New Bike, take her out in this c---p? yes or no!

[ianmac]

Hi all, had 12GS delivered yesterday, lovely! Not so lovely flat battery this morning!Booo, any optimate sorted that out, so question is she all lovely and shiney BUT i want to take her out ,get her run in and all that, will the winter crap /pos salt kill her good looks dead OR will a good rinse with cold water and clean up keep her looking nice , don,t mind a bit of elbow grease! Whats best for downpipes/ Exhaust?Autosol?

merry christmas all, and thanks in advance for info!

 

[Schtum]

I sprayed mine thoroughly with FS365 before I rode it off the dealer's forecourt a couple of weeks ago. I've washed it down each time I've been out on it and will keep re-applying the FS365.

I don't suspect that it'll survive the Winter unscathed, however..

 

[GSmonkey]

Just ride it, no point in owning it if you don't.

Mine is getting used every day and washed at the weekend.....can't manage more than that

 

[Nick Marshall]

ride it, clean it

no point not riding it, if it gets dirty you clean it. if you went out on a sunny day in may and it then rained 100 miles from home you get it dirty, or dont get home. so enjoy it now. when you sell it it wont be worth any less coz you got it dirty! most dealers give a price on a bike without even looking at the bike. pisses me off, but sometimes usefull. nick

 

[Welshmagician]

Autosol gets the header pipes back to as good as new if applied regularly, ride it and rinse off with cold water upon return, keeps the worst of the salt at bay IMHO, if you wanna show bike lay it up for the winter, personally mine gets used all weathers, in fact its been wet virtually every time i've been out, to date no signs of the weather taking any toll but i'm in west wales, we see salted roads rarely.

Try coating the bike with acf50, it seems to work so far, but then so do other treatments such as scott oiler etc.

 

[Colin O]

I think the bike stands up pretty well to the winter. Mine comes up as good as new, only corrosion I've had was to the (non BMW) RAM GPS mounting part, which must be made from Yamaha metal

 

[andy1200]

Yup, that's the general idea

 

[(RIP) Sugar Ray]

Ian

If you fancy joining up with the rideout on Monday to Whitby, I'll be leaving from near Sedgefield at about 9am for a meet-up in Thirsk.

Regards,

Charles

 

[Detox]

Twilight Zone

is this thread for real

 

[IanM]

Ian

You asked how to clean the downpipes - I find wonder wheel brings them up as new but wash it off carefully.

I have just ordered new downpipes from Nippy Norman to get rid of the cat but I intend to keep the standard can.

I use ACF and the Scot oiler prep with lots of cold water.

Seasons greetings
IanM

 

[laughingBob]

Covered mine with ACF50 a month ago and just rode it. Cleaned with a pressure washer this week and absolutely no sign of corrosion. Covered it in ACF50 again and reckon I'll clean it again around the begining of March. Too much cleaning wears it away

 

[Dinger]

ACF Question. How exactly do you apply this stuff. I bought some recently and gave it an experimental squirt and it came out like grease, I was expecting a liquid spray.
Is this normal? if so how do you put it on without it looking crap?

 

[laughingBob]

Yes, comes out looking like oily pink shaving foam. Both times I've done it I've coverered the discs with plastic shopping bags, removed the seat, then used a whole can all over the bike. Then get a rag and wipe off the excess. As you wipe it off (your not really wiping it off it just looks like you are) the rag get coated in the stuff and it gets spread all over the bike. It doesn't need to be too thick, just a thin film does the job. It's kind of self levelling, so if it's thinner in one bit and thicker in another it levels itself out so that the depth is the same all over. The only bit I re-treated was the fork legs after riding through heavy rain.

 

[Dinger]

Yes, comes out looking like oily pink shaving foam. Both times I've done it I've coverered the discs with plastic shopping bags, removed the seat, then used a whole can all over the bike. Then get a rag and wipe off the excess. As you wipe it off (your not really wiping it off it just looks like you are) the rag get coated in the stuff and it gets spread all over the bike. It doesn't need to be too thick, just a thin film does the job. It's kind of self levelling, so if it's thinner in one bit and thicker in another it levels itself out so that the depth is the same all over. The only bit I re-treated was the fork legs after riding through heavy rain.

Cheers Bob. Right it's going to get it!

 

[IanM]

ACF 50 - I have applied it in the same way as L Bob but I warm the can up first and it then comes out in a fine spray as opposed to shaving foam.

I am on my second can and paying £15 a can. Perhaps I will try and by a case.

Ian

 

[laughingBob]

ACF 50 - I have applied it in the same way as L Bob but I warm the can up first and it then comes out in a fine spray as opposed to shaving foam.

I am on my second can and paying £15 a can. Perhaps I will try and by a case.

Ian

Good tip about warming it up. The first tin I used was kept in the house so was considerably warmer than the second which had been kept in the shed and was a little easier to apply.

MPS (formally M&P, in Dorchester, Oxon) are selling it for £11.95 per tin. I wouldn't mind buying some in bulk if it works out considerably cheaper. Let us know if you find anywhere that would do a deal.

 

[ianmac]

Thanks all, she is going out over the hols, got to really! but will follow all advise, Sugar Ray have family commitments at moment for Monday, but can I join you all on next one? regards Ian Co Durham. mob 077999888723

 

[(RIP) Sugar Ray]

Hi Ian

Yes, no probs. I'm on holiday until 04 January, so maybe see what the rest of the week looks like, weather-wise.

Regards,

Charles

 

[(RIP) Sugar Ray]

P.S. Ian - your mobile number looks like it's got one digit too many - pm me the correct one if you like.

Regards,

Charles

 

[ianmac]

Derrr, my fault I,ll blame an excess of "pop" yesterday! its 07799888723.