[sendler]

I wonder what riding on rock salt in January will do to my bike?

 

[Empty Sea]

I have the same question. All I did when I got home today was take a damp microfiber rag and wiped down the painted surfaces. I've been told to wash the bike thoroughly, but I don't think I have enough residue on my bike to warrant the hassle of getting the hose out.

 

[250 Tom]

Bad stuff, I would wash it completely. Hose areas that you cant wash. Rinse and dry

 

[Empty Sea]

It was dry here. Can't even see the salt dust on my bike, but I wiped it down anyhow. I didn't look at your pics at first; you definitely need to get a hose out.

 

[sendler]

Most of what you see is just road grime that was on there from my last couple trips through the pouring rain. The roads were fairly dry today. It has looked like that many times. Long before they started using any salt. I rarely wash any of my machines. Except for the windscreen and headlight. My bike will never be a show bike again. But it will be a show case, for a new way of thinking. Thousands of people will see me out in all kinds of weather on a wide variety of missions and be forced to reconsider what can be accomplished on a high mpg motorcycle.

 

[Robbo14]

Would some sort of film over the fairings help? some clear 3m maybe?

 

[sendler]

Would some sort of film over the fairings help? some clear 3m maybe?

Paint over plastic is pretty rugged. I don't worry about any of that. I would hate to see the engine cases get flaky but "Que' sera, sera". Maybe there is some sort of finish spray that would protect the metal parts?

 

[Wynne G Oldman]

ACF-50 is what you need. Spray it all over your bike at the beginning of winter, and wash it off in the spring.

http://www.acf-50.co.uk/

 

[sendler]

I might try some Boeing T-9 spray protector. I hope it doesn't stink when the engine gets hot.
.

 

[bungie4]

At the very least, hose it off. I've seen more bikes damaged because the owners just 'had' to get a ride in on salted roads.

My bikes get put away before the salt hits the roads and don't come back out until we've had at least a few good rains to wash off the roads in the spring. Really, as much as I'd love to get out for a ride in the winter, I find it easier to forget I even own them until I can get them out for the season. I think even seeing them would just about do me in.

 

[sendler]

At the very least, hose it off. I've seen more bikes damaged because the owners just 'had' to get a ride in on salted roads.

My bikes get put away before the salt hits the roads and don't come back out until we've had at least a few good rains to wash off the roads in the spring. Really, as much as I'd love to get out for a ride in the winter, I find it easier to forget I even own them until I can get them out for the season. I think even seeing them would just about do me in.

I am going to ride year round whenever the roads are clear of standing salt water and ice. A rolling billboard to get off of foreign oil and leave them out to dry until they want to listen to reason. Staining on the metal parts I don't care about as I never intend to sell this bike again. If the cases rot through, I will buy another one and be more careful. That is the beauty of a cheap commuter bike. You don't have to baby it from bad weather.

 

[sendler]

My local farm store has this stuff really cheap. Guys spray their snow plows and tractors with it and it keeps them like new. I wish I had thought about this the first day I had the bike home as now there is dirt and grime stuck around all the nooks and crannies. I will buy it by the gallon if I like it and spray my cars with it as well.
.
Fluid Film® | Corrosion Preventative, Lubricant and Rust Inhibitor

 

[Empty Sea]

At the very least, hose it off. I've seen more bikes damaged because the owners just 'had' to get a ride in on salted roads.

My bikes get put away before the salt hits the roads and don't come back out until we've had at least a few good rains to wash off the roads in the spring.

So your biking season up there is what? Three weeks? jk

 

[CBR250R]

So your biking season up there is what? Three weeks? jk

3 weeks? Ha..ha...O.K. that would suck. I live on a lattitude that is 3 hours north of Bungie in the same province. This past year - I was riding for 8 months (mid March to Mid November). I think it's great that some of you are still riding, even those just south of the border (like Sendler!). The only perk I see is that it I will be even more euphoric when I finally get to take my bike out again this spring!

Mike

 

[feliz]

Pretty lucky where I live we get a lot of rain but not too much salt, snow, and ice. Salt is very corrosive to aluminum but heck that's why I bought a budget commuter bike so I can ride it year round. I have other bikes I park for the winter but I intend on flogging the CBR till she drops. If I were concerned I would give it a good hosing down after riding with salt on the road.

 

[Roadkill]

+Spritz it with about a quart of hot water from a 2-gallon garage sprayer and put it away wet...:
http://www.roadkillonline.net/imagedb_images/35_10966.jpg
http://www.roadkillonline.net/imagedb_images/35_10967.jpg
http://www.roadkillonline.net/imagedb_images/35_10968.jpg

Ride on.
Roadkill

 

[bungie4]

3 weeks? Ha..ha...O.K. that would suck. I live on a lattitude that is 3 hours north of Bungie in the same province. This past year - I was riding for 8 months (mid March to Mid November). I think it's great that some of you are still riding, even those just south of the border (like Sendler!). The only perk I see is that it I will be even more euphoric when I finally get to take my bike out again this spring!

Right on brother! We have roughly the same riding season here. Depends mostly on the weather though. I always love the first ride of the year. What is really funny is +4C in the fall is starting to get nipply. +4C in the Spring and I want/could ride in a tshirt!

 

[Empty Sea]

3 weeks? Ha..ha...O.K. that would suck. I live on a lattitude that is 3 hours north of Bungie in the same province. This past year - I was riding for 8 months (mid March to Mid November). I think it's great that some of you are still riding, even those just south of the border (like Sendler!). The only perk I see is that it I will be even more euphoric when I finally get to take my bike out again this spring!

Mike

That's a nice, long riding season. Most people down here (Chicago) don't even bike that late in the year or start up as soon. My joke about 3 weeks was that, at least here, if I were never to ride when there was salt on the ground, my season would be shortened by months. November would probably be ok, but I wouldn't be able to ride in March and part of April and I wouldn't have taken the nice ride I took yesterday.

Take heart, spring is almost here! (keep chanting that to yourself. it helps)

 

[sendler]

Corrosion X

The Fluid Film is cheap and available locally but looks a bit too waxy to spray all over an engine. My local aviation repair company (they do jets) uses Corrosion X which looks pretty similar to the ACF-50. No waxy buildup. The secretary said she would have the service manager call me tomorrow to let me know if he will sell me a spray bottle full. They buy it by the drum. If not, Corrosion X sells direct. $17 for 16oz plus $11 shipping. I have seen several great DIY tests posted on these types of products using everthing from fine steel wool left on the beach for 10 months to bright nails sprayed down with salt water for two weeks. They really work and easily outperform perennial favorites such as WD-40.
.
CorrosionX technology Polar Bonding Fluid Thin Film Coating FTFC

 

[live_to_ride]

I drive in a city an hour away from me regularily and for the past sesveral years I travel a certain route that sees 5 bikes that sit on a busy thoroughfare. Regularily I see the poor bikes covered in dirt, mud, road salt, and rain. They look very neglected and sad. I can only assume that this can contribute to body damage and possibly mechanical issues.