TriggerT
Mr. Impatient
Just wondering what people's thoughts are about how getting all of the nasty road salt all over the bike could affect things. I am especially concerned about how it could pit any of the aluminum parts.
Road Salt
- Thread starter TriggerT
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El Gordo
Well-known member
Wash with fresh water frequently..and yes it will take the shine off the aluminum bits.
ionbeam
2 FUN
Be afraid. Salt kills.
Salt will promote corrosion on aluminum. Salt will viciously attack all iron based materials, including hardware. More insidious, salt gets into connectors where the salt is enabled by moisture, heat and electricity to consume the contacts, and capillary action will wick the saline solution up the strands of wire, migrating up inside the insulation.
It is very hard to wash all the salt off. In a year or so you will see all the places where the salt didn't get removed.
Once salt goes down on the roads my bike comes off and stays off until there has been significant rain to completely wash it all away.
Salt will promote corrosion on aluminum. Salt will viciously attack all iron based materials, including hardware. More insidious, salt gets into connectors where the salt is enabled by moisture, heat and electricity to consume the contacts, and capillary action will wick the saline solution up the strands of wire, migrating up inside the insulation.
It is very hard to wash all the salt off. In a year or so you will see all the places where the salt didn't get removed.
Once salt goes down on the roads my bike comes off and stays off until there has been significant rain to completely wash it all away.
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TriggerT
Mr. Impatient
If I try to wash my bike after riding it, it will turn into a FJRsicle. Looks like I am going to have to wait for a good rain to get rid of all the salt.
FZ/FJR Mike
Well-known member
When the roads get salted, my bike goes to hibernation. Corrosion just isn't worth the 1 or 2 times each month during winter when it's warm enough to ride.
RadioHowie
I Miss Beemerdons!
cougar8000
Well-known member
Never had any problems with my prior bikes. And I am not the one that washes it every day or even every month. That said I wait till it comes off the road so it is not like riding on gravel.
keithaba
Well-known member
Bull
Well-known member
I protect my bike from salt with a uniform layer of fine dust, dead bugs and road grime.
Geezer
Parsimonious Curmudgeon
As others have said, once the road gets salted I store my bikes for the winter. Not only is it very corrosive, but it is also slippery and hard to see.
C
Calimus
Guest
Salt on the road's? Who the hell ever heard of such a thing? Don't you silly northern folks know that salt is far taters & roadkill stew?
Ok, thats about the best southern hick impression I can do. Yes I live in Ga, but as I heard for many years having moved from the north "You ain't from around here" Salt is nasty and as mentioned, will reak havoc on the aluminium as well as the electrical system. Could also take a bit of finish off the paint as well if left to it's devices. Even with constants washes, I wouldn't want to ride in it too much. An even if your area uses sand rather then salt, in my book, it's almost as bad. There is a reason why it's used to blast corrosion from metal parts.
Ok, thats about the best southern hick impression I can do. Yes I live in Ga, but as I heard for many years having moved from the north "You ain't from around here" Salt is nasty and as mentioned, will reak havoc on the aluminium as well as the electrical system. Could also take a bit of finish off the paint as well if left to it's devices. Even with constants washes, I wouldn't want to ride in it too much. An even if your area uses sand rather then salt, in my book, it's almost as bad. There is a reason why it's used to blast corrosion from metal parts.
jet mechanic
Well-known member
TriggerT,
You can try spraying some type of corrision control/ penetrant to every electrical connection you can see. Corrosion X, LPS 3, even WD40. It won't stop corrosion completly but it does give you a fighting chance between washes. None of the above products will harm electrical systems but make sure to read instructions if you use something else.
Being born and raised in the northeast I always sprayed my engine compartments electrical systems to help fight against salt and sand damage.
With that said though, nothing is better than a good wash.
You can try spraying some type of corrision control/ penetrant to every electrical connection you can see. Corrosion X, LPS 3, even WD40. It won't stop corrosion completly but it does give you a fighting chance between washes. None of the above products will harm electrical systems but make sure to read instructions if you use something else.
Being born and raised in the northeast I always sprayed my engine compartments electrical systems to help fight against salt and sand damage.
With that said though, nothing is better than a good wash.
rickcorwn
Well-known member
This is what salt does to cars. It's worse for bikes :dribble:
My "good" bikes go in the garage after the first salting and don't come out until after the first gully washer. If you really want to ride in the winter get a beater bike B)
My "good" bikes go in the garage after the first salting and don't come out until after the first gully washer. If you really want to ride in the winter get a beater bike B)
FJRay
Well-known member
There is a product called Salt Away. It is used a lot at Bonneville and it really works to not only remove salt but to neutrlize the effects of the salt. The last time I got some was from Falkner-Livingston racing in socal. I used it on my bikes in Wash. and they got douched all the time on the ferry boats and never had a corrosion problem.
Silent
Who said FJR's don't do dirt?
In Chicago, I've seen car's you could actually see thru because of the salt induced rust. I'll pass on riding in salt. If you HAVE to, then wash the bike as best as you can as soon as you're done.This is what salt does to cars. It's worse for bikes :dribble:
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El Gordo
Well-known member
Saltaway is available at many marine stores. It works great for neutralizing the salt but won't make the already dull marks go away.
bikerskier
Well-known member
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Trigger
Do not wait for the rain! Find a way to get that bike washed with lots of fresh clean water. Don't make me come out there!
Do not wait for the rain! Find a way to get that bike washed with lots of fresh clean water. Don't make me come out there!
krashdragon
Well-known member
HOT water and a blow dryer!
Salt is bad!
If I'd leave any tools out overnight in Hawaii, the side up would be covered in a fine rust just overnight!
And that's only from a bit of sea moisture in the air.
Salt on road is very very very bad...
Mix some glycerin (from the drug store, a little will do) in hot water and give your baby a bath...
borrow you're wife/g.f.'s hair dryer and dry it off.....
the hit everything with Honda Spray and Clean or whatever it's called....
I think that's right, if not, I'm sure I'll be corrected...<BG>
One of those ideas that just popped into my head from previous unknown sources.... I'm sure I heard it before...
Oh, and never ride a wheelchair into the ocean. My friend Kiwimagic did that while vacationing in New Zealand.
Although they washed everything down with fresh water, about three years later his electronic controller went... had got moisture inside the sealed unit... cost him big bucks to get another controller... <BG>
Mary
