View Full Version : Winter tip for us hard men
howardr
31-01-05, 01:53 PM
If, like me, you ride all year round, you no-doubt notice how dirty the bike gets. Salt, grit etc. etc.
Now I'm not reknowned for cleaning my bike much but I find it really hard to find the motivation when it's cold and/or damp.
However, the other week I remembered that I had bought a cheap one-piece waterproof suit (Frank Thomas) years ago when I first got back into biking. This is spacious and quilted for extra warmth etc. and only cost me about £20-£30. I never wear it these days as it has no armour.
Anyhoo, it occurred to me this is the IDEAL bit of kit to wear when washing the bike in winter. It may seem obvious, but it had never struck me before. I now go out in (virtually) any old weather to wash my bike and I'm kept warm, dry and clean.
Go buy one - and then you'll have no excuse. 8)
mysteryjimbo
31-01-05, 01:59 PM
You've only just thought of this??? :lol:
Dont forget to all the exposed metal bits a good coat of WD40 to keep away corrosion. For the dunces out there, DONT include the brake calipers and disks in this.............. :shock:
For the dunces out there, DONT include the brake calipers and disks in this.............. :shock:
Too laaaaaaaatttttttteeeeeeeeeee...................... .............................. *crunch*
svpilot
31-01-05, 02:02 PM
:lol: I do this too. (edit: that's use my water proofs - not WD-40 my brakes :lol: )
The thing is I used to used hot water so my hands stay nice'n'warm, but I have read here that hot water can acclerate the corrosive effect for the salt :shock: Cold water is a bit too masochistic for me this time of year. And the hose just does't shift the filth :(
howardr
31-01-05, 02:04 PM
You've only just thought of this??? :lol:
Well it HAD occurred to me to wear my bike gear, but I didn't wanna scuff my nice expensive gear when crawling around on my driveway to get to all the hard-to-reach bits.
And I didn't want to get my £250 Alpinestars jacket filthy every weekend!
PS: DON'T use washing up liquid - it contains substances which accelerate corrosion. Always use a car shampoo.
If you really want to protect your bike from the ravages of winter get some ACF 50. WD40 evaporates, Scottoil F365 comes off in the rain but ACF 50 will stay on the bike for a year.
Give the bike a good wash and liberally spry over the whole bike except brake discs/pads, for calliper bolts spray on a cloth and then wipe on. You'll still need to wash it of course but not as often
This tack was designed to stop corrosion on Aircraft but is perfect for bikes as well, you can get it from M&P
If, like me, you ride all year round, you no-doubt notice how dirty the bike gets.
No. :lol:
.
wyrdness
31-01-05, 02:31 PM
If you really want to protect your bike from the ravages of winter get some ACF 50. WD40 evaporates, Scottoil F365 comes off in the rain but ACF 50 will stay on the bike for a year.
Give the bike a good wash and liberally spry over the whole bike except brake discs/pads, for calliper bolts spray on a cloth and then wipe on. You'll still need to wash it of course but not as often
This tack was designed to stop corrosion on Aircraft but is perfect for bikes as well, you can get it from M&P
Thanks for the tip. It sounds like it's probably well worth the money.
Update: I've found a link with some information:
http://www.worldwideaviation.co.uk/Motorcycles/Motorcycles%20Main.htm
mysteryjimbo
31-01-05, 02:46 PM
If you really want to protect your bike from the ravages of winter get some ACF 50. WD40 evaporates, Scottoil F365 comes off in the rain but ACF 50 will stay on the bike for a year.
Give the bike a good wash and liberally spry over the whole bike except brake discs/pads, for calliper bolts spray on a cloth and then wipe on. You'll still need to wash it of course but not as often
This tack was designed to stop corrosion on Aircraft but is perfect for bikes as well, you can get it from M&P
Acutally, i've found once its "evapourated" it leaves a thin film over the surface that corrosive substances such as road salt sit on top of. If you wash it off once a week/fortnight then you've no need to worry about the more expensive stuff.
northwind
31-01-05, 03:57 PM
Scottoil F365 comes off in the rain
Not in my experience... I give my bike a thorough clean and spray once a week and hose it down after every wet ride, and there's still a good coating on the bike when I come to my weekly clean, evey time. If you spray and then ride it'll wash off, mind, but if you follow the instructions and let it sit then the film stays on mine for a good time unless I wipe or use tdetergents to get it off.
mysteryjimbo
31-01-05, 03:59 PM
Scottoil F365 comes off in the rain
Not in my experience... I give my bike a thorough clean and spray once a week and hose it down after every wet ride, and there's still a good coating on the bike when I come to my weekly clean, evey time. If you spray and then ride it'll wash off, mind, but if you follow the instructions and let it sit then the film stays on mine for a good time unless I wipe or use tdetergents to get it off.
Thats what i said about WD40.......now at least one of us is fibbing or misinformed! :lol:
Scottoil F365 comes off in the rain
Not in my experience... I give my bike a thorough clean and spray once a week and hose it down after every wet ride, and there's still a good coating on the bike when I come to my weekly clean, evey time. If you spray and then ride it'll wash off, mind, but if you follow the instructions and let it sit then the film stays on mine for a good time unless I wipe or use tdetergents to get it off.
F365 is water solubleits inherent to its marketting. Therefore any that comes in contact with water will be washed off, its designed to do so.
Now I am not saying that it does not work in protecting against salt it does but it needs re-applying every week at the least, more often in my experience.
ACF 50 is designed that it is not water soluble, it takes alot of effort to remove it and so one application is good for the winter. It will not wash off with normal detergents as it takes solvent to remove it. Thus protection for the entire winter.
Horses for courses really.
Scottoil F365 comes off in the rain
Not in my experience... I give my bike a thorough clean and spray once a week and hose it down after every wet ride, and there's still a good coating on the bike when I come to my weekly clean, evey time. If you spray and then ride it'll wash off, mind, but if you follow the instructions and let it sit then the film stays on mine for a good time unless I wipe or use tdetergents to get it off.
agree, I use fs365, stays on for quite a while
northwind
31-01-05, 04:02 PM
You and me against the world! I used to use WD40 but I just found it didn't last as long as the Scottoiler stuff and seems to burn off easier... if you're cleaning the bike properly once a week, as you probably should be if you're riuding an SV in the winter, then it only needs to last a week anyway :)
OK so lets see what SCottoil say themselves
Scottoiler FS 365 is a blend of mineral oil, anti-corrosion additives and water. These form a stable micro-solution, which you simply spray on your bike. When it evaporates, it leaves a fine film which clings, especially to those hard-to-reach areas in the engine, suspension and behind faired panels. After a wet run, you can re-apply in moments. FS 365 is water soluble and inherently biodegradable, so it’s good for your bike and good for the environment.
I just wipe TLC over my bike twice (or more :oops:) a week and it's just fine :lol:.
.
northwind
31-01-05, 04:56 PM
I'm far less concerned with the blurb on their website than with my own experience...
Scottoil F365 comes off in the rain
I give my bike a thorough clean and spray once a week
So your experience is to re-apply it every week.
The differnece between that and ACF 50 is that you apply it once a year. I've had enough of this topic now I was simply passing on my experience anyway, if thats different to yours fair enough. but after going through god knows how many bottles of F 365 last winter, please consider I do about 3500 miles a week whatever the weather so was re-applying it every day, this year I found ACF 50 which has been applied once.
One can did 4 bikes, GS 2 VFR's Honda Cruiser & Sidecar, and 3 puchbikes and ther's still some left over. Pretty good value for mioney IMHO.
I just wipe TLC over my bike twice (or more :oops:) a week and it's just fine :lol:.
.
i hear that tastes salty too. . . never tried it tho. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Anonymous
31-01-05, 05:47 PM
never heard of acf50 - not that that means anything of course. does stuff not stick to it ie salt and crap from road.
UncleBob
31-01-05, 06:32 PM
Go to halfords and get a some Bike Spray, from the MuckOff lads. Its got a PTFE base and when you put it on, you'll think - christ! Why did I bother cos it looks all wrong! leave it to dry for a bit. It's best put on after a wash of course..
Then get an old leather, rub it in vigorously, like wax and leave it. On the chassis and any moving/metal parts (xcept brakes/tires dur) just spray and leave, maybe wipe gently.. It's good for your chain too.
It's totally water repellant and leaves an oily feel for about a week. It's cheap, makes the bike look like showroom and protects it no end..
check the link for the last time I did it:
http://www.gbhq.co.uk/datas/users/67-cleanda****eoff1.JPG
northwind
31-01-05, 09:08 PM
So your experience is to re-apply it every week.
No, my experience is to clean it off every week, but that's because I keep my bike clean. On the Yam i used it about once a month and there was always a good coating left when I gave it a proper clean, so I could have left it a lot longer
When I can't be bothered to clean the bike for a while, there's always enough that I'm not worried about reapplying still on.
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