Getting Bug Blood and Guts off your Motorcycle

    • 1 posts
    June 1, 2009 7:44 AM PDT
    Just got done washing and waxing my bike and I seem to never ever get all the bug blood and guts off. No matter how long or hard I scrub I seem to leave or miss some bug crap. I see products on the market supposedly to remove bug guts, but I am skeptic about the results, if anyone could recommend some products I would appreciate it.
    • 5417 posts
    June 1, 2009 7:59 AM PDT
    Steven,

    I have found good ol' rubbing alcohol to work really well, and it doesn't hurt the paint of finish.
  • June 1, 2009 8:00 AM PDT
    steven,i use Harley Davidsons bug remover it works fairly well but as with all things we do miss a spot or two this product runs around $4.95 a bottle plus tax or you can do it the old way i used to take a towel and soak it and then lay it on the winshield for 5-10 min.then wash this also seems to work well.
  • June 1, 2009 11:30 AM PDT
    Ok, I read Lucky's reply and had to go out and try it. I did a lot of riding this weekend, so the bike was COVERED with bugs.

    The rubbing alcohol kicked ass. I used a soft cloth poured some rubbing alcohol on it, cleaned the windshield, headlight, front fender, and all front facing chrome. Had to go back over a second time with a clean cloth and more alcohol to remove some streaks from the juicer bugs, but it work like a charm.

    Thanks Lucky
    • Moderator
    • 19004 posts
    June 1, 2009 11:32 AM PDT
    Steven, I agree with rockerbox. I have found that a good soak with water, whether using a towel or repeated light mist sprays, is the key.

    Based on what Lucky and hwylvr said I will have to try that method also.
    • 1 posts
    June 1, 2009 12:49 PM PDT
    Over the holiday weekend we did over 500 miles and our bikes got a good bug fest. I am gonna try lucky's alcohol rub and have a few myself. Thanks the advice.
    • 844 posts
    June 2, 2009 9:12 AM PDT
    I usually use the S100 Total Motorcycle Cleaner. I find if you spray it on the bugs and let it sit for 2 minutes or so to soften them up, they come right off. Gonna have to try the rubbing alcohol for the bug problem. Hell alcohol can normally fix any problem!
  • June 3, 2009 7:19 AM PDT
    I have tried the S100 product and have just never liked it all that much.  Seams to be to hard to rub to a shine...kind of streaky.  What I really like for a quick clean and shine - and it does pretty well getting bugs off if you leave it for a minute or two - is the Meguiar's Quick Detail.  You can pick it up at any auto parts store.


  • September 19, 2009 12:44 AM PDT
    Ok , so maybe someone's already tried this...how about preemptive maintenance? I wash my bike and every so often I spray it with Pledge Furniture spray (on to a rag) then I rub it in , and polish it when it's dry. It gives my bike a nice deep sheen, and the bugs and chit just wipe right off...
    (old truckers trick, my brother drives a big rig)....
  • September 19, 2009 11:22 PM PDT
    Gonna have to try the alcohol and pledge method. I was using just soap and water and a product called Purple Slice. It works well between washes but after 500 miles even that won't do the job. I just picked up some S100 yesterday. Never used it before so we will see. I did read that is not the best and it streaks, so now I am not so sure. Might take it back. Guess i should have read before I bought. lol.
    • 1 posts
    September 20, 2009 11:42 AM PDT
    Seems like when I get 90 percent of the bike dried that I found spots of bug crap that I have missed. Looking for a method to spot clean after the major cleaning has been done.
    • 28 posts
    December 12, 2009 10:43 AM PST
    I use this stuff called "Paint Gloss" by P & S. This stuff is great for not only taking off bug guts, even when it sat for a while, but it polishes up the bike nicely. Feel satiny smooth. Works great on chrome too. Here is the link to the site: http://www.pssales.com/ /> Found under Waxes and Sealants. We carry a bottle with us on every ride.
  • g
    December 14, 2009 5:54 AM PST
    this stuff s gid....
    • 1 posts
    December 14, 2009 8:38 AM PST
    Thanks, right now our bikes are in the garage all crapped out with bug guts and it is too dam cold to deal with. Yeah, this spring I am gonna have a job. So, I will try all of the suggestions and get back with ya'll let ya know what worked the best.
    • 601 posts
    December 21, 2009 6:32 AM PST
    I leave them there in the hope that others get the message....and pray that thousands don't turn up for the funerals.
  • December 21, 2009 6:47 AM PST
    Steven wrote...
    Thanks, right now our bikes are in the garage all crapped out with bug guts and it is too dam cold to deal with. Yeah, this spring I am gonna have a job. So, I will try all of the suggestions and get back with ya'll let ya know what worked the best.

    Steven you always have the job of cleaning our bikes...because I hate that job and I would ride a rat bike.  Thank you for cleaning our bikes and servicing them you are the best....When you are doing it this spring I will bring you a cool drink and supervise....hehehe
    • 834 posts
    July 22, 2013 4:34 AM PDT
    Just found this old post cause I was searching after running over to Albuquerque this weekend and my bike was covered in bugs. Used rubbing alcohol and they came right off just like advertised.
  • July 22, 2013 6:16 AM PDT
     I find that Windex w/ammonia does a great job!!!
    • 2685 posts
    July 22, 2013 8:58 AM PDT
    I've not tried it yet, maybe this weekend, but they say that WD40 works great.
    • 2 posts
    July 22, 2013 1:15 PM PDT
    For heavens's sake it is not difficult. - Hot water, as hot as will come out of the faucet & a little dish detergent in a garden sprayer with a little elbow grease on a sponge . . . .
    Your rides, do what you want but the only place I would ever apply alcohol is to the chrome. - Alcohol could have a very adverse affect on some paints and some plastics.
    • 834 posts
    July 22, 2013 2:04 PM PDT
    Apparently you have never had bugs baked on in a few days of Arizona sun. I have tried hot water and soap in the past and just wound up with a clean bike with dried bugs instead of a dirty bike with bugs :-) Even soaking them for a while still doesn't do much. The alcohol just dissolved them little buggers :-)

    I guess if yo used it often enough and rubbed hard enough the alcohol may damage the paint, but I would think lacquer paint would not really be affected by alcohol since I spill gasoline on the tank all the time.
    • 5417 posts
    July 22, 2013 5:42 PM PDT
    Had some of them baked on bugs, and you're right, they ain't coming off with water... at least not with the amount of effort I am going to put into it :-)

    I have personally never had any issues with isopropyl alcohol on my paint or even my windshield, but I guess it is possible. Heck I even use it to clean the plastic screen on my LCD monitor (as recommended by the mfg)
    • Moderator
    • 1364 posts
    July 22, 2013 11:53 PM PDT
    Keeping a good coat of wax on the paint a chrome works wonders, also cleaning the wind screen with pledge furniture cleaner does a great job for easy removal of bugs and grime
  • July 24, 2013 4:10 AM PDT
    I use a rag called Boner's bug buster and chrome cleaner. You just get them wet, wring them out so they are damp, and use. They are awesome. Some of the bugs you have to rub a little harder or longer, but most of them wipe right off. You can wash them and reuse them many times. It is the best thing I have found and leaves no streaks. Also great for car and house windows.
    • 567 posts
    July 24, 2013 12:04 PM PDT
    Here in Florida, we have a nasty little critter called the Lovebug. If you don't get them off your paint in proper order, the acid from their bodies will eat holes in your paint. Plus, they are a real pain to get off once they are dried on. A "home remedy" that we use here is Bounce dryer sheets. There's some kind of reaction between the chemical in the Bounce and the enzyme of the bug guts. They soften up pretty well. You just wet a dryer sheet and use it to scrub off the bugs. Or, you can also mix up some of the liquid Bounce & water and spray it on before giving the bugs a scrub. One word of caution though .. don't let the Bounce dry on the bike. It can be a little bit of work to wash it all off.