GSA Winter Protection.

[YellowRS]

Hi Chaps

I am in my 4th week of GS ownership and very pleased with my choice.
Just wanted to pick your brains regarding winter use and how to protect her from salt corrosion.
So far I pressure wash after every run but was thinking about spraying with ACF50 to protect and reduce the frequency of washing.
Is this a good idea and if so what areas should I spray
Also if I then pressure wash will it remove all the ACF?

Your advice much appreciated please

 

[snerkler]

Hi Chaps

I am in my 4th week of GS ownership and very pleased with my choice.
Just wanted to pick your brains regarding winter use and how to protect her from salt corrosion.
So far I pressure wash after every run but was thinking about spraying with ACF50 to protect and reduce the frequency of washing.
Is this a good idea and if so what areas should I spray
Also if I then pressure wash will it remove all the ACF?

Your advice much appreciated please

First of all, a pressure washer isn't the best thing to use on a bike as a lot of elements are exposed.
Here's some blurb on ACF50

"ACF-50 is 95% product, hence virtually no propellant. Keep the tin in a warm environment, shake very well before use and remember a little ACF-50 goes a long way, so keep a rag handy to soak up any excess - then use the rag to help spread the product. ACF-50 has strong capillary action so will creep into all the areas that moisture can, 'actively' pushing out moisture and replacing it with protection. Go cautiously when applying to callipers to ENSURE YOU KEEP IT OFF THE BRAKES. Use ACF-50 anywhere, except the brakes, on your bike including the engine and exhaust (will smoke on first start and burn off down pipes but still slows down corrosion process). Safe on paintwork, most rubbers and brings up black plastic trim a treat. ACF-50 contains no water and is approved for electrics so spray directly into electrical joints and components where it will prevent corrosion induced failures and high resistance joints. Works well at stopping dirt, mud and salt from sticking. You can come back from a winter ride with the bike 'white with salt' - a quick wash off and it's gone with the bike still protected. Areas not in direct contact with the elements ie tank/seat areas, electrics require treating approx once a year. Other exposed areas re-apply as necessary. You can tell the product is still 'Active; as water will bead on contact...having no water content and not being water soluble ACF-50 only dissipates by being 'sacrificial' whilst stopping existing or new corrosion so just re-treat as required.
"

I don't know what the last sentence "ACF-50 only dissipates by being sacrificial" means

 

[liam_dillon]

I've used acf50 for a few years now, and would recommend it, it can go almost anywhere (except brake disks or pads). Only down side is all the crap off the road sticks to the oil, so looks very dirty but keeps the rust away. I sometimes give my bike a blast of cold water once iget home to try to remove any road salt.

 

[LBL]

Never ever used ACF50 on any of my bikes, for over 20 years i have kept the same principles, i do try to keep my bikes clean but as a basic rule in the summer i just clean it when i want to.

In winter, well if they have gritted the night before i wash it down with a bucket of cold water and leather it off, plus the odd squirt of WD40, if they haven't been gritting then i dont

 

[ncpierce]

In winter, well if they have gritted the night before i wash it down with a bucket of cold water and leather it off, plus the odd squirt of WD40, if they haven't been gritting then i dont

But you have the advantage of knowing when the grit's going down

 

[stevie Allen]

First of all, a pressure washer isn't the best thing to use on a bike as a lot of elements are exposed.
Here's some blurb on ACF50

"ACF-50 is 95% product, hence virtually no propellant. Keep the tin in a warm environment, shake very well before use and remember a little ACF-50 goes a long way, so keep a rag handy to soak up any excess - then use the rag to help spread the product. ACF-50 has strong capillary action so will creep into all the areas that moisture can, 'actively' pushing out moisture and replacing it with protection. Go cautiously when applying to callipers to ENSURE YOU KEEP IT OFF THE BRAKES. Use ACF-50 anywhere, except the brakes, on your bike including the engine and exhaust (will smoke on first start and burn off down pipes but still slows down corrosion process). Safe on paintwork, most rubbers and brings up black plastic trim a treat. ACF-50 contains no water and is approved for electrics so spray directly into electrical joints and components where it will prevent corrosion induced failures and high resistance joints. Works well at stopping dirt, mud and salt from sticking. You can come back from a winter ride with the bike 'white with salt' - a quick wash off and it's gone with the bike still protected. Areas not in direct contact with the elements ie tank/seat areas, electrics require treating approx once a year. Other exposed areas re-apply as necessary. You can tell the product is still 'Active; as water will bead on contact...having no water content and not being water soluble ACF-50 only dissipates by being 'sacrificial' whilst stopping existing or new corrosion so just re-treat as required.
"

I don't know what the last sentence "ACF-50 only dissipates by being sacrificial" means

1 I went to wash her down today , and that acf-50 is a bitch to clean off, so it certainly does its job,Does anybody know what actually cleans the stuff off

 

[Beemerman59]

SDoc100 shifts it. Done mine today with 4 months of crud coming off with the ACF50. Bike looks like new underneath and this is its 3rd winter.

 

[STUBBS]

spray acf50 a couple of times a year i just rinse the bike down with cold water

 

[LBL]

But you have the advantage of knowing when the grit's going down

True, if i want to go for a ride the next day then i dont send them out as im going up the Ace cafe tomorrow i think you will find their is no gritting tonight