Salt ooohhhh

SDoc 100 Power Gel - expensive but works a treat on getting ACF50 off. I dilute it 4:1 and just leave it a little longer to do its magic :beerjug:

I have some of this but found it doesn't get it all off. Maybe I'm not leaving it on long enough :nenau
 
To combat salt/corrosion protection I suggest you look at this site www.allyearbiker.co.uk It has some great tips on how to keep your bike protected from salt etc.
 
Bollocks.

A well argued response :augie

For what it's worth my understanding is that salt speeds the corrosion of metals because it is hygroscopic i.e. it attracts water and because it also increases the electrical conductivity of water thereby accelerating corrosion. I always thought that using hot water to wash the bike increased the latter reation which is why it is recommneded to use cold water to rinse off the salt first.

Then again I could also be talking complete bollocks :D:D
 
Mmmm

The theory goes that the warm water partially dissolves the salt, driving it deeper into the nooks and crannies.

Actually, and in fairness, and despite the fact I do find replies like `bollocks` very funny :D I do feel there is some truth in the advantage to washing the bike down in cold water rather than hot water. Based on 4 years experience in Norway using substantial amounts of salt and seeing its effects, 3 decades of engineering experience seeing what corrosion, including salt, does to a wide range of metals and finishes and a lifetime of `seeing what happens when I do things` I feel that IMHO if you are going to wash your bike down after being exposed to salt you have a much better chance of reducing the corrosion by using cold water. Once ALL the salt has been washed away I am sure a warm or hot water wash will clean it even more and I also support the idea of coating the bike with any good anti corrosion application before winter sets in :bounce1

Still, `bollocks` remains funny :clap
 
Is it not the idea when washing ya bike u wash all the salt off? So in that sense it makes no difference if u use hot or cold!

It is very real that increasing temperature speeds up chemical reactions. I can't think of many instances this is not the case. House hold salt (I understand this is not whats on the roads) dissolves better in hot water rather than cold, so it becomes mobile and can indeed flow into all the hard to reach places on ya bike. Having said that, is it not desirable to get as much of the salt off the bike as possible, so using warm water will help the salt come off the bike and dissolve into the water, in this state all we need to do is get salty water off the bike, this can be done with a cloth, compressed air, wd40 or even just keep rinsing it.*

And let's not forget, as you are riding along In the salt, it is getting thrown up onto your bike by your tires, onto a hot engine! generally when the roads are salty, they are wet, as the ice/snow has melted. So the bike is getting cold salt solution thrown at it. This solution is then heated up by the said engine, and then blown into all the gaps by the 60mph wind you are riding into down that 'a' road.*

In any case how long is that temperature increase present when you wash the salt off ya bike using warm water, not long! But enough time perhaps to get the salt dissolved into the water. The temperature increase using warm water, and length of time of the increase, is negligible from a corrosion point of view. It is far moe damaging riding a bike that has salt on it.*

If I been out in the salt I give it a good rinse off with cold water, this is to get rid of big bits of crap, dilute dried on crap. I am aiming for a rinse here, not so much temperature. So the hose pipe is the weapon to use. I want to rinse off the loose stuff, and saturate dried on crap. then wash with autoglym with warm water. Car / bike shampoo works loads better when warm. After that it gets a massive rinse off with cold water, Again here i am looking for high volume of water. This will rinse off the now salt water / shampoo solution then it gets a good going over with a cloth to remove as much water as possible, get the compresor on the engine fins to get rid of the water there, then gets gt85 or wd40 to displace all the remaining water, all underneath the beak where the electrics and front shock are, rear shock and swing arm. Probably use 1/3 of a large can of the stuff.*

Whole ordeal takes around an hour and half. Make sure u do underneath the swing arm!

But I am fortunate enough I have got the time to go to such lengths.*

Personally if I did not have the time I would rinse it off with cold water (because that's how it comes out the hose pipe), then give it a lashing with wd40 to remove as much water (or now salt solution) as possible.

It does annoy me slightly people come to this question and say experience this and experience that. All related to the effects of salt. This IMHO is not in debate. Just think about how the salt gets on to the bike and in what form (dust / in water), what environment the salt is exposed to while on your bike (hot engine, cold swing arm etc) and what you are trying to achieve when washing the bike (remove the salt). We are trying to get as much of the salt off the bike and into the water, salt dissolves best in warm water. So this is the best way to remove salt from the bike. The corrosion effects of exposing your saltily bike to warm water for an 20 mins is negligible compared to riding home in the salt.

*Plenty of people ride in the salt with no problems,a clean bike that is taken out for an hour in the salt, that salty hot engine, then taken home and cleaned is no worse for wear paint work wise from the salt, so a 20 min hot bath will make no difference what so ever

Kr Craig
 
Just to add to my already far to long post, corrosion in this instance is accelerated by temperature as we all know, but also exposure time and concentration of salt. That hour long commute home with salt on the engine, is exposed to temperatures in excess of 70deg c for argument sake for that time, while getting more salt thrown at it, a bath when it gets home with 40 - 50degc for 20 mins, while the salt concentration is decreasing makes no difference

Kr
Craig
 
I use Scottoiler and never had an issue. Only trouble with this is that if it rains you need to re-apply it. The reason I use this rather than ACF50 is that ACF50 is a ballache to get off come spring time

Done to death...
ACF50.

FS365 not as effective. Go look at http://www.acf-50.co.uk/motorcycle.htm

I have both in my garage BUT prefer the Scottoiler!
Don't get me wrong, the ACF gets used on the engine cover, exposed nut's & bolts & other exposed places, but this cover everything & leave it all winter lark ............. :nenau

What is the point in having a sparkly bike if it's always covered in road shite?

Ride it, wash it, scotoil it & love it ............. :bounce1
 
Each time I read another post in this thread, I seem to migrate into the garage and start brushing more ACF50 onto my bike, just in case I missed a bit last night or the night before or the night before that. Bike now looks like I dropped it in an oil bath.
 
Leave it until Spring, won't hurt a jot......................these Beemers are built like tanks and the finish is the best on any bike in the world

The paint and chrome will laugh in the face of salt:thumb

Love it Johnny, this is why I bought my new GSA in the first place. :thumb

Best regrds Stretch :)
 


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