Sea Air

Yo all,

I've finally taken steps and booked my theory and CBT. Will go for my DAST as soon as they are both in the bag. My main concern about getting an sv is I now live by the sea and am wondering how it will fair?

Anyone else live by the sea? any issues / advice? to avoid corrosion and decay?

Olly

I guess the basics would apply, your just slightly more at risk what with all the salt. On to the advice:

1: Use protective products like acf-50, or as some people do allow some grime to build up as a protective coat. Also either garage the bike or cover it.

2: After riding it wash it down.....suzukis are a bit vulnerable in british weather so keep it clean!

3: Move to buckinghamshire...the bike seems to like it here fine

Unless you park it right on a pier or something like that, you're unlikely to notice it ageing much quicker than other people's. I live on the coast and even used to attend a meet on the waterfront (in Porthcawl). Considering this and that it's ridden reasonably high mileage all year round and seldom cleaned, mine hasn't fared badly at all- a lot better than some "weekend toys" in fact: One bike shop even said my bike was "the best ageing Suzuki [they've] seen". I'm not sure about that, some of the oil hose fasteners are a bit rusty, but by and large it looks fine.

You can wash it after every ride if you like, but if you don't dry it properly, you may well be shooting yourself in the foot. I also don't think it's practical to wash it after every ride (at least in any meaningful "clean the bottom of the undertray, rinse the fairing" way) if you use the bike for commuting.

Why are you worried about the sea air when you live in Swansea, are not the thieving scrotes far more of a problem? First time my son (at uni) took the car away to bring all his stuff home it was nicked from outside his house. A year later we went to visit, decided to stay in the Marina, bit pricey but we considered it more secure! Wrong! We have been back since and not suffered similarly but I wouldn't leave a bike there!
More seriously, I too, live by the sea and often need to leave my bike on the pier, sometimes it gets left in very poor weather as well. So far the SV is doing well but I do rinse it and spray it. The Yamaha Townmate on the other hand does suffer, which is why I have two, the old one "A" reg and 24,000 miles rotted out and was uneconomic to weld the welds (again) two years ago. The latest "L" reg and 14,000 so far gets washed by rain, sprayed with WD, Tetracyl, Bike Spray or air tool oil or whatever else is at hand whenever I feel sorry for it! It is showing signs but I reckon it'll be another year or two before its first taste of mig wire.
So, I wouldn't worry too much. It seems to me that cars and vans suffer far more from the effects of salt than bikes....
Sand, on the other hand is very bad. I'd think twice before riding along Swansea sea front in a southerly gale at low tide, particularly the bit past the Pub on the Pond and Mumbles. I don't take the SV anywhere near the sea front when the sand's blowing about. I've destroyed a couple of bikes that way but the Townmate is shaft drive and has drum brakes, far better protected from sand than the SV....!

Heh, I know what you mean. I live in the Marina, in one of the new builds and we have a security firm looking after us. So far the car park has proved pretty secure. My van has definitely suffered from rust and my car was beginning to. I just want to avoid the same fate with my first bike.

Swansea has definitely got less car crime now than it did, but it is still not to be trusted!