Battling bug guts in the Pacific Northwest- and where you are

The Pacific Northwest produces a multitude of wonders: thick forests, majestic mountains, abundant wildlife and bugs.  Yes, bugs.  I get more bugs on my motorcycle in thirty minutes of riding in the Northwest that I do in a week in California.  Bugs populate here by the billions: giant bugs, tiny bugs, biting bugs, stinging bugs, green bugs and those yellow ones that taste like battery acid.  I hate those.  Ride here for an afternoon and you will get a grasshopper in the throat, a bee in your helmet or plow through a crowd of gnats like a boat leaving a wake.  Or all three at the same time.

A week and 1800 miles of bug collecting turned my clear headlight lenses yellow and coated my fairings and mirrors in sticky bug residue.

Don’t believe me?  I dare you to put on an open face helmet and ride past Pendleton at dusk, or southern Oregon’s desert on a mid-summer day, or any forest at dawn.  Go ahead.  I dare you.  I promise to not say “I told you so” as you dance by the side of the road trying to get whatever is stinging you out of your jacket with your gloves and helmet still on.  Always a hard decision, that- take the time to strip off the helmet and gloves then go for the bug, or try to kill it while fully geared up.  Motorcycling is complicated.

After a week long tour and 1,800 miles blitzing through Northwest early summer swarms, the front of my 1998 Honda VFR800 looked like it had been shot with a gooey insect cannon.  So thick was the mess that it dimmed the blinding white light of my Cyclops LED headlights to a dull brown smear.  I have tried many bug removers in vain until I finally struck gold with the 3D Pro Series Bug Remover.

Spray on the enzyme-based cleaner and give it a minute to do it’s work.  For testing purposes, I sprayed only the bike’s right hand side of the headlight and fairings.  Here you can see the green color of the 3D cleaner as it does its magic.

Spray the 3D Pro Series Bug Remover onto any surface and wait a 60 seconds for the enzyme-based cleaner to do it’s thing.  After a minute, just wipe it off and the bugs come with it.  I found the strong stream from a garden hose sprayer works just as well but a quick wipe with a damp cloth worked best for crispy critter removal.  It is so quick and easy there is no excuse to not have this product in your garage, for motorcycle or car.

However, unlike cars, dried bugs on a bike can be a safety issue.  Hardened bugs can get on the sliders of motorcycle forks and grind away at supple fork seals until they leak.  Leaky fork seals can drip onto brake rotors and cause loss of front brakes.  Ask me how I know.  No, wait, on second thought, don’t ask.

After photos show how the 3D Bug Remover cleaned the fairings and headlights.  I sprayed the whole bike with a garden hose and only the bike’s right side soaked in bug remover came bug free.  Bug streaks on the windscreen are on the inside and did not get sprayed.  Yes, bugs on the inside of a windscreen.  Did I mention bugs are a problem up here?

By the way, this is not a paid promotion.  I purchased 3D Pro Series Bug Remover, paying $16.99 for the 16 oz bottle, out of my own pocket.  Bugs in your part of the world might be bigger, smaller, of different colors or flavors, but whatever they are, when it comes time to remove them, give 3D Pro Series Bug Remover a try.  Feel free to ask any questions below. Just not about the front brake issue.

Ted

Check out 3D’s products here:
3D Pro Series Bug Remover