very wet roads. Everyone else must have spent hours washing and polishing yesterday - while I was out riding - in the rain.

 

[The Seeker]

Riding them certainly beats washing them....like hands down!

Luckily for me...I have hardly any chrome on the bike! Just a few tiny trim pieces, my gage bezels, and around my headlamps.

 

[Simmer]

The last time I washed mine, I fell down. Don't do it AJ

Dave :ya2:

 

[CarlS]

LOL! Now that's a thought! :y114:

 

[The Seeker]

OK...that settles it. Washing my bike could be hazardous to my health. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Thanks for the bail-out Simmer!

 

[Simmer]

:y24: :y24: :y24: :y24: :y24:

Dave