Corrosion : yes or no ?

cookie · May 2, 2016

JohnnyBoxer said:
Do you think a bike dryer is a good thing?

Seem to be all the rage

I think they are a waste of time and money unless you need to dry the bike to polish straight after washing.

Then I think you'd need a proper hot dryer. I've tried a Stihl leaf blower in the past and although it did clear a lot of water, it didn't get it all, which is what you need.

DING-DONG · May 3, 2016

cookie said:
I think they are a waste of time and money unless you need to dry the bike to polish straight after washing.
.

The one I have blows warm air and tbh it's surprising how much water it blows out the switch gear obviously this alone is a good thing otherwise the water just sits there, I highly rate them, plus if you acf50 the bike you can use the blower to push acf into areas you can't reach .

Nutty · May 3, 2016

cookie said:
I think they are a waste of time and money unless you need to dry the bike to polish straight after washing.

Then I think you'd need a proper hot dryer. I've tried a Stihl leaf blower in the past and although it did clear a lot of water, it didn't get it all, which is what you need.

The dedicated bike dryers blow warm air.

Bit like JB!

blues n twos · May 3, 2016

zoltan said:
"If you were painting an ali Johnson or Mercury boat motor leg for total salt water immersion, you would first cover the ali in some acid, wash off, neutralize, clean, dry, then coat with a chromate based etch primer, usually yellow in color. Then follows the layer build up and hot oven bake. I bought a tin of this Johnson chromate primer years ago and have used it on several ali paint projects. Marine paints are also very good quality and nothing like auto paint.

If you want decent paint or powder coating work done, talk to marine painters, they know what they are about when parts need to withstand salt water."

Voxmagna from i-bmw.com in 2004

Couldn't agree more. The 1984 Mariner outboard I have on my boat is like new. No corrosion whatsoever :beerjug:

JohnnyBoxer said:
So, what's next?

I'm using it daily now but for next winter I will ACF50 it and put it away and probably buy a hack scooter to commute

blues n twos · May 3, 2016

DING-DONG said:
The one I have blows warm air and tbh it's surprising how much water it blows out the switch gear obviously this alone is a good thing otherwise the water just sits there, I highly rate them, plus if you acf50 the bike you can use the blower to push acf into areas you can't reach .

Yup I love mine, As above, the amount of water that sits in and around the switchgear is alarming

very addictive though and I'm walking round the bike chasing the last dribble of water away

xbpod · May 3, 2016

GS, engine replaced after 6000 miles due to corrosion. Bike cleaned regularly and parked in a dry garage. Never used over winter and rarely in the rain :hide

Mawnanian · May 3, 2016

Bought my GS 7 months ago and put 6300 miles on it so far. Had it 'all year biker'd' last November and have jet washed it and given it a rub over a couple of times since then. No sign of corrosion on mine yet but looking at customers bikes (LCs) and bikes awaiting preparation the other day in the local dealer half (out of 6) had bubbling on the engine paint most commonly on the left hand side along the join between the crankcase and the cylinder barrel.
I dropped back in there a few days later and one of the affected bikes, a 2013 model was now in the showroom with not a bubble in sight. I mentioned it to the salesman who unsurprisingly denied any knowledge of it. I'd love know what they'd done.

Engineer · May 3, 2016

When I wash my bike I cover the switchgear to avoid excessive amounts water getting into the switches, it is all to easy to give the switches an 'overdose' of water with a normal hose let alone a pressure washer. The individual switch elements are waterproofed but leaving lots of water in the switch housing doesn't feel right to me.

JohnnyBoxer · May 3, 2016

Engineer said:
When I wash my bike I cover the switchgear to avoid excessive amounts water getting into the switches, it is all to easy to give the switches an 'overdose' of water with a normal hose let alone a pressure washer. The individual switch elements are waterproofed but leaving lots of water in the switch housing doesn't feel right to me.

You seem an ideal candidate for a Bike Dryer

Deleted account 211025001 · May 3, 2016

Engineer said:
When I wash my bike I cover the switchgear to avoid excessive amounts water getting into the switches, it is all to easy to give the switches an 'overdose' of water with a normal hose let alone a pressure washer. The individual switch elements are waterproofed but leaving lots of water in the switch housing doesn't feel right to me.

What do you do when you ride in the rain? You know, like a proper M-Way slog in torrential rain?? Or worse still, in the winter when you're getting drenched in saline??? Do you wrap little plastic bags around your switch gear then????

Andres

blues n twos · May 3, 2016

Mawnanian said:
No sign of corrosion on mine yet but looking at customers bikes (LCs) and bikes awaiting preparation the other day in the local dealer half (out of 6) had bubbling on the engine paint most commonly on the left hand side along the join between the crankcase and the cylinder barrel.

Exactly where mine had started. Hardly noticeable but it was only going to get worse so I opted for a new engine

WaterMonkey · May 3, 2016

blues n twos said:
Exactly where mine had started. Hardly noticeable but it was only going to get worse so I opted for a new engine

They gave you a new engine for a small bit of bubbling? That's interesting, bought mine from a dealer 2nd hand, it had had a new engine after a year due to corrosion, this engine is now about 1.5 years old and I've noticed a bit of bubbling on the left had side as described above. I have a year's warranty on the bike, should I be bringing it to their attention then in the hope of a new engine?

cookie · May 3, 2016

WaterMonkey said:
They gave you a new engine for a small bit of bubbling? That's interesting, bought mine from a dealer 2nd hand, it had had a new engine after a year due to corrosion, this engine is now about 1.5 years old and I've noticed a bit of bubbling on the left had side as described above. I have a year's warranty on the bike, should I be bringing it to their attention then in the hope of a new engine?

they'll probably just give you someone else's old unit, touched up with hammerite.

it would cost them a fortune otherwise

Engineer · May 3, 2016

Outtomunch said:
What do you do when you ride in the rain? You know, like a proper M-Way slog in torrential rain?? Or worse still, in the winter when you're getting drenched in saline??? Do you wrap little plastic bags around your switch gear then????

Andres

Some numpty just had to ask that question, as expected! - I'll leave it to you to work it out, but here is a hint, go back to the water ingress switch threads of old and look at how the switches are sealed against water penetration.

Engineer · May 3, 2016

JohnnyBoxer said:
You seem an ideal candidate for a Bike Dryer

Would be useful for the rest of the bike, don't need it for the switches though.

Biot · May 3, 2016

My just turned, 3 year old GS TE (2nd owner) has 14000 miles now and the paint is bubbling and flaking around the cylinder heads. Got rid of my Multistrada 1200 S Touring as one of the many many issues I had was crap paint on engine cases. Am now taking pictures and e-mailing them to local dealer who is dealing with BMW UK on behalf of another customer with exact same bike as mine with the exact same issue. If your on here give me a bell. (Norwich dealer, red TE).
They can load a bike with ABS this, ESC that, blah blah. But still finish an engine off with a sub standard cheese coating. Sorry ranting: but really peeeeeeeeeeed off with the same old problem.

Mawnanian · May 3, 2016

blues n twos said:
Exactly where mine had started. Hardly noticeable but it was only going to get worse so I opted for a new engine

I'd be quite happy to get a new engine, preferably after 23 months of ownership but it's a motorcycle, not the Crown Jewels so I could put up with a few blemishes after two years. After all in 20 or more years time it will become patina and add to the value although I expect failing electronics will have killed the bike off before then.
I think the obsession with keeping bikes in showroom condition is largely to do with PCP agreements but if I had to wash and blow dry the thing every time I used it I wouldn't bother in the first place.

blues n twos · May 3, 2016

WaterMonkey said:
They gave you a new engine for a small bit of bubbling? That's interesting, bought mine from a dealer 2nd hand, it had had a new engine after a year due to corrosion, this engine is now about 1.5 years old and I've noticed a bit of bubbling on the left had side as described above. I have a year's warranty on the bike, should I be bringing it to their attention then in the hope of a new engine?

My warranty will expire in June and I was asking the dealer about this very thing and his answer is one engine and that's ya lot!!

But at £6500 a pop I guess you get ya monies worth out of the warranty.

A year on on my new engine and all good. However I didn't ride it this winter and it's only covered 2k on new engine

Steviej4558 · Jul 25, 2016

Any tips? MY 65 plate has bubbles on the cylinder head, it's like the paint is bubbling, some corrosion on the bolts ect,

Thing is do I try for a new engine? Bike is 9 months old 4.5k

I also have a 09 GSA and in my opinion it's in better nick! My LC is in a proper mess? Washed after every winter ride and caked in FS 365! Think BMW have got it wrong!

Bmgsrider · Jul 25, 2016

fatal said:
My 2002 R1150GS had the paint peeling off the engine covers and fork legs when it was about 30 months old. My 1990 R100gs has very little corrosion despite winter use. I just wash it when it's dirty.
I think the quality of modern BMW motorcycles is well below that of those made a decade or two earlier.

Absolutely agree.

Corrosion : yes or no ?

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