Bikes to Use in the UK Winter and Salt

JoeC

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Thinking of getting rid of my 800GSA for a non-BMW bike but need a make that will stand up to the northern UK winter and high use of salt. Last I knew of Suzuki and Kawazaki's were that they were not the best quality where BMW, Honda and Yamaha were. What say you?
Yes I know all bikes are the same and you need to wash them regularly but some makes are better than others dealing with the weather.

Thanks
Joe
 
2 things. They don’t make them like they used to. Salt seems to be more corrosive than it used to be. JJH
 
Honda Pan European and lots of ACF does it for me ...


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Honda CB500X, mine looks better after 4 winters than my 800GS's did after 1 commuting.


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I had a 1999/2000 triumph 900 trophy that was used all year round. I just washed and polished it on a regular basis, hardly any rust on it. Far better built than the modern bikes. The owner before me kept it on the pavement, chained to a lamp post as he had no access to a garage or shed living in an Edinburgh flat. Sorry I sold it :(
 
2 things. They don’t make them like they used to. Salt seems to be more corrosive than it used to be. JJH

they add molasses to make it stickier so it stays on the road and any other surface, so they don't have to apply it so often
 
I had a 1999/2000 triumph 900 trophy that was used all year round. I just washed and polished it on a regular basis, hardly any rust on it. Far better built than the modern bikes. The owner before me kept it on the pavement, chained to a lamp post as he had no access to a garage or shed living in an Edinburgh flat. Sorry I sold it :(
I had one of those. Good quality iron in them. Had a few other problems with it so I’m not so nostalgic about it. Mabey if Triumph had acknowledged my existence it might have got sorted. JJH
 
Thinking of getting rid of my 800GSA for a non-BMW bike but need a make that will stand up to the northern UK winter and high use of salt. Last I knew of Suzuki and Kawazaki's were that they were not the best quality where BMW, Honda and Yamaha were. What say you?
Yes I know all bikes are the same and you need to wash them regularly but some makes are better than others dealing with the weather.

Thanks
Joe

I ride my R1200RS all year. It's completed 3 winters and does not look too bad as a result.

Before the RS, I had a Yamaha MT09 Tracer. Used that through 2 winters and it was fine, too.

I don't tend to wash the bikes. Just let a crust develop. This keeps the air away from the metal. It's not the salt that does the damage but the water and oxygen that combine with it.

I'd keep the GS and use that.
 
The best

Just runs n runs n runs.
 

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Suzuki Bandit 1250 very reliable I've found in every way :thumb2
 


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