High Temperature & Rust ?

Just joined this morning - this is my first thread so please be gentle ! Although I'm 42, and after an absence of riding a motorcycle for 20 years, my SV650S is my first "big" bike (and waht a joy it is !) and I've owned it now for 4 months. I have two questions I'm looking for assistance with. First, before today my temp gauge has never been above 90 but peaked at 107 and I could see the oil "bubbling" away through the eye glass. At what temperature should the fan come on ? Second, and really annoying on a bike only 4 months old, is the amount of rust appearing on a number of areas on the bike, despite me using FS365 and cleaning regularly. Any thoughts ?

The fan should cut in around 103 deg.C; check the sensor on the radiator on the right hand side of the bike (as you sit on it). Have you seen the fan come on? Check it does!

As for corrosion...well, you brought a suzuki. and a budget one at that. What area's are you experiancing the worst corrosion? Frk legs and exhaust downpipes are common parts to go the horrible colour of a winters riding, but bolts on the calipers can go a bit corroded easily, and the rear axle.

ACF50 is generally considered to be superior in protection

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Steven T

despite me using FS365 and cleaning regularly. Any thoughts ?

Yes dont ue FS365, its good but its water soluable so every time you ride in the rain or wet, it gets washed off. By regularly cleaning the bike you're continually re-exposing bare metal to the salty roads.

Common consensus is to clean the bike at the start of winter and then spray it with ACF-50 all the metal parts except for brake pads and discs and then not wash it or clean it again over winter or at least until the salt is gone. Your bike will end up looking dirty, but underneath that dirt is a protective layer of ACF-50.

ACF-50 is not removed by water, so the protection it provide stays put.

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by alpinestarhero

Frk legs and exhaust downpipes are common parts to go the horrible colour of a winters riding, but bolts on the calipers can go a bit corroded easily, and the rear axle.

forks legs its the salt getting under the laquer. Strip it off and polish it, don't bother re-laquering it does the same again.
Downpipe is stainless, its just burnt on crud, like in an oven. Polish that too. It does come off....eventually.
However the 2 exhaust bolts into the front cylinder head are not, watch out for them going to crap, they is a bugger once they've gone too far. May be a good idea to swap for better quality studs and nuts, and copper grease em.
Torque arm and bolts are rubbish(well they are on a 99-02) so is the subframe paint.(thats different after 02 its a different sub)

morning steve t.
one word that'll be etched on the inside of your skull, AUTOSOL.

ACF50- I've covered the whole underneath of my bike in it, the stuff you are using will just wash off in water, the AC lasts a lot better. Used in the aviation industry.

Hello from another Born Again Biker, although my rebirth was a few years ago now. I'd be concerned about the overheating, get it checked out, but no concern about the rust etc. A bikes there to be ridden not cleaned and kept on the mantlepiece

Many, many thanks for all your replies to my queries - extremely helpfull and your all so bleeding knowledgeable it scares me ! I've checked the sensor - seesm to be connected ok but I've never heard the fan come on since I got the bike and most of my riding is stop/start going to work but 107 on the temp reading is the highest I've seen so far. I'm taking it to a dealer tomorrow as there is also a ptroblem with my brake calipers "sticking" so I'll mention it to them then. As for rust etc, the dealer recommended FS365 when I got the bike (I wanted some form of "protection" after my last bike quickly became "rusted" and didn't know which product to get). I'll definitle look into the ACF50 as a replacement as I'm forever spraying the the FS365 after each wash. The rusty bits appear to be on both brake calipers, various nuts and bolts and exhaust fixings and a little on the front forks - just really annoyes me that rust can appear so quickly on a new bike despite all my best efforts to protect it (and continuously polish it !). I've also been using autoglym products but will also look into AUTOSOL. I ride the bike every day - wind, rain or shine - but I also want it looking it's best ! Can't believe it took me so long to get back into biking.....all those wasted years ! Thanks again guys, I really apreciate your help and will no doubt be posting some more queries in the weeks/months to come.

[peterco]

The fan should kick in about 98C and switch off about 92C.
As others have said ACF 50 for anti corrosion protection.
Welcome to the org.

pete

Cheers, Pete - will be interesting to hear what the dealer says tomorrow.