Water or Waterless

[route66detail]

Hello,

First... I realize this is the "How to make money detailing CARS" thread... but my question is about making money detailing motorcycles so, I hope you don't mind my bike question here.

My question- Waterlesss or water for detailing bikes. What is the professional detailer perspective.

AND

What are most customer's expectations when detailing their bikes these days? I understand we are the professionals but I would imagine some may cringe at the thought of water being sprayed (even if low pressure) on their bikes.

Thanks,

Rob

[AnthonyGXP]

It really just depends on the situation at hand and how dirty the bike is. However, I do find myself using waterless and rinseless washes more and more these days due to them being a HUGE time saver!

As for expectations, just do the best you can and treat the customer vehicle as if it's your own.

[Real Riders]

Try using the 3 towel Rinseless method I learned from Garry Dean. Get a bucket with Rinseless solution. Add three towels to the bucket - one green and two black. Pre soak the bike with Rinseless solution. Wash all the paint with the green towel , flipping the towel when dirty. Then dry the paint with a waffle weave. Take one black towel and wash the forks, engine, handle bars, exhaust, frame and dry. Take the 2nd black towel and clean the wheels with waterless wash and you are done

[route66detail]

Thanks guys. I REALLY appreciate your help. I'm going for the rinsless approach for sure.

Rob

[VP Mark]

I've always done bikes with standard 1 bucket rinseless method, always had great results.

[route66detail]

VP,

Thanks so much. We've got 2 bikes to do tomorrow and we'll be using mostly S100 products. If you could elaborate ever so briefly as to what is entailed by the 1 bucket method I would be indebted to you.

Rob

[FinishingTouchA]

VP,

Thanks so much. We've got 2 bikes to do tomorrow and we'll be using mostly S100 products. If you could elaborate ever so briefly as to what is entailed by the 1 bucket method I would be indebted to you.

Rob

I may be wrong, but I think he's talking about using pre-soaked towels. You fill a bucket with ONR at Wash dilution and throw as many towels as you need in the bucket to soak. Also use a spray bottle with ONR at wash dilution and presoak each "panel." Then you use each towel once. If you fold 4 ways in theory you have 8 sides per towel. Once those are used up you throw the towel in the dirty bucket and grab another. IMHO safest way possible to wash anything. Only way you can make it safer is to pre-rinse. Which IS safe on MOST motorcycles.

[Charisma]

On bikes, rinseless for sure. Super easy and super fast.

[VP Mark]

VP,

Thanks so much. We've got 2 bikes to do tomorrow and we'll be using mostly S100 products. If you could elaborate ever so briefly as to what is entailed by the 1 bucket method I would be indebted to you.

Rob

5 gallon bucket, 3 gallons of water, grit guard, sponge wash media like an incredimitt. Do a section, towel, grit guard, and go again. There are lots of frills being used to rinseless wash now days when it is really a very simple process.

[route66detail]

Beautiful! Thanks!!!!!!!

[route66detail]

Thanks for all your help guys!. Sorry so short on my last post. I just got back from Alaske with my dad and had the 2 Harley detail jobs on the next day. Was hecktic. So I did the bikes. I got to the first one and I pretty much froze when it came to doing it waterless. I ended up rinsing it, cleaning it all and using a Harley "Hog dryer" to go over it ALL to prevent water spots. It came out AMAZING. My question about waterless that freaked me out a little on site was....how to remove larger amounts of dirt / gunk without using water. Im sure its simple when you know how but I got to some dirty areas and felt overwhelmed without the use of water. I feel how NOT rinsing and drying etc.. will make things faster but I need to master that.

Rob