Winter cleaning

[DanAbnormal]

As my bike is getting dirtier and dirtier I think I need to give it a good old wash but also to do a bit of maintenance to avoid the salt related issues later on.

Apart from the below what is else should be done:

Caliper clean with brake cleaning fluid (will take calipers off, remove pads and clean pins etc)

Clean and lubricate drive chain.

General wash and lube of all joints where applicable.

Cheers,

[NickWilde123]

spray some fs 365 all over the exhaust and engine and fork each time you have finished riding and then when it gets dirty you just hose it down and it is back to brand new and then start the process again, its worked wonders for me this winter and thats with daily commuting even when we have thick snow

[DanAbnormal]

I got some ACF50 which should hopefully cover the corrosion. Cheers though.

[NickWilde123]

ye tell me if that is any good, the fs365 is good but i go though quite a bit of it reali quickly so the fc50 might be better in the long run

[DanAbnormal]

ye tell me if that is any good, the fs365 is good but i go though quite a bit of it reali quickly so the fc50 might be better in the long run

According to the manufacturers teh ACF50 only needs to be applied every few months which would save the hassle of cleaning the bike very weekend!! Will let you know how I get one. Cheers!

[Stig]

What you should have done is give the bike a good clean and then covered the bike with ACF50 BEFORE winter and then do not clean it again until the spring.

[DanAbnormal]

What you should have done is give the bike a good clean and then covered the bike with ACF50 BEFORE winter and then do not clean it again until the spring.

Indeed that would have been the ideal situation...........hindsight and all that!

[NickWilde123]

does it actually work that well??? and i enjoy cleaning my bike even if it is -2 out!!

[Stig]

does it actually work that well??? and i enjoy cleaning my bike even if it is -2 out!!

The ACF50 coats the bike in a protective film. Dirt sticks to that film and more dirt sticks to the old dirt. All you have to do is look after the brakes because obviously you do not want to be spraying your brakes with the stuff. ;)

[DanAbnormal]

The ACF50 coats the bike in a protective film. Dirt sticks to that film and more dirt sticks to the old dirt. All you have to do is look after the brakes because obviously you do not want to be spraying your brakes with the stuff. ;)

It would make stopping an issue for sure.

[NickWilde123]

if it makes things stick then maybe starting would be an issue lol

[Grinch]

DON'T clean it... it might stop working like mine has.. lol.

[NickWilde123]

what did you do?!?!?!?

[jambo]

DON'T clean it... it might stop working like mine has.. lol.
Quite right:

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?p=1735694

But in fairnes this isn't the first time helga's thrown a strop.

Jambo

[NickWilde123]

i see, you have raised the bar for us all

[Grinch]

what did you do?!?!?!?

Threw a couple of buckets of water over the bike to rinse the salt off.

Quite right:

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?p=1735694

But in fairnes this isn't the first time helga's thrown a strop.

Jambo

Nope, since turning 60 she's got very grumpy, I just hope she gets better at 70.

i see, you have raised the bar for us all

Huh?

[NickWilde123]

ingenious ways to brake a bike - i rate you 8/10

[Grinch]

Thanks... My lessons learn't here help everyone else.

[NickWilde123]

it sucks being that person, i learnt the hard way how not to clean a chain, no one i know will make that mistake, especially my brother lol

[Grinch]

I am a touch bored of it now.

[NickWilde123]

of what you bike or cleaning it?

[Grinch]

The failures of my bike, sometimes it makes me want to torch it.

[NickWilde123]

at least it would help it thaw, mainly i blame the miserable weather in this country, but lets roll on with the summer and hope it stays as sunny as it is now, is you bike garaged?

[Stig]

The failures of my bike, sometimes it makes me want to torch it.

Shall we find a mutually
agreeable spot and torch Helga and Bucket together :?:

[Grinch]

Bucket not being a good bike then?

[Dangerous Dave]

Dan all you need to do is clean the bike as usual and then apply ACF-50, this will keep the bike protected for more than the rest of winter. Forget FS356, you have to reapply this after every damp ride where as ACF-50 will last and protect for over a year.

[Stig]

Bucket not being a good bike then?

I rewired the front loom and have done something very wrong. Something is consuming all the power out of the battery. And I lose all electrics when I turn the headlights on. Not really a good idea to ride a bike that will have to be bump started and only has working side lights.

[NickWilde123]

does the acf 50 work on the pipes to the exhaust because that is the only area that fs365 is not reali workin on

[Stig]

does the acf 50 work on the pipes to the exhaust because that is the only area that fs365 is not reali workin on

The pipes will get hot enough to burn anything off.

[NickWilde123]

mine just rusted:( so i sandpapered them down and re-sprayed them

[Dangerous Dave]

does the acf 50 work on the pipes to the exhaust because that is the only area that fs365 is not reali workin on
Yes, ACF-50 will work fine on the exhaust downpipes as the heat will help it bake in. FS365 is a good product if you don't ride in the wet, the problem is it rains a lot here in the UK.

[NickWilde123]

does the acf-50 neutralise the salt?? and how do you wash it off?

[Grinch]

I thought it acted as a protective layer.

[Dangerous Dave]

Read the ACF-50 spec's here (http://www.acf-50.co.uk/), to get it off you need elbow grease and degreaser. Been using it for many years and I can't flaw it in any way, other than keeping it away from the brakes.

[Dangerous Dave]

I thought it acted as a protective layer.
It helps neutrailse what is already on the component too.

[Grinch]

Sweet... must buy some and use the last of the FS365.

[Daimo]

I spray marine lubricant (could be the same stuff mentioned) over the engine, and I rinse the bike off every 2-3 nights. Watching the front forks go from brown/black to grey again is a little worrying (seeing how my SV front forks corrorded quickly).

Keep the chain cleaned and lubed, spend a few minutes rinsing the bike off at night (LET IT COOL DOWN FIRST!!!!!!). USe COLD water as warm/hot water reacts with the salt and it it'll eat the metal much much faster.

Then it'll get a wash practically every weekend. Salt eats bikes, and suzuki's are known for poor quality components, so keep those bikes clean winter people!!!!!!!

[4fold]

Dave, what degreaser do you use to get the ACF 50 off? What about all the hard to get to places where the ACF 50 creeps into?

[Dangerous Dave]

I spray marine lubricant (could be the same stuff mentioned)
But that could be a whole host of products?

Dave, what degreaser do you use to get the ACF 50 off? What about all the hard to get to places where the ACF 50 creeps into?
I use regular automotive degreaser, in a spray tin. Why would you want to clean it off?

[missyburd]

DON'T clean it... it might stop working like mine has.. lol.
Aha! Method to YC's madness :D

He uses plenty of that ACF 50, certainly seems to do the job.

[xXBADGERXx]

I have ACF50 on mine and the bike is as encrusted as a hermit crabs shell , barnacles all over the place , the wheels are black , theres cackola stuck to every spare inch ............... I desperately want to get a trowel and start gouging the filth off the bike like Icing from a cake , but I know in my heart of hearts , underneath all of that is a clean SV just waiting for the worst of the winter to go away . Been using ACF50 since October and it hasn`t been touched since . I used to use FS365 but really only bother with that for the summer rain more than anything , don`t need it now :D . And a can of ACF50 will last aaaaaaaaaaaages

[Grinch]

Well if I get time I'll wash the bike off and re-coat it again this weekend. But there are more important things I need to do.

[4fold]

I use regular automotive degreaser, in a spray tin. Why would you want to clean it off?

Sorry Dave excuse my ignorance, once sprayed or rubbed on the ACF 50 creates a barrier which all the muck attaches to and then when you come to spring time would you not have to use the degreaser to wash all the crappola off? Or do you just use the old elbow grease and "normal" washing products?

[DanAbnormal]

Dan all you need to do is clean the bike as usual and then apply ACF-50, this will keep the bike protected for more than the rest of winter. Forget FS356, you have to reapply this after every damp ride where as ACF-50 will last and protect for over a year.

Cheers Dave!