Winter protection......whats good???

[Gavin4333]

A question for anybody who rides through winter. whats the best method of protecting the wheels from the road salt??

I hose the bike down with cold water after evry ride and in the past have painted 'Waxoyl' on anything likely to corrode - looks terible but come spring cleans off great - anybody got another product/solution?

Also. apart form the wheels are there any other areas/items that are particularly vunerable to salt??

Cheers - hope you all have a fantastic 2004

 

[Paul Wakefield]

BMW wax - just don't get it on the discs; makes trying to stop very exciting. Use white spirit to remove in the Spring.

I try to wash mine every time I've been out in the salt but if its 7.30pm cold, wet and, of course, dark (I don't have a garage), the spirit is sometimes not very willing. Also I get concerned about soaking the bike in water and then leaving it outside in freezing conditions. Anybody got any views whether water freezing and so expanding is likely to do any damage?

Paul

 

[BigBadBen]

Winter Protection

Hi there.

I use Winta-wax all over the engine and fork lowers and don't wash off until March.

With the wheels, I purposely don't wash them from November onwards to let a thick layer of oily dirt build up on them. I clean them again in March and hey-presto nice clean undamaged wheels.

I used to have a Tiger and cleaned the wheels mid-winter, the salt pitted them after one week!


Winta-wax is great, it washes off with solvent leaving everything well protected.

Hope this helps,

BBB

 

[gavin]

I'm using this http://www.worldwideaviation.co.uk/ACF-50/ACF-50Main.htm

 

[Mick_rw]

Just read....

I'm using this http://www.worldwideaviation.co.uk/ACF-50/ACF-50Main.htm

the info on the web site you mentioned and the Jaws Motorcycle suppliers, sounds pretty good, but how much do you use and how often do you use it.

Was looking at the cost 4ltrs at £100.

Mick

 

[doubleR]

Always used grease diluted in petrol and then spray on with an air gun. Leave on and wash off in the spring.
Bikes looks a bit black after a few weeks but sparkles once washed - also a very cheap method.

 

[Flying banana]

Winter protection

Personally, I use WD40, and have done fer years. I just wash the bike regularly, and then spray the stuff everywhere,(apart from the brake discs, otherwise it makes life interesting). I have jjust changed from a 16year old BMW K100RS which was still looking bloody clean, even tho I say it myself. Its cheaper than most other products I have found, and does the job. I have heard one or two stories about it attacking rubber and plastics, but I have never experienced problems. Just be careful of spraying a tinfull onto the tyres, and you should be ok.

FlyingB

 

[gavin]

Re: Just read....

the info on the web site you mentioned and the Jaws Motorcycle suppliers, sounds pretty good, but how much do you use and how often do you use it.

Was looking at the cost 4ltrs at £100.

Mick

I'd advise against the 4 litre pack, you'll die before you use it all, i've got the 1 litre pack with refillable pump and it looks like it'll last forever!. I use a small piece of rag saturated with the stuff and rub it over all the exposed parts, it tends to 'creep' into all the places that would normally be covered in road salt etc. Frequency of use will depend on how often you ride in the worst conditions, it really does last. Worldwide aviation at Bournemouth Airport can supply it too.

 

[Mick_rw]

Thanks...

for that Gavin, will have a look see...

Cheers