Any bike that is used in crap weather and not protected with layers of ACF or WD40 will probably suffer rust somewhere. Simple's. That said the manufacture's have a lot to answer for because finish quality is not what it used to be. Cars appear to have got more durable against rust however bikes have not. A year old 15k bike with rust is not good enough. My brand new GSA had a small rust spot on the crash bar when I went to pick it up from the dealer! Thankfully BUMW have one of the best after sales service around. Don't give up until they agree to sort it.
Love the bike, hate the corrosion.
- Thread starter Omias
- Start date
I actually thought the finish on my old 2008 model was half decent - certainly as good as the "average" Jap bike.
I bought it late 2010 with 6k on it and ran it up to 20k in 18 months, rode it year round, only stopping when mucho snow and ice appeared. Did not go mental on cleaning, but did use ACF.
Dunno if later models are worse
would not surprise me.
My Tenere has now done over 3k since May when I got it, only been cleaned a few times and looks spot-on. But this too had a good ACF treatment when I got it, and will get a load more soon.
I would always expect the odd fastener, brake banjo's and such like to furr up a bit, and if you start crawling under cars or peering under the hood you will find similar corrosion - just most of the cars workings are well hidden from prying eyes and a clean of the bodywork brings them up looking good regardless of if the brake pipe fittings are rotten.
I bought it late 2010 with 6k on it and ran it up to 20k in 18 months, rode it year round, only stopping when mucho snow and ice appeared. Did not go mental on cleaning, but did use ACF.
Dunno if later models are worse
would not surprise me.My Tenere has now done over 3k since May when I got it, only been cleaned a few times and looks spot-on. But this too had a good ACF treatment when I got it, and will get a load more soon.
I would always expect the odd fastener, brake banjo's and such like to furr up a bit, and if you start crawling under cars or peering under the hood you will find similar corrosion - just most of the cars workings are well hidden from prying eyes and a clean of the bodywork brings them up looking good regardless of if the brake pipe fittings are rotten.
Corrosion
I own a MTS1200 and I don't wash it and it is no more corroded than my 1200GS. I have also found that Ducati are happy to change corroded items. I agree with all the threads that we shouldn't have to put up with the poor finishes that appear on motorcycles today but when people mention that cars do not rust they should take a look underneath at the suspension components, nuts and bolts etc, they corrode just like their motorcycle counterparts. Corrosion on bikes is much more visible.
Go to your local Ducati dealer and look at some of their demo bikes. Then you'll see corrosion.
I own a MTS1200 and I don't wash it and it is no more corroded than my 1200GS. I have also found that Ducati are happy to change corroded items. I agree with all the threads that we shouldn't have to put up with the poor finishes that appear on motorcycles today but when people mention that cars do not rust they should take a look underneath at the suspension components, nuts and bolts etc, they corrode just like their motorcycle counterparts. Corrosion on bikes is much more visible.
mb4807
Registered user
Whats the fix?
My 2008 GSA has started to loose a bit of paint on the rear hub. It's well out of warranty and I was thinking I'd leave it until it gets bad and then see about getting it sorted, but is there a good way to minimize the flaking, or a good way to touch it up? (Mines only just started to go) And can the hub be repainted etc with the spokes in? My assumption is you'd need to dismantle the wheel to do a prooper job and have it re-built with new spokes - which is starting to sound expensive...
My 2008 GSA has started to loose a bit of paint on the rear hub. It's well out of warranty and I was thinking I'd leave it until it gets bad and then see about getting it sorted, but is there a good way to minimize the flaking, or a good way to touch it up? (Mines only just started to go) And can the hub be repainted etc with the spokes in? My assumption is you'd need to dismantle the wheel to do a prooper job and have it re-built with new spokes - which is starting to sound expensive...
Omias
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After fucking about and arguing the point with BMW they have this week replaced my final drive and centre stand FOC. Not everything i complained about but an 'offer of good will' on they're part. Better than a kick in the teeth i suppose but the total refusal to acknowledge any down grade in quality is a bit of a puzzler, shame really as its an otherwise great machine. It'll be interesting to see how the new water boiler fairs. Chin up, could be worse!
mark2jag
Registered user
Wasnt Bahnstormers was it
Different dealers have different ideas of whats "wear and tear" and whats "unacceptable". Take it to a different dealer than you went to and I guess you might get a different answer.BMW= UNSTOPPABLE. Errrr dont think so..... Only their tea breaks......
With regards the corrosion issue I believe this is down to the assembly line workers all getting longer tea breaks and trying to finish each bike off in the same amount of shift time minus tea breaks.
BMW= UNSTOPPABLE. Errrr dont think so.....
If a bike is designed for road use then it should be capable of withstanding the worst road conditions generally expected, and as this is the UK that means PROPER paint, not 0.4mm of some watered down shit that falls off long before or when the warranty runs out
I'll get my coat... actually no I wont its 28 deg C at the moment here....
Mad_Accountant
Registered user
I'm almost embarrassed to post this but it is important.
There are still people out there who believe it's ok to wash their bikes using washing up liquid. Certainly in my youth I destroyed a few vehicles that way.
NEVER USE WASHING UP LIQUID - IT IS HIGHLY
CONCENTRATED SALT
It is the exact opposite of an ACF50 treatment, you are applying corrosive into every unreachable nook and cranny of your bike and will destroy it in just a few months.
Sorry about Granny and egg sucking but some people still don't know this.
When the salt is down even a dry day won't help, the corrosives will be airborne due to traffic draft and will settle all over the bike - add a little condensation and off we go again. Hosing after each trip and ACF treatment is the real answer but I prefer the winter hack solution - int case a gorgeous r100r that sometimes makes me wonder why I bother with modern BMWs
Ride safe everyone.
Phil
There are still people out there who believe it's ok to wash their bikes using washing up liquid. Certainly in my youth I destroyed a few vehicles that way.
NEVER USE WASHING UP LIQUID - IT IS HIGHLY
CONCENTRATED SALT
It is the exact opposite of an ACF50 treatment, you are applying corrosive into every unreachable nook and cranny of your bike and will destroy it in just a few months.
Sorry about Granny and egg sucking but some people still don't know this.
When the salt is down even a dry day won't help, the corrosives will be airborne due to traffic draft and will settle all over the bike - add a little condensation and off we go again. Hosing after each trip and ACF treatment is the real answer but I prefer the winter hack solution - int case a gorgeous r100r that sometimes makes me wonder why I bother with modern BMWs
Ride safe everyone.
Phil
Bendy toy
Registered user
Im gradually restoring a Suzuki GT750. Should I stick with bare alloy hubs and thinly plated spokes? Hell no! The hubs are stoved** and I'm using stainless spokes.
** Powder is probably more durable but the metallic colours look terrible so I went for stove enamel.
** Powder is probably more durable but the metallic colours look terrible so I went for stove enamel.
Omias
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I assume you dropped in straight from the 1980's in your DeLorean time machine, nobody will know what a CX500 is - It is a Plastic Maggot for those who aren't sure
mark-a
Registered user
Or a baby hippo - depending on viewing angle
NOT pretty - but bulletproof
NOT pretty - but bulletproof
Time Traveller
Registered user
LOL i actually really fancied one of those when they first came out...1978ish was it? I saw one at a Classic bike show some time back...its interesting how our perceptions change. 
The problem is two fold. Unlike most cars the structure of the bike is aluminium not steel and it doesnt paint at all well. The products of any corrosion ( at a pin hole for example) are more voluminous than the metal itself and so peel back the paint. It becomes a continuous process.
Add into that that the EU have reduced the amount of volatiles in paint so there is increasing use of less protective water based paints, and that is going to get worse.
None of this excuses the corrosion of things like caliper bolts - they should be stainless or at least properly galvanised. Nor does it excuse the centre stand issue. problem is ( and this is experience of dealing with them) the Germans believe their own myths about German engineering and so dont accept critical comment.
And yes cars do suffer but less so being steel. My old BMW for example had bird poo eating through the paint system and all BMW said is that I should wash bird poo off within 24 hours. Not much good when you leave the car at the marina while you go sailing for a month or so. latest Volvo didnt suffer that issue so the rules in Sweden must be different.
And Jap bikes do corrode. Mostly they have more plastic on them and are used less in winter. But they still have the same paint on ally problem.
Andy_Mellors
Registered user
I've got a G650GS. First registered September 2012. Engine cover and frame both corroded by February 2013. 2500 miles on the clock.
BMW say that the corrsion was caused by external influences. Still waiting to find out what they mean by that.
Winter & road salt.
Bendy toy
Registered user
Www.frost.co.uk provide some clever stuff for classic car restorations. Rust on an old car body can be horrendous to properly stop. Worth a look anyway.
My Yamaha was good for engine bolts but frame fasteners were flaky to say the least. Engine cover corrosion was stopped with powder coating, but the eaten away under a pinhole was pretty bad.
Frame paint was good until a stone chip got going. The rear shock top mount got into a right old state all hidden by under tray etc.
My Yamaha was good for engine bolts but frame fasteners were flaky to say the least. Engine cover corrosion was stopped with powder coating, but the eaten away under a pinhole was pretty bad.
Frame paint was good until a stone chip got going. The rear shock top mount got into a right old state all hidden by under tray etc.
Mine too
Anyone else?
My bike is just coming up to its second year warranty and the engine cover is corroded all around the edge of the cover closest to the retaining bolts. It looks a mess. The dealer is going to sort it out for me but it is good to see what other problems people have had so that I can hopefully anticipate other problems.
Anyone else?
Bendy toy
Registered user
I have no idea why BMW do not fit a more effective front mudguard at least as an option. However, a Cymark crud catcher will stop stuff hitting the engine case. A fender extender is OK too, but can get broken on rough offroad stuff.
Powder coat all over the cover including joint face and bolt holes is reliable - no edges for corrosion to get under. Unlike the crankcase halves, there is no accurate alignment so no need to have a bare metal joint face.
But once pinholed any finish will corrode underneath. Its how it is unless we want a stainless steel engine.
Powder coat all over the cover including joint face and bolt holes is reliable - no edges for corrosion to get under. Unlike the crankcase halves, there is no accurate alignment so no need to have a bare metal joint face.
But once pinholed any finish will corrode underneath. Its how it is unless we want a stainless steel engine.
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