Cleaning a bike covered in ACF50

oddshapedballs

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Chaps, what's the general opinion on washing a bike covered in ACF50 - cold water, cold water with detergent, warm water, warm water with detergent...etc etc? If detergent/warm water is used would I need to re-apply the ACF50 after washing?

Cheers. :thumby:
 
If its covered with ACF50 why wash it now? Leave it to the spring and then use SDoc100 gel.
 
If its covered with ACF50 why wash it now? Leave it to the spring and then use SDoc100 gel.

I really, really regret having swallowed this BS on my new adventure. Paid £60 for the premium all year biker ACF treatment and thought I was protected. This week I was alarmed to see that salt has wrecked he finish on my metal boxes and no amount of polishing is going stop them looking as though they've got measles. Yes ACf 50 works up to a point but common-sense, which I have been lacking, says wash off visible deposits with water every so often and reprotect vulnerable areas like the boxes.
 
Yes ACf 50 works up to a point but common-sense, which I have been lacking, says wash off visible deposits with water every so often and reprotect vulnerable areas like the boxes.

Agree with what davnjud says above - common sense as well and keep re-protecting those vulnerable areas :thumb2
 
I really, really regret having swallowed this BS on my new adventure. Paid £60 for the premium all year biker ACF treatment and thought I was protected. This week I was alarmed to see that salt has wrecked he finish on my metal boxes and no amount of polishing is going stop them looking as though they've got measles. Yes ACf 50 works up to a point but common-sense, which I have been lacking, says wash off visible deposits with water every so often and reprotect vulnerable areas like the boxes.

Those alloy boxes will rot before your eyes whether you ACF50 or not. The only way to stop the corrosion on them is leave em in a warm garage during the winter. ACF50 is not foolproof, but it ain't far off and for those of us who commute all year it safes a lot of faff. If I only rode the odd weekend I wouldn't bother with it, better to clean and dry the bike after every ride.
 
The whole point of using ACF50 is you don't need to wash it. Just hose it off with cold water will get the loose stuff off. Quite how you get the stuff off in the spring is another question entirely.
 
Davnjud has it spot on .... Common sense must prevail. Rinse it off with a hose to get rid of all the shite ,and reapply if required .. My previous bikes have all been commuted on throughout the year and still look good when I scrubbed them up for the spring with no problems at all.
 
Thanks for all the reply's folks. I use the bike all year round so will go with common sense approach of the hosing off as required and re-apply to sensitive areas.
 
I wash mine more often when its salty with normal car was wax detergent. Vulnerable areas get an extra squirt of ACF-50.

The side cases get washed after a salty ride. Its the only way to keep them looking good other than film wrapping. But sealing along the plastic edges will be a faff.
 
Vern's Worldbeaters are anodised, neglect them as you wish, no problem unless there is an area with damage. You bought the wrong panniers.
 
I was told to wash the rammel/salt off with cold water & re-cover 'vulnerable' areas with ACF 50 periodically.
 
I really, really regret having swallowed this BS on my new adventure. Paid £60 for the premium all year biker ACF treatment and thought I was protected. This week I was alarmed to see that salt has wrecked he finish on my metal boxes and no amount of polishing is going stop them looking as though they've got measles. Yes ACf 50 works up to a point but common-sense, which I have been lacking, says wash off visible deposits with water every so often and reprotect vulnerable areas like the boxes.

Following a good search on here I have started restoring my 6 month old boxes using 1000 grade wet and dry and then brasso and it seems to be getting them back to standard that matches the rest of the bike. Will be taking off the side boxes now until the gritting is over and regularly rinsing off my polished, acf'd and then wax protected top box. we live and learn...
 


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