Using Bike This Time Of Year And Cleaning

[V8RX7]

Having only just bought my absolutely mint bike I was eager to have a ride

I've used it 3 times and jet washed it, dried it with a compressor, WD40 and put it in the garage

I'm pissed off with myself because when I looked closely I've found there is now some rust staining on various fixings

Do people just not use bikes in the winter ?

Is ACF50 really that good ?

What's the best thing to do now ?

I'm already spending an hour cleaning / drying, I'm thinking I should have just bought a rusty bike.

[trickywoo]

What bike is it?

Shouldn't really be going rusty that quickly.

ACF is better than WD.

[V8RX7]

trickywoo said:

What bike is it?

Shouldn't really be going rusty that quickly.

ACF is better than WD.

KTM 690

I know it's better but I was told it was sticky etc and to leave it on all winter, I thought what I do for my KTM dirt bike would be good enough.

[trickywoo]

I've heard lots of people say they just cover their bike in ACF at the start of winter, ride it through the winter, and wash it in spring and it comes up like new.

I still think a lot depends on the quality of the bolts etc in the first place.

What you did should have been enough to keep it looking new IMO and certainly not lead to rust.

[the cueball]

I give my winter hack a good clean just before winter and cover it in ACF50.

Then, except 'safety' cleans of the brakes/lights, nothing gets touched until spring.

A good clean and the bike is as good as new.

[OverSteery]

WD 40 not the best choice. Be careful with pressure washers. Fine if you are careful, but get too close (or use too powerful a one) and they will take off paint, lacquer and blast the lubrication out from any bearings.

I cover my bike thoroughly in ACF 50 at the beginning of the winter, then I ride until summer. It does get a bit furry as all the dirt sticks.
Used most days and if it's wet then it goes into the garage wet. I wipe the lights and no plate occasionally.

2014 bike - there is only a few bits bubbling through now.

[Salted_Peanut]

XCP Rust Blocker did even better than ACF50 in both RiDE magazine's and Bennetts testing of protectants against corrosion.

I'd only use XCP Rust Blocker or ACF50. WD40 is crap at preventing rust.

[OverSteery]

Salted_Peanut said:

XCP Rust Blocker did even better than ACF50 in both RiDE magazine's and Bennetts testing of protectants against corrosion.

I'd only use XCP Rust Blocker or ACF50. WD40 is crap at preventing rust.

interesting link - thanks
Good to see " Honda Racing’s BSB team" use XCP - all those rusty bikes they flog around the track - must be good

[joema]

I've ACF'd my newish bike and seems to be holding up ok except for the exhaust headers. I've hosed it a couple of times too but no detergent.

my birthday is coming up so going to ask for one those muc off pressure washers. They have specific lances to change pressure for different applications. Then I may clean my bike as it is horrible but the lanes I use are filthy so it wont stay clean for long.

I'll probably do another ACF treatment. Wasn't much effort and its pretty economical if you get non aerosol can.

[Birky_41]

As said above already and except if you ride this time of year your bike is going to take a bit of abuse

I try to keep on top of mine but it still shows after a winter riding

[V8RX7]

Salted_Peanut said:

XCP Rust Blocker did even better than ACF50 in both RiDE magazine's and Bennetts testing of protectants against corrosion.

I'd only use XCP Rust Blocker or ACF50. WD40 is crap at preventing rust.

In fairness I was simply trying to remove water - as it was cleaned and dried every ride

Good link

ACF50 didn't do very well yet it's all I see mentioned.

Seemed a bit biased toward XCP too, the Tech Cote ACS seems to do very well with barely a mention

It is also £11 / can compared to XCP at £14

I would consider using a compressor but as that test showed, it significantly reduced the performance.

[7w7]

I use GT85, seems ok.

I do not recommend using a pressure washer at all.

[7w7]

Mind you mine was usually filthy so probably ignore me.

[Jazoli]

Pressure washers are fine to use on bikes, only a complete idiot would manage to 'wash oil from bearings' or 'strip paint', and WD40 or GT85 are crap at keeping rust at bay as its basically just diluted paraffin, which is great for cleaning and lubrication but washes off easily.

[Tardigrade]

V8RX7 said:

ACF50 didn't do very well yet it's all I see mentioned.
Seemed a bit biased toward XCP too, the Tech Cote ACS seems to do very well with barely a mention.

I've used them all. ACF50 & ACS are pretty much identical, and work very well. XCP is noticeably thicker, greasier and stickier, better protection but also accumulates a scruffy layer of dust that won't rinse off. XCP also harder to wash off in spring, whereas the lighter protectors have significantly worn away by then. Not a problem, just needs an extra bucket of hot soapy water and a bit more time.

For ordinary use, ACF50 or ACS is all you need. But if you want to maximise protection in year-round riding, the XCP is worth the extra £3. I use XCP now, I don't care if the bike looks like a shed in winter as long as it's shiny underneath.

[toxgobbler]

As above mostly use ACF50, but have also used FS365 to good effect as well, but you do need to reapply after a shower.

[alistair1234]

V8RX7 said:

KTM 690

I know it's better but I was told it was sticky etc and to leave it on all winter, I thought what I do for my KTM dirt bike would be good enough.

But your dirt bike wouldn't go on salty roads like the 690 would it?

[black-k1]

While I don’t commute on my bike through winter, I do use it in Autumn and again in spring, when roads are far from clean and dry. Long day commutes means I don’t have the time or interest in cleaning my bike after each journey so it just has to sit with lots of road crap on it for, sometimes, up to a few weeks at a time.

I get my bikes “professionally” treated with ACF50 by the local All Year Biker person in late Autumn then leave it unwashed (as advised by Steve from All Year Biker) with whatever road crap it picks up. Both of my BMW K1300Ss were, after 3 years and 50,000 plus miles, in pretty much “as new” condition. There was very little in the way of corrosion on any part of the bike

[JamesD74]

I covered mine in ACF 50 in November - have ridden through winter and avoided cleaning as it just was not worth it and I wanted to see if the ACF was doing its job. Gave it its first wash today though as I couldn't live with the mud anymore Has come up all shiny and new

That said there has not (yet) been a lot of salt on the roads with the mild, wet weather so will see what the remainder of winter brings.

Nice to have a clean bike back tho.

[mickymellon1]

only ride the 'nice' bikes when there's no salt on the roads
buy a cheap bike for the rest of the time and don't bother cleaning it