Hi Rich-
After my one run-in with surprise road salt, I started to wash my bike off when I got to work, and the steam from the engine and exhaust made me nervous of doing some thermal shock damage from too-quick a cool-down. I hope we didn't do any potential damage - nobody seemed concerned about it here, though. It was three days before I could get to washing the bike, and there was definitely some rust starting in a couple of spots.
ACF-50 seems to be the coating of choice, longer lasting and safer for electrics than WD-40. But, it's more expensive and much harder to find - I had to mail-order it and shipping doubled my cost. With the ACF-50 from the aerosol spray can, I tried to coat the bike with a thin, even application, but it just wasn't possible. The stuff came out of the can in kind of a lumpy stream, rather than a fog or even a spray. I found the over-spray to be excessive, and I basically ended up using the whole 13 oz. can before I had everything covered. If I ever do it again, I probably would buy the smallest non-aerosol quantity (32 oz, I think) and figure a better way to apply it, maybe some sort of pump sprayer (either pump-up or even a simple windex bottle) that will allow me to choose the spray pattern I want, which is more of a mist.
Now that spring is coming and I'm starting to do some work on the bike, I'm finding that I can't touch anything without getting the residue all over my hands, and whatever clothing I'm wearing, which is fine for shop work but I wouldn't want it on my riding gear. I just don't see how this stuff can avoid attracting dirt - my chain lube promised the same thing, and when I followed the directions for that, I still ended up with a black gunky mess, on the chain but also on the spokes and wheel rim (and yet, I still ended up with rust on the chain after my salty ride! Don't care, 'cause I'm replacing the chain this spring, but I don't want a repeat performance!).
I've removed some parts - tail light assembly, headlight, speedo - and where I've tried to wipe the stuff off all the shiny glass and chrome parts with a clean rag, an oily residue is left behind which I'm pretty sure will require some sort of soap or cleaner to remove. This residue is probably what's protecting the surfaces from corrosion, but it sure doesn't look very good. I'm not interested in a show bike, but I don't want my glass and very few chrome bits I have to look so hazy.
When I asked about cleaning it off, I didn't really get an answer from any experienced ACF users - the consensus among the few who replied seems to be to just leave it on. I may do that... invest in a roll of paper towels and wipe everything down the best I can, probably use some cleaner on the shiny bits, and see what happens...
I don't want to try to encourage you one way or another, I'm just telling you my experience as a guy new to this stuff. Bare seems to like it - apparently he sprays it on, lets it drip-dry, and he's good to go. I wouldn't feel comfortable riding my bike in its current state, too greasy - like trying to ride a greased pig!