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Bugs !@#$@# What will get them off?!

F

Flylow

Member
Last Fall I took 2 short trips, back to back, without washing the bike. After returning from the last ride I parked the bike and started helping my daughter rebuild the retaining wall across the front of her yard. On Oct 31,'22 I got knocked off a trailer, landed in the street and fractured my right hip. That was a 5 day stay in the hospital, 3 screws added to support the bone, and many physical therapy sessions for recovery. I now have lots of bugs on my '21 RTL that are big, dry, and not coming off. What do you use to remove old bugs without scratching the very soft paint?? Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

Charlie
 
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Soak with a spray of 50% water and 50% peroxide.
I use this mixture to get bugs out of my F3T radiators.
 
Good advise, Haze. I take a thick towel that will cover the area. Get it soaked with warm water and just a hint of mild soap. Lay it over the area and let it soak for a while. Don't let it get anywhere near dry. Doing this out of the wind and sun will help. Take the towel off and wipe (don't rub or scrub) with a soft, damp cloth. Whatever does not come off easily, just repeat the process. I've never had to do this more than 2 cycles.

This works well on helmet face shields as well. Especially mirrored. Just keep the water lukewarm and use a very small amount of soap.
 
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Flylow said:
Last Fall I took 2 short trips, back to back, without washing the bike. After returning from the last ride I parked the bike and started helping my daughter rebuild the retaining wall across the front of her yard. On Oct 31,'22 I got knocked off a trailer, landed in the street and fractured my right hip. That was a 5 day stay in the hospital, 3 screws added to support the bone, and many physical therapy sessions for recovery. I now have lots of bugs on my '21 RTL that are big, dry, and not coming off. What do you use to remove old bugs without scratching the very soft paint?? Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

Charlie
Click to expand...

I 2nd the very soft paint. I was amazed how fast bug guts etched the paint on my '22. I eventually had to use a mini DA polisher to remove the etching. A full size would have worked but the mini works well around the Spyders contours. Hopefully using one of the methods above will remove the bugs but don't be surprised if the paint has been etched. No matter what the results are, be sure to get a good ceramic or graphene coating on it after you get it smooth. The etching won't happen again.
 
Charlie, I've got "Bug Stains" on my 2020RTL, hope someone can give you an answer. I try to keep it clean, but if the
nasty guts get left on the painted surface in the heat of the sun for more than a day I haven't found anything to get
rid of that stain. The paint on my 20+ is some soft crap compared to my 2012 RT paint! Good Luck...Bill..:thumbup:
 
FWIW...., my neighbor, an auto painter & bodyshop manager, told me that most waterbased paint & clearcoats on these new vehicles are "soft". Bug "splats", if left on too long, will etch these
coatings; he recommended a high quality ceramic wax.
 
I use the Harley Davidson (I came from the Harley/Triumph world) bug remover. The product is activated by water to prevent scratching or etching. I have been using it for years on my HD CVOs and other bikes/cars with no issues. Just follow the directions and the bugs literally slide off surfaces.

93600022_TT-2569387479.jpg
 
I use a 3M Doodlebug White Cleaning Pad 8440 for my vehicles. Along with a decent wash n wax.
I like the towel idea. Majic.
 
A few years ago, I posed the same question on the North American Biker Rescue Facebook page. The overwhelming response was full strength peroxide and a micro-fiber cloth. I was skeptical so ran that solution by the senior scientist I was working for at the time in an analytical chemistry lab. He thought it over for a few second and then replied with, "it's highly likely that the peroxide reacts with the enzymes that make up bug remains and melts them." That was good enough for me and I have been using it ever since on both the paint and windshields on our Spyder and all of the BMWs in the stable.
 
cruisinTX said:
A few years ago, I posed the same question on the North American Biker Rescue Facebook page. The overwhelming response was full strength peroxide and a micro-fiber cloth. I was skeptical so ran that solution by the senior scientist I was working for at the time in an analytical chemistry lab. He thought it over for a few second and then replied with, "it's highly likely that the peroxide reacts with the enzymes that make up bug remains and melts them." That was good enough for me and I have been using it ever since on both the paint and windshields on our Spyder and all of the BMWs in the stable.
Click to expand...

When I look on Amazon, I do not find Peroxide, but what I do find is Hydrogen Peroxide. Is that what you’re referring to?
 
bigbadbrucie said:
When I look on Amazon, I do not find Peroxide, but what I do find is Hydrogen Peroxide. Is that what you’re referring to?
Click to expand...

That's the one. What you get at the store is normally 3% and is all you want to work with. Amazing what it can do. Once you get up to about 20% it starts getting hard to handle. 40+ is a nightmare.
 
Once a year I apply a good coat of RejeX to my bike. It keeps bugs and other stuff from sticking to surfaces. It's a Palamar coating that goes on like wax, but it's not a wax. It's slipperier and shinier than wax. In between coatings I use just water and microfiber cloths that remove everything I encounter on the road.....
 
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Thanks to all for your suggestions on bug removal and prevention. The temperatures are to be in the 60's and 70's next week so I'll start the cleaning process then. A good soak, then wash, followed with suggestions from above. They may not all come off, without some etching left behind, but the bike will be clean and ready to ride. Thanks again,

Charlie
 
canamjhb said:
Once a year I apply a good coat of RejeX to my bike. It keeps bugs and other stuff from sticking to surfaces. It's a Palamar coating that goes on like wax, but it's not a wax. It's slipperier and shinier than wax. In between coatings I use just water and microfiber cloths that remove everything I encounter on the road.....
Click to expand...

I use Rejex also, makes bug removal a breeze. I use it on all my vehicles, including the class-A motorhome. That thing is a fantastic bug killer, but the bugs wipe right off. Just wish that Rejex would protect the huge windshield from rocks!
 
BajaRon said:
Good advise, Haze. I take a thick towel that will cover the area. Get it soaked with warm water and just a hint of mild soap. Lay it over the area and let it soak for a while. Don't let it get anywhere near dry. Doing this out of the wind and sun will help. Take the towel off and wipe (don't rub or scrub) with a soft, damp cloth. Whatever does not come off easily, just repeat the process. I've never had to do this more than 2 cycles.

This works well on helmet face shields as well. Especially mirrored. Just keep the water lukewarm and use a very small amount of soap.
Click to expand...

Yes, I totally agree with BajaRon. I've also used this technique for years. It may take a little more time, but well worth the effort so you don't scratch the surface.
One small improvement, if I may.
After you have all the surfaces clean, I recommend using Honda Spray Polish, or a similar product, to put a nice glassy sheen on the bike, and add a non-stick layer to protect the bike from further bugs or dirt sticking.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong.
 
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