The disadvantages of a shiny Valkyrie

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Ansimp

Well-known member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Messages
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Location
Brisbane Australia
My Bike Models
1981 GL1100 “Rats Nest”
1998 GL1500c Val
1987 CBR1000f “The Pig”
1991 CBR1000f Red
As my wife kindly pointed out Val is too pretty for me with my " as long as it rides well, who cares" attitude. So already I have spent more time polishing Val than all my other bikes combined over the years. So now little insignificant things seem to matter way more than they should. These rusty cap screws that just filled an unused mounting hole behind the passenger's foot pegs were annoying me, so I purchased some 316 ss button head screws and even buffed them before installing them.
Now I am starting to look at all the old rusty hardware and brackets on the Rats Nest that need sprucing up!! :doh:
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=178109#p178109:1vr6ca72 said:
detdrbuzzard » Wed Aug 03, 2016 12:38 am[/url]":1vr6ca72]
you are starting to sound like those 'arley guys :)
:smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:
Shoot me if I start getting tassels.
 
When I owned newer bikes I was sort of a "Shineaholic".
The first step to healing is admitting you have the problem, LOL. :yes:
These old gurls, not so much.
 
I wash/clean my bike about once per year. I do keep it in the garage so that helps a lot. The shiny stuff gets wiped, but only polished every other year even though I thought I would do it more often. :oops:
 
Having a bike that starts and goes when I get on is more important to me than something all sparkling. In defence of keeping it clean, not necessarily sparkly, is finding items that need immediate attention.

An older bike doesn't seem to need to be all sparkly to get attention. I can shine up the 1800 (it's black and shines well) and park the '85 LTD beside it without spending time on it and the '85 gets more views and complements.

If you're cleaning you aren't riding. Just saying.

Cheers
 
+1 :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:
I agree riding is better than cleaning. Val still hasn't been washed since my Kyogle ride. Did give her a waterless spray/ shine up before my last coffee run just in case the PO thought I was neglecting her. :yes:
 
[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=178156#p178156:i9fbq4by said:
Ansimp » Tue Aug 02, 2016 5:35 pm[/url]":i9fbq4by]
+1 :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:
I agree riding is better than cleaning. Val still hasn't been washed since my Kyogle ride. Did give her a waterless spray/ shine up before my last coffee run just in case the PO thought I was neglecting her. :yes:
I had to wash the mighty ST 1300 and the ST 1100 last week. the mighty ST 13 was covered in bugs from a trip to Norton, va. and the ST 11 was dusty from sitting in my friends shop cause the dealer kept ordering the wrong parts
 

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[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=178120#p178120:138nbfkk said:
Terry » Yesterday, 11:59 am[/url]":138nbfkk]
When I owned newer bikes I was sort of a "Shineaholic".
The first step to healing is admitting you have the problem, LOL. :yes:

My saying = When I own bikes I was a shineaholic! See I admitted it and for all these years it hasn't stopped! :smilie_happy:

And the 'rather be riding it than cleaning'; that has meant if I can't ride at the moment., then I must be needing to clean it! It does lead to a lot of ooos & ahhhs

 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=178199#p178199:125dcqxy said:
julimike54 » Today, 7:28 am[/url]":125dcqxy]
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=178120#p178120:125dcqxy said:
Terry » Yesterday, 11:59 am[/url]":125dcqxy]
When I owned newer bikes I was sort of a "Shineaholic".
The first step to healing is admitting you have the problem, LOL. :yes:

My saying = When I own bikes I was a shineaholic! See I admitted it and for all these years it hasn't stopped! :smilie_happy:

And the 'rather be riding it than cleaning'; that has meant if I can't ride at the moment., then I must be needing to clean it! It does lead to a lot of ooos & ahhhs



It's not a bad addition at all, better than any Tclock or other casual once over.
I have found that a through cleaning enables you to really scrutinize small things you might otherwise ignore.
I have found hints of impending failures to come and corrected them, it is an unique form of preventative maintenance and indicates a well cared for machine, IMHO.
 
Well, Its gotta rain sometime. And I can't think of a better way of killing a rainy afternoon than cleaning up a bike or two. Mama aint gonna bother you cause she sure doesn't want any of that business I've found. She says she'll ride on em but she ain't gonna rub on em!
 
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