[James.]

Yes it's that time when the British icy roads are coated with a nice spreading of corrosive road salt.Some us of us put their nicely chrome  polished garage queen's away for the winter while others either commute or like myself like the occasional sunny winters day outing.I believe that  after a salty ride a good clean with cold water (not pressure ,washes salt into the unknown) is still the best option for cleaning down.Anyone have any other cleaning suggestions.?

[Karl Childers]

I've heard of some people putting a light coating of oil on their bikes with a paint brush for the winter and reapplying as needed. It's a mess to clean up in the Spring but it keeps the rust at bay.

[Richard230]

I've heard of some people putting a light coating of oil on their bikes with a paint brush for the winter and reapplying as needed. It's a mess to clean up in the Spring but it keeps the rust at bay.

Maybe WD-40 instead of actual oil?  No salt, cold weather, snow, or ice where I live, so all I have to deal with are water spots.

[James.]

I've heard of some people putting a light coating of oil on their bikes with a paint brush for the winter and reapplying as needed. It's a mess to clean up in the Spring but it keeps the rust at bay.

Yeah that's ok for storing the bike,bit messy though but I am talking about cleaning procedure for removing salt after a Rideout.

[Karl Childers]

A full throttle launch into a nearby pond?

I have always lived in snow country and have put up my beloved bike or truck and ridden / driven a cheap beater in salt season. It seems like you can never get to every nook and cranny that corrosive material can get in and I won't use a pressure washer, especially on a motorcycle. A cheap disposable bike has been my answer.

[Keef Sparrow]

Maybe WD-40 instead of actual oil?  No salt, cold weather, snow, or ice where I live, so all I have to deal with are water spots.

I cover everything (apart from brakes & tyres) in WD-40 all year round and I find it pretty effective at cleaning and keeping corrosion at bay. But as soon as the first salt goes down on the roads I take the bike off the road for the winter and commute in the car instead.

[Boxerman]

You could try Scottoiler FS365 its a spray on / wash off fluid which is meant to protect the bike from salt or other corrosion.
Or there is ACF50 which is an apply and leave it on till spring solution.
I've used both but prefer the ACF50.
If you google them both, you can find out which [if any] is best for what you want.

Frank

[tooseevee]

If you really, seriously want to stop rust on your bike from salt or just plain water, coat the whole damn bike with Fluid Film & then don't ride it at all if you live anywhere where there is Winter. Rust never sleeps.

You can get FF in aerosol spray cans, but it's very expensive that way. The best way is to buy a gallon on Ebay or at a John Deere dealer; it has MANY other uses around the house or garage or shop.   

I've used it on cars over the years since the early '70s. Heat it up & use an electric spray gun. I haven't used it on a bike since around '91 or '92 when it finally became impossible for me to ride in even cool weather let alone cold weather.   

[axman88]

I put a little dish detergent in my bucket of warm water.  The warm water keeps my hands from freezing and the parts dry quicker.

The RE military series finishes, like my C5 Desert Storm, with more paint than chrome, are a blessing for dealing with corrosive environments.  Degraded paint can be made to look like new, with very little expense.  Rusted chrome, ... not so much.

[AzCal Retred]

Now THIS is where the "laissez-faire" methodology really comes into its own. I DEFY any salt to creep past a nice thick coating of chail lube, gear oil, engine oil blowby mist and road dust! Results in rather a nice Hershey's chocolate brown dappled effect. My fork seals also appear to be following suit, good for rim & spoke longevity but not so much for the brake shoes...

Seriously, I've never had to live in road salt territory, I dunno how you guys do it. In Michigan on vacation once I saw a 3 year old Pontiac Fiero with a cancered-out body I could have pushed my index finger thru...

[axman88]

Seriously, I've never had to live in road salt territory, I dunno how you guys do it. In Michigan on vacation once I saw a 3 year old Pontiac Fiero with a cancered-out body I could have pushed my index finger thru...

Most folks around here manage by relying on cars and putting their two wheelers in storage from mid October or so, until mid April.  This avoids both the cold and the salt, as well as the anxiety inducing experience of walking out of the office in darkness, thanks to "daylight wastings time", through an employee door that locks behind you, to climb into a cold damp saddle.

I haven't seen another motorcycle on the streets for the last few weeks.  Many will be dragged out for the ritual that is the annual "toys for tots" ride.   The bicycle people seem to be lot more persistent, I suspect some are closer to religious devotees than either hobbyists or commuters.

One interesting and delightful side effect of the resulting 6 month "riding season", is an abundance of low mileage, and low priced, 2nd hand machines.  The best deals show up at the beginning of "storage seeking season", and the most interesting and rare opportunities show up during the warm months, whenever the owner gets around to excavating the archeological site that is most folk's garages.  To me, there are few phrases sweeter in a Craigslist ad than, "just need the space".

[Adrian II]

They were definitely salt spreading on the M5 while I was driving up to Alpha Bearings with a couple of crankshafts today. The car grit-blasted by the spreader truck as I overtook!

A.

[gizzo]

Yes it's that time when the British icy roads are coated with a nice spreading of corrosive road salt.Some us of us put their nicely chrome  polished garage queen's away for the winter while others either commute or like myself like the occasional sunny winters day outing.I believe that  after a salty ride a good clean with cold water (not pressure ,washes salt into the unknown) is still the best option for cleaning down.Anyone have any other cleaning suggestions.?

Do you guys who have to deal with winter salt keep a "beater" bike that you don't care about for winter riding? That sounds like a good option to me, sitting here where it never snows and we have no salt. It sounds ghastly.

[Leofric]

Clear Waxoyl on parts where appropriate. Bike in garage most of winter .

[axman88]

Clear Waxoyl on parts where appropriate. Bike in garage most of winter .

Any comment on Dinitrol vs. Waxoyl?  Dinitrol includes a rust inhibitor and is grease based (sounds unsightly and messy), where I understand Waxoyl is a wax / oil mixture.

[Leofric]

Any comment on Dinitrol vs. Waxoyl?  Dinitrol includes a rust inhibitor and is grease based (sounds unsightly and messy), where I understand Waxoyl is a wax / oil mixture.

Clear Waxoyl  is actually yellow, not clear.
It dries to a waxy consistency waxy , not really hard. It can be thinned a bit with white spirit to apply it.
Black waxoyl is like the old fashioned body underseal but with rust inhibiting (and rust killing supposedly )  properties. It could be used on underside of metal mudguards for example.
I haven't used Dinitrol or AFC 50.
According to a Royal Enfield enthusiast on Utube AFC 50 is really best for internal cavities as it easily washes off exposed motorcycle parts.

[Leofric]

Waxoyl is also a rust inhibitor.

[Chris ~ Stockport]

I've used Waxoyl on relevant parts for years. It's nice and shiny underneath when you clean it off in the spring... despite salty, wet roads.
(Two 500cc Bullets)

[One_Box]

I use an 8 ltr garden sprayer on my bike not even a garden hose. The nozzle is small enough to get into the  smallest cavities on the bike and the water pressure is low enough not to damage bearing seals etc.
I only ride for pleasure and the motorcycle club I belong to is active throughout the year. So plenty of occasions when the bike is covered in salt/crud when I return from a ride.
I spray the bike with fresh cold water once the engine has cooled down followed by Muck Off motorcycle cleaner. Rinse off again with fresh water then an application of wash/wax car cleaner. More fresh water and then the bike is blow dried to get rid of all moisture. Finally an application of Silkolene Pro Prep (not on the brakes obviously.)
I have had my Hunter 350 for a month now and believe the powder coat finish on the engine will last well  given a regular dose of TLC.

[Leofric]

I've used Waxoyl on relevant parts for years. It's nice and shiny underneath when you clean it off in the spring... despite salty, wet roads.
(Two 500cc Bullets)

Yes. I haven't got round to doing mine this winter.

[Raymond]

The whole road salt thing is one of the biggest fly-in-the-ointment issues for me. Years ago used to commute by bike all year round and the salt really ruins bikes. The advice of washing the bike after an outing don't work when you get home, cold & tired, and it's getting dark so the bike gets shoved in the garage to sit and rust.

Since retiring, have tended to keep the bikes off the road over the salt season. But, the salt season has grown longer. It would appear that Scottish Government policy is to 'treat' the roads to tons of something corrosive if there is the least possibility that temperatures might fall to within a few degrees of freezing at any point in the 24 hours, regardless of whether ice is likely. Recently, the forecast was for temps to fall during the night ahead of a warm front which would bring temps well up early in the am, but sadly the gritters were out that evening. The other day, the roads were heavily salted although there was barely a touch of frost and the roads were completely dry. Currently, the Great Salt starts as early as 1st September and can continue into April.

This Winter, have kept my XS650 and iron barrel Bullet in the garage except for one or two ventures locally on days when it has been warm and rain has washed the roads. My poor W800 has been designated Winter bike and I bought some lanolin Fluid Film and treated all accessible areas before the salt started. I have used the bike, not daily but as weather has permitted. New chain & sprockets sitting on a shelf. As soon as I feel the danger has abated, I have promised to take the bike off the road to fit these, remove the stands, grease all pivots, etcetera. Do what I can to rescue the damage.

Speaking to employees of Scottish Borders Council, it would appear that policy regarding salt is driven by fear of being sued if somebody manages to crash their car - the first question the Police and insurance company will ask is, Had the roads been treated?

Should probably emigrate . . .

[Leofric]

Reply 20 - you have pretty much summed it all up for me. I need to wash my bikes soon when I hope the salt has gone, and get out the Waxoyl for treating hidden areas.

[Raymond]

Yesterday, beautiful afternoon, really warm, Sun in the sky, not a cloud in sight. Went out on the Yamaha, just a short trip, sixteen miles or so. Back at the house, still a lovely afternoon so I pulled the Bullet out from the garage, fired her up and headed out for a similar ride.

AAAARRRGGH! Bloody salt, liberally spread, heaps of it all the way up the village main street. The trucks have been out since I got home less than half-an-hour earlier. So I tried a back road up to the next village and found they had been that way too. Ended up cutting the trip short and headed home because I don't want to subject the poor bike to a coating in corrosive dust.

Yes, last night was a clear night and temps fell. Yes, there was frost on the grass this morning. But absolutely no ice. Even puddles out in open places were ice free. Our street, not on the gritters' route, is clean and dry. Definitely not slippery.

This is 3rd April, it's going to be another warm and dry day. This is expected to be a week of good weather and I would contend that there was no need whatsoever to salt the roads. Does this mean the roads are unusable unless I am prepared to sacrifice the bike to rust? Is the riding season going to be late July to early August?

I am in despair.

 

[tooseevee]

My poor W800 has been designated Winter bike and I bought some lanolin Fluid Film and treated all accessible areas before the salt started.

      Really good product. I've used it on cars since the '60s & have never been without a gallon on hand since. It has a thousand uses. The scent also reminds me of my mother who used Alberto VO-5 on her hair her whole life (let's don't get kinky now  ).

Every year I slather it on my 2nd floor deck, rails, floor, everything, which I built at least 25 years ago & it still looks like furniture. No greying, no checking, no cracking. It soaks in & is not slippery.

I've also heard good things about Dinitrol & Waxoyl.

[Keef Sparrow]

Yesterday, beautiful afternoon, really warm, Sun in the sky, not a cloud in sight. Went out on the Yamaha, just a short trip, sixteen miles or so. Back at the house, still a lovely afternoon so I pulled the Bullet out from the garage, fired her up and headed out for a similar ride.

AAAARRRGGH! Bloody salt, liberally spread, heaps of it all the way up the village main street. The trucks have been out since I got home less than half-an-hour earlier. So I tried a back road up to the next village and found they had been that way too. Ended up cutting the trip short and headed home because I don't want to subject the poor bike to a coating in corrosive dust.

Yes, last night was a clear night and temps fell. Yes, there was frost on the grass this morning. But absolutely no ice. Even puddles out in open places were ice free. Our street, not on the gritters' route, is clean and dry. Definitely not slippery.

This is 3rd April, it's going to be another warm and dry day. This is expected to be a week of good weather and I would contend that there was no need whatsoever to salt the roads. Does this mean the roads are unusable unless I am prepared to sacrifice the bike to rust? Is the riding season going to be late July to early August

I am feeling much the same here in North London. I was hoping to get my Bullet back on the road some time in March as soon as the rain had washed the last of the salt off the roads. There had been a lot of rain over the past 3 or 3 weeks so things were looking good. Then last night the council announced their gritters would be out overnight.  It's April. Back to square one...