butterthegreat
Expert Class
Posts: 329
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posted August 31, 2007 05:52 PM
New bike + Rain = Teh Suk
Well.....I took the ZX-14 to work today to finally put on it's last miles before it's first service....today started out nice...even ended nice...until 10 miles from home.
I saw lightning in the distance...and I hate lightning (I had a close call once that was 15 feet from me, and that ruined it for me). So I just said to myself...damn, and I have no choice. But as I get closer I notice that the road ahead was getting to the point where I couldn't see past it....that's when the fun began.
BAM! All of a sudden I hit a wall of water....I mean like rain like they have in the movies. I was instantly soaked. I wasn't too worried about the bike. I just waxed it, and the wax was doing it's job....the clean rain was just falling off. Now I just had to manage to keep the bike on the road. There was so much water on the highway, that you could not see the lines.....and that is not exaggerated. It was so much water that my bike was steaming and the temperature of my bike dropped to 150 and kept wanting to stall.....I had to keep high RPM's to keep going.
As I was going 20 mph trying to make sure I stayed on the road....people kept honking at me and giving me a thumbs up....I don't know if that meant, "Thumbs up for being nutz", or "Thumbs up for being hardcore". Either way I gave them a thumbs up back and kept on my way.
I hit my exit and it stopped raining....but the rain had already done it's damage. I go down the road and notice a "little" stream across the road. I cross it carefully and then look around the cuve down the road and notice the entire road from side to side is flowing with mud water 3 inches deep. I took a deep breath and kept on rolling.
Was going ~5 mph as not to fall and as not to splash mud water all over me....I was doing good until this dumb ass though it was cool to drive his raised ford as fast as he could splashing cars and me in his wake....gay. Just messed up my "clean" bike.
Here's thew aftermath:
[img=640 z 480]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a61/butterthegreat/2007%20Kawasaki%20Ninja%20ZX-14/100_2425.jpg[/img]
[img=640 z 480]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a61/butterthegreat/2007%20Kawasaki%20Ninja%20ZX-14/100_2426.jpg[/img]
[img=640 z 480]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a61/butterthegreat/2007%20Kawasaki%20Ninja%20ZX-14/100_2427.jpg[/img]
[img=640 z 480]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a61/butterthegreat/2007%20Kawasaki%20Ninja%20ZX-14/100_2428.jpg[/img]
[img=640 z 480]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a61/butterthegreat/2007%20Kawasaki%20Ninja%20ZX-14/100_2429.jpg[/img]
[img=640 z 480]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a61/butterthegreat/2007%20Kawasaki%20Ninja%20ZX-14/100_2430.jpg[/img]
[img=640 z 480]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a61/butterthegreat/2007%20Kawasaki%20Ninja%20ZX-14/100_2431.jpg[/img]
[img=480 z 640]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a61/butterthegreat/2007%20Kawasaki%20Ninja%20ZX-14/100_2432.jpg[/img]
[img=640 z 480]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a61/butterthegreat/2007%20Kawasaki%20Ninja%20ZX-14/100_2433.jpg[/img]
[img=640 z 480]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a61/butterthegreat/2007%20Kawasaki%20Ninja%20ZX-14/100_2434.jpg[/img]
[img=640 z 480]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a61/butterthegreat/2007%20Kawasaki%20Ninja%20ZX-14/100_2435.jpg[/img]
[img=640 z 480]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a61/butterthegreat/2007%20Kawasaki%20Ninja%20ZX-14/100_2436.jpg[/img]
My question is.....how do I go about cleaning the engine and inner parts??? There's mud everywhere!!! Should I just hose it down, or undress the bike and wipe it down?
  
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FasterThanStink
Pro
Posts: 1218
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posted August 31, 2007 05:57 PM
Start by hosing as much as you can off. I would go to a DIY car wash but be smart about the high pressure. Plug your exhaust so it stays dry. At least you kept it upright! What's dirty can always be cleaned. Just take your time.
____________
Speed has never killed anyone,
suddenly becoming stationary...
That's what gets you.
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NinjaNick
Needs a job
'08 ZX14 (Blue)
Posts: 4558
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posted August 31, 2007 08:12 PM
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NinjaNick
Needs a job
'08 ZX14 (Blue)
Posts: 4558
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posted August 31, 2007 08:14 PM
Do you not need license plates where you live? 
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kc jr 54
Expert Class
Fat Guy
Posts: 173
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posted August 31, 2007 08:33 PM
x2 on the Pressure washer. I wouldnt hit your plastics with it though. For your plastics just a heavy steady stream from a garden hose should be fine. And i would just take the lower fairings off to get to the bottom of the bike, six fairing bolts, four that mount directly to the motor, and a snap pin in the front and they are off.
My Warrior looked worse after 120 miles of a ''red-dot'' on the weather map, and it won shows afterwards, so you should be alright.
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kc jr 54
Expert Class
Fat Guy
Posts: 173
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posted August 31, 2007 08:34 PM
Ohh and Simple Green is a pretty nice cleaner, but again a no-go for plastics/painted.
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flyboy
Pro
Posts: 1536
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posted August 31, 2007 08:43 PM
 Edited By: flyboy on 31 Aug 2007 21:50
As a young Lt. in the 82nd Airborne Division I used to run across the artillery range on my Honda 350 just for fun back in the seventies. One evening the temperature dropped to 40 degrees and I decided it was time to head back to my nice warm apartment went I came upon a small 15 ft creek in the middle of nowhere keeping me from my destination. It was getting close to dusk and the visibility wasn't very good but as a newbie Lt. I had to made a command decision and decided to move ahead as it was only a foot or two deep. After all I was an officer and knew I had to make important decisions like this in the future. Lives depended on it. I put the bike into first gear and slowly moved forward. As the front wheel entered the water... the whole bike dropped forward and proceed to fall into the bottom of this deep ten foot stream... or should I say river. I didn't know what hit me. I only had half a lung full of air when I decided it was time to swim to the surface or be left for dead. I swam to the top of this freezing water and slowly pulled myself to the surface. Dripping wet I raised myself to my feet and looked back into the stream to see my bike at the bottom of the water with.... the left turn signal blinking. I felt like an idiot and was miles from civilization, not to mention freezing my butt off. In search of a miracle I proceeded up a dirt road in hope of finding anyone. After all, this was a military reservation and bodies were scarce. After walking about two miles I came some enlisted men driving down the road in a duece and a half. (2.5 ton truck). I flagged them down and told them my plight.. They drove the truck over to the "creek" and I showed them my bike at the bottom of the river. It was now two hours later and the turn signal was still blinking. I slowly entered the water with a large three inch chain and attached it to my bike and the other end to the truck. As the truck slowly pulled forward my bike was dragged to the top and then pulled onto shore. The men were curious as to how I got my bike in the bottom of the river in the first place. When they saw the officer sticker on the back fender they started to laugh and said "figured". I didn't feel too "commanding" at the time and didn't think the men would follow me into combat if ever the time came. I said nothing and held my head in shame. Long story short-- the guys took my bike and me to my apartment where I shamelessly rewarded or should I say punished myself with a six pack or two. The next morning I hit my bike with a hose and after it dried a couple of hours.. wallla. It started right up. Never had a problem with it .
In answer to your question, shoot it with a hose and don't worry about it. And after looking at your pictures, which I didn't see before, your bike doesn't even look dirty. You buy a bike to ride it, not sit shinely in your garage.
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butterthegreat
Expert Class
Posts: 329
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posted August 31, 2007 09:02 PM
Edited By: butterthegreat on 31 Aug 2007 22:03
^^^^ But it's nice to have a bike that looks good too....
EDIT: and I only have had the bike for 2 weeks....so no plates yet.
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phytrax
Zone Head
Posts: 526
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posted September 01, 2007 04:51 AM
flyboy,
Had a similar experience on my dirt bike recently. Was riding through some little mud holes that were in my way on my KX450 at the Bonnet Carre spillway by New Orleans. One "small" puddle maybe 3 ft wide turned out to be 4 ft deep. Bike just disappeared from under me and I went sliding with my nose in the dirt. The handlebars were still showing and I was able to pull it out after 10 min or so. Not as bad a deal as you went through but a story I'll remember anyway.
I like riding my 14 in the rain as long as it's not cold. Gotta be careful whenever the pavement changes though. I check my traction by stomping the back brake a lot when it's wet. Got stuck in the rain for 6 hrs one time with the temperature 55F. That wasn't a bit fun after the first hour or so. Had gortex and waterproof socks on but that stuff only does so much. I'm sure I was hypothermic when I got home, no, 4 hrs before I got home. I stopped at Pizza Hut at one point. While I was in the bathroom I did 200 squat thrusts to warm up, which would normally have me dripping sweat. I was still freezing my ass off.
____________
Concourse14- Corbin Seat, Candy Apple Red Paint, Area P Slip-On
RIP+ZX-14- Brock's Gen3, Heli Risers, Corbin Bags, Corbin Seat and Oval Backrest (Burgandy Snakeskin and black alligator), Muzzys Frame Sliders, flies out, 18t front sprocket, PC3, Puig Double Bubble, Pirelli Diablo Strada's
KX450F - kickstand
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bigdtd
Needs a job
Interceptors
Posts: 4209
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posted September 01, 2007 05:18 AM
meguiars soap and water,wash mitt, maybe some soft brushes, if you are overly concerned take some plastic off and inspect and clean as necessary
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2006 Black ZX-14,6 inches over,16/42, flies out,BMC Street Filter,Brock's Street Meg,Brock's Radial Mount Strap,PClll with Race map,Dynojet LCD w/Techmount, ZX-14 fender eliminator,Pilot Power2CTs,Speedohealer,Pazzo Levers,Cox Radiator Guard, Garmin Nuvi 265WT
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brunobp
Parking Attendant
Posts: 18
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posted September 01, 2007 05:46 AM
Nothing worse than having to clean a bike after riding in hard rain. It never fails. Anytime I do a major detailsing of any of my bikes I hit rain. Good job of keeping the bike upright bro.
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bigdtd
Needs a job
Interceptors
Posts: 4209
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posted September 01, 2007 07:49 AM
after cleaning the bike do not forget the chain, wipe down with wd40 to clean it then spray with your favorite chain lube, i like the motul street lube
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2006 Black ZX-14,6 inches over,16/42, flies out,BMC Street Filter,Brock's Street Meg,Brock's Radial Mount Strap,PClll with Race map,Dynojet LCD w/Techmount, ZX-14 fender eliminator,Pilot Power2CTs,Speedohealer,Pazzo Levers,Cox Radiator Guard, Garmin Nuvi 265WT
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Bently
Needs a life
2012 14r In Blue and no Mods!
Posts: 5428
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posted September 01, 2007 07:55 AM
FYI you should never use a pressure washer to wash a bike It forces water into the wheelbearnings and other places you don't want water. Have seen more then one bike come in the dealer with issues after the owner pressure washed it.
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nabrxx
Needs a job
Posts: 2853
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posted September 04, 2007 07:45 AM
I dont trust a bike for long runs until I get stuck in a torrential downpour...now you know theres no ride-ending short-circuits in your electrical system....and please dont cry about your bike being dirty on this forum...it makes us look like harley guys ..LOL
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What we don't understand, we can
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Tool man
Needs a job
Posts: 4493
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posted September 04, 2007 10:20 AM
Quote..... While I was in the bathroom I did 200 squat thrusts to warm up, which would normally have me dripping sweat.
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TMI .... FYI 
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted September 04, 2007 12:58 PM
Lol those pics look like my bike after a "normal" rainstorm in Washington State. A good nozzle on a garden hose and some soap should be all it takes. And I've had numerous problems on other bikes with using a power sprayer, including the wheel bearing issues Bently mentioned. Remember this ages old axim: the easy way is usually the wrong way.
And you fair weather riders haven't ridden in "bad" weather until you've had to stop on the side of the road and take your helmet off in order to break the solid sheat of ice locking your visor shut. THEN riding another 25 miles home with visor up, glasses and face covered in icycles. I couldnt put the visor down cuz the ice was smeared from my multiple attempts to wipe it off with my gloves. My glasses acquired the same ice coating but I didnt wipe them so it was clear ice. I hate Washington....
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tater
Expert Class
Shakin off the Haters
Posts: 212
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posted September 05, 2007 11:00 AM
I have a driveway thats a gravel moutain and when it rains its like a river and my bike looks about the same. But that was shitty a guy had to do that . i would say some people are just retarded . Well the guy in the truck is genetic proof that imbreeding is harmful to the publics health.
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