[Davydo]

Went riding yesterday and it's was beautiful and conditions were awesome, but when I went to wash my z500 the mud was sticking like mortar. From research people use pledge or a silicone spray to coat the undercarriage, the body,  and plastics. Thoughts?

[Ponytail]

Spray waxes work good too. And it help keep the rust down.

[NMKawierider]

I use a 3100psi pressure washer and usually it has no problems.. but if I have a lot of mud buildup that has dried...I always pre-soak it a while first to get it soft again first. After wards I use SC-1 on the plastics but not on the undercarriage. 

[Davydo]

I use a 3100psi pressure washer and usually it has no problems.. but if I have a lot of mud buildup that has dried...I always pre-soak it a while first to get it soft again first. After wards I use SC-1 on the plastics but not on the undercarriage.

I have a 1600 electric pressure washer I bought just to spray my z500 as well as my other two atvs, it has a turbo nozzle that does and excellent job, but it also peeled my decals off one tIme when I got too close at an angle. Also my shifter knob rubber peeled off when I grazed to close to it once. I use the 40 degree nozzle mostly now.  I think I am gonna pretreat the under carriage and wheel wells with a silicone spray that actually dries and sheds water and doesn't attract dust and continue to use Honda spray cleaner and polish for the body and plastics. Thanks!

[NMKawierider]

There are products like this that soak in and break the bonds that hold the particles to themselves and surfaces making it come off easily. Not cheap...but I know some that do use them and they work very well. This is just one of many:

https://www.slickproductsusa.com/products/off-road-wash-64-oz

 

[Davydo]

Spray waxes work good too. And it help keep the rust down.

I've used Meguiars Ultimate quick wax a time or two on the body, that what you mean by a spray wax Ponytail?

[Davydo]

There are products like this that soak in and break the bonds that hold the particles to themselves and surfaces making it come off easily. Not cheap...but I know some that do use them and they work very well. This is just one of many:

https://www.slickproductsusa.com/products/off-road-wash-64-oz

That's some high dollar stuff there for a cheap guy like me NMK! So, if I pretreat with a silicone spray, pledge, or a spray wax as Ponytail recommends, from what I've read when go on my next ride there is now a barrier between the machine and the mud that wants to stick to it. Spraying it off will hopefully require less time and effort.

[Ponytail]

I’ve never used meguiars for that I’m sure it would work. I use Lucas spray wax and it works good.

[ctdls]

I've found with washers volume of water is more important than the pressure, less likely hood of water getting in connectors & removing decals. Mine is more commercial so it is plumbed in, combined with on demand hot water I can add warm water.

Good quality foaming gun I lay the foam 1" thick & let it soak in. Using the Hi volume nozzles you can really control the water fro cleaning the inside & areas where you don't want spray everywhere.

I'm gonna try & hunt down Slick Products in Canada, NMK's link looks interesting & when the concentrate is mixed down you get 16 gallons. Always game for trying new cleaning products!

[NMKawierider]

I haven't used any of the ATV washes but I can say that my friends that do use it, it seems to get most of that dirt film/stains off the frame and places it always seems to stay on after even a pressure washing. I might get some just to have for cleaning those tougher areas. There are others out there other then the Slick products that do the same..some cheaper. But you still need a foamer/sprayer to apply it. 

[gfmoto]

THE best product I have used so far is Amsoil Mudslinger. Spray it on and either leave it or wipe it in. Mud falls off as soon as you start washing , even with low pressure.