Winter protection

[Nutty]

As a newbie to the world of motorcycling and the GS, can anyone give me some advice on the best way to protect the bike for winter? I'll only be riding the bike evenings and weekends (as long as it isn't snowing!), and probably wont be riding on gritted roads, so wondered what the best products are, and how to apply them.

I've got some ACF50 in the garage, and some MucOff bike spray, but have read that the ACF50 leaves a pink sticky coating on everything. What's the best way to apply this stuff? Where do I apply it? After reading a post on here about getting the bike cleaned up for winter, then not washing it until the new year, and it looking brand new again, this is very appealing

So, any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Merv]

Give the bike a good clean and apply acf liberally taking care not to coat ur tyres, brake discs and calibers etc or u will have NO brakes.I did this last year and didnt wash my bike til spring and yep no rust,just remember to reapply acf where it gets washed of over a period of time by wind,rain etc
Your bike wont have a pink shade but will look dirty as everything sticks to the acf

 

[Slick]

Full info on ACF50, what it is, what it does and how to apply it -

http://www.allyearbiker.co.uk/ACF50.html

By the way, stay clear of the Muck Off.

 

[dakarDude]

+1 on the ACF50!

Used it all last Winter and no damage or corrosion on my GSA. I commuted every day on that bike with it coated in ACF.

In Spring, get the ACF off with SDOC100.

Stevie73 and Rudiemoto at Adventure Bike Warehouse sell ACF:

http://www.adventurebikewarehouse.co.uk/acf50-p-321.html?sesid=e4s3khss0kh5m72dh6n513sdh5

..SDOC100 is normally available online or at Gericke's.

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

As above ACF50, bike used all through last winter and no corrosion at all. The bike looks skanky all winter but it is a small price to pay. By the way its only slightly pink while its wet, when dry its clear and shiny until the crap sticks to it. It actually makes the the bike look great until it gets dirty.

 

[shunter]

Full info on ACF50, what it is, what it does and how to apply it -

http://www.allyearbiker.co.uk/ACF50.html

By the way, stay clear of the Muck Off.

I'm curious why you don't recommend Muck Off. I have used their wash as a pre-wash for years now and their bike spray for plastics etc on my motorcycles and bicycles. ACF 50 during the winter for salt protection.

At other times have used S100 protecterant and F365.

 

[CongletonBaggie]

Muck off

Just collected my first new secondhand GS. The dealer, Chandlers, Brighton told me not to use Muck Off because it can react with chemicals in paints and treatments used by BMW. It may leave surfaces with a milky coating that will never come off and it's not covered under warranty. Just got back, 181 miles on a filthy day, the bike felt very assured in the conditions. I'm impressed.

 

[GSband]

I apply ACF50 on my bike. It's done 75000km so far, and I ride through winter, so even when the roads are salty, but not when it's slippery. I worry most over the front of the engine, so I make sure it's covered in the stuff, taking off the black plastic alternator belt cover and squirting ACF on the normally hidden surface and even IN the bolt threads. When I wash the bike (to cleanse away any salty deposits), I re-apply. Bike's still looking like new.

Enjoy the ride,
GSband

 

[G5RJO]

Scottoiler f365

Have used 365 on my bikes for as long as I can remember. Used every day, rain, snow, ice, whatever.

I spray it on when I get home from the daily commute and keep a bottle at work that I apply when I get there so two doses a day in the 'salty days'.

Best tip has to be not to was the bike with hot water over the winter. Hose it off or pressure wash it COLD (I know about pressure washer warnings and I'm careful so not bothered). A hot salty bath is really good for rust! That's how people test corrosion resistance.

The only corrosion on my 2year old 25k bike is a fraction on the front hub next to the brake disc bolts and I don't worry too much about that.

Buy it in bulk at heine gerike and it's cheaper, a gallon last me a year.

Roger.

 

[Stormforce8]

We also sell ACF50 - but in the larger quart bottles with the separate applicator pump bottle

We use the refillable pump action spray bottle when treating our bikes. This means you can get the ACF-50 where you want it much more accurately and you aren't wasting any spraying it all over the place.

Plus - it lasts for AGES - my current bottle is still going strong after 4 years

• Give your bike a deep clean in the Autumn and apply ACF50
• During the winter months, rinse off occasionally with COLD water
• Springtime arrives - gleefully give your bike another another deep clean to reveal the corrosion free beauty..................

Scottoiler FS365 is OK but you have to keep re-applying it - so end up using loads.

Muc-Off can be used if you dilute it 1:1 with water (apparently )

 

[AdamA]

Plus - it lasts for AGES - my current bottle is still going strong after 4 years

http://www.allyearbiker.co.uk/ACF50.html
Small print, bottom of the page.

 

[Nutty]

Cheers for all the replies guys. I'll have go with the acf in the week, and see how I get on. I'm a bit dubious about all the crap sticking to it though, as I like the bike to look good (I'm ready for a load of stick about how a gs should ALWAYS be covered in shite from some of you ), but guess I can always wash it off if I don't like the results?

 

[Stormforce8]

http://www.allyearbiker.co.uk/ACF50.html
Small print, bottom of the page.

Still works for me.............

 

[AdamA]

Still works for me.............

The oil in it is clearly not going to stop forming a protective barrier.
The other anti corrosion additives may well not be effective tho.

 

[AdamA]

I'm a bit dubious about all the crap sticking to it though, as I like the bike to look good (I'm ready for a load of stick about how a gs should ALWAYS be covered in shite from some of you ), but guess I can always wash it off if I don't like the results?

That's where the high pressure method of application allyearbiker use comes into it's own. The bare minimum coating of acf is used, so there is no excess for the crap to stick to.
You could no doubt get similar results with the quart bottle and an airbrush set off ebay....

 

[Mick_rw]

I have always.....

It may leave surfaces with a milky coating that will never come off and it's not covered under warranty..

used Muck-Off and only found that problem on the wheels, bikes a 1150GS.......

 

[AdamA]

used Muck-Off and only found that problem on the wheels, bikes a 1150GS.......

It's only really a problem if you leave it on too long/don't rinse it off thoroughly. It can happen tho, but if you are quick and thorough it doesn't usually become a problem...

 

[Deleted account 190920001]

I use a paraffin gun which puts it on thin but the crap still sticks to it. I don't mind though as the bike looks like crap in the winter anyway but at least I know when I give it a good clean in the spring its still shiny underneath. I still give it a hose down which gets rid of most of it but it still has a dull coating on it. Unless you only drive on the rare dry days the bike is going to look like shit anyway but at least this way it is protected.

 

[wheelnut]

Just given mine a good clean and acf'd it this afternnon.

If you use the pump bottle, as I do, it's an idea to drop it in a jug of hot water for a few minutes first. It seesm to help it atomise better.

To stop getting to much on the brake disks I tend to do that area with a fine paintbrush. I use a the brush to dab it on the bolt heads dotted around the plastic as it saves spraying it everywhere. If you do the disk bolts as I normally do, expect some to travel on to the disk in the first few miles. It wears off again but be aware it does seriously affect the brakes for a bit.

Once the salt starts it will get a quick hose off every day before it goes in the garage and a quick squirt of fs365.