A muddy bike is part of motocross. Leaving that mud, clay and grime sitting on the bike for longer than necessary isn’t.
A good post-ride cleaning routine makes it easier to inspect your bike, keeps it looking sharp and means you’re not starting the next ride with last weekend’s mud still baked onto the plastics, wheels and drivetrain.
Here’s a straightforward way to clean a motocross bike after riding.
1. Let the bike cool down
Before reaching for the cleaner, give the bike time to cool.
Avoid applying cleaning products to hot surfaces and always follow the directions and safety information on the product label.
If the bike is completely covered in heavy mud, remove any large clumps before you start the main wash.
2. Rinse away loose mud and dirt
Start by rinsing away as much loose mud, grit and dirt as possible.
This gives your bike cleaner a better chance to work on the grime that is actually stuck to the bike rather than wasting product on thick layers of loose mud.
Pay attention to areas where dirt tends to collect, including:
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Mudguards
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Number boards
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Wheels
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Frame
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Swingarm
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Underneath the bike
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Around the chain and sprockets
Take care around bearings, seals, electrical components and other sensitive areas when using a pressure washer.
3. Clean the drivetrain
The drivetrain often needs more attention than the rest of the bike because it collects chain lubricant, oil, dirt and heavy grime.
Apply Precision Clean MX Drivetrain Cleaner to suitable drivetrain areas, including the chain, sprockets and surrounding components, following the directions on the bottle.
Allow the cleaner to work as instructed before agitating stubborn areas with a suitable brush where needed.
Cleaning the drivetrain separately also stops you spreading oily grime across the rest of the bike during the main wash.
4. Apply motocross bike cleaner
Once the loose dirt has been rinsed away, apply Precision Clean MX Bike Cleaner to the suitable washable exterior surfaces of the bike.
Work around the plastics, frame, wheels and other areas that have collected mud, clay and general post-ride grime.
Give the cleaner time to work according to the label instructions rather than spraying it on and immediately washing it straight back off.
For stubborn areas, use a suitable soft detailing brush or wash mitt to help loosen the dirt.
5. Rinse the bike thoroughly
Once the cleaner has done its job, rinse the bike thoroughly with clean water.
Work methodically around the bike so you don’t leave cleaner or loosened dirt behind.
It is worth checking underneath mudguards, around the frame and behind areas that are easy to miss when you are in a rush after riding.
6. Dry the bike
Drying is an important part of the cleaning process, particularly if the bike is going back into the garage or race van.
Use clean microfibre towels or another suitable drying method to remove excess water.
This is also a good opportunity to look over the bike properly now that the mud has gone. Check for anything that may need attention before the next ride.
7. Finish the plastics
Once the bike has been cleaned, rinsed and dried, you can finish suitable plastics, trims and bodywork with Precision Clean MX Silicone Shine.
Apply it according to the directions on the product label.
Silicone products should never be applied to areas where a slippery surface could affect control or braking. Keep Silicone Shine away from brake discs, brake pads, tyres, handlebar grips, the seat, foot controls and similar areas.
A simple post-ride motocross cleaning routine
You don’t need to make cleaning your motocross bike complicated.
A good routine is:
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Allow the bike to cool.
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Rinse away loose mud.
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Clean the drivetrain.
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Apply bike cleaner.
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Agitate stubborn areas where needed.
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Rinse thoroughly.
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Dry the bike.
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Finish suitable plastics and bodywork.
Doing the job in the same order after each ride makes the process quicker and helps make sure important areas aren’t missed.
What do you need to clean a motocross bike?
A useful motocross cleaning setup includes:
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Motocross bike cleaner
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Drivetrain cleaner
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Silicone finish
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Suitable brushes
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Wash mitt
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Microfibre drying towels
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Clean water
Having everything ready before you start is much easier than hunting around the garage halfway through the wash.
Cleaning after particularly muddy rides
Wet practice days and winter motocross can leave significantly more mud packed around the bike.
On those days, spend more time removing the heavy loose mud before applying cleaner. Trying to work through several centimetres of packed mud with cleaning product alone simply wastes cleaner.
Rinse the worst of it away first, then work through the normal cleaning routine.
If you ride regularly, keeping Precision Clean MX Bike Cleaner 5L Refill in the garage or race van can also be more convenient than constantly replacing individual spray bottles.
Keep the bike ready for the next ride
Motocross bikes are going to get dirty. That’s the point.
The aim isn’t to keep a bike permanently spotless. It’s to have a repeatable cleaning routine that gets the mud and grime off properly and leaves the bike ready to be checked, prepared and ridden again.
Precision Clean MX products are purpose-built around the conditions motocross bikes face, from muddy plastics and wheels to dirty drivetrains and post-wash finishing.
Made for motocross. Built for the mud.