Professional motorcycle cleaning in Bangkok (Sukhumvit)?

[OneMoreFarang]

Normally I clean my bikes myself or my gf does it. But without a pressure cleaner it is difficult to clean some spots.

 

I like to get my bike cleaned preferable somewhere around the Sukhumvit Asoke area.

 

The challenge is to find a shop or at least one person in that shop who knows what they are doing. Because as good as pressure cleaners are to clean i.e. the rims and other difficult areas they are bad when used incorrectly. As far as I know pressure cleaner should never be used near axles and bearings because through the pressure water can get behind the seals and long term destroy those bearings.

 

Obviously I could watch and look what they are doing and tell them what to do and not to do. But most people who do that job won't like it when the farang tries to explain to them how to do their job.

 

And for that reason I like to know if anybody of you has good or bad experience with any of those cleaning places. Can you recommend one?

[Agusts]

Yeah, try to tell a Thai what to do - they are particularly bad at listening...! Loosing face and all that...!

 

I wash my bike too, just because it's Forza they want to charge me double - mean...????

 

But to be honest non of the kids I have come across that use those pressure washers think twice about where they are pointing it to - and I have been to various over the years for my small scoot with different operators on the day.... , but I hope you can find a pro...

 

[Kwasaki]

On 9/17/2020 at 9:20 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

As far as I know pressure cleaner should never be used near axles and bearings because through the pressure water can get behind the seals and long term destroy those bearings.

Exactly Thais cleaning bikes don't know that and don't care either as long as the the bike is nice and shinny and clean.

 

I hand-wash mine using difference size brushes, down to a toothbrush.

Grease kept in its place is better than soap water.

[revgreen]

Check out Sumo Bike Wash.

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, revgreen said:

Check out Sumo Bike Wash.

Thanks. Do you have personal experience with them?

 

I looked them up on maps and then on Facebook and then I found a video. That video leaves me with more questions then answers.

At about 7:30 is seems the guy is using that pressure cleaner on the front axle.

In another part of the video it shows that they clean the chain but I don't see that they lubricate it again.

I am also confused about the prices. The price list behind the shop guy starts with about 1500THB including top coating but at end of the video the video guy said he paid 350THB. 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

I’ve always had my Motorcycle washed at a ‘car / motorcycle wash’ place nearby - 140 baht. 

 

I didn’t actually consider water ingress into bearings due to the high pressure jet...  I’m quite sure neither have those washing the bike !

 

Its a good point which has now got me thinking how readily water ingress occurs under pressure washing. 

 

 

I’m now wondering if its not worthwhile purchasing a ‘pressure washer myself’ and just washing the bike myself so I know I have cared for the bearings etc. 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/ucg-220-i1470844610-s3857948915.html?spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.1.70e87c78Q1V7ab&search=1

 

 

 

This is a useful thread to follow - thanks for posting. 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

Here is a good video about cleaning a bike. He mentions the problem with the pressure water (I think at the end of the video)

 

[Agusts]

What local wax is good to use on panels paint, not interested in expensive imports but what is available and common here - I have seen a guy wax the panels on a bike that even most of the marks, blemishes and scratches disappeared, but can't remember what it was...!? 

 

[revgreen]

On 9/19/2020 at 1:19 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

Thanks. Do you have personal experience with them?

I used to use a branch out in RCA years back when I lived in Bangkok. From what I know, a pressure washer is okay on a bike as long as it's under 3k psi. The ones they used seemed about as strong as the 1500 psi unit I have at home. They did lube the chain after cleaning.

 

 

I suppose your experience may vary branch to branch, but I used this one several dozen times and always came out happy with the service.