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Salt - wash after riding, ok?

R

RAWLDYMAN

Active Member
I've got my bike a couple of years now and ride all year round.
I hear loads of people who just put away their bikes from Nov - March 'cos its too cold AND they don't wanna get road salt on their bike. Salt? they make it sound like its bubonic plague....
Surely, if you give the bike a good wash, dry & polish after every ride, what's the problem? I mean, does it keep you off the road for a whole winter?
Just wondrin.
 
Heed Smittys advice, salt can get into everything, and eat away at all metal surfaces, even here in Florida there is plenty of salt in the air to cause corrosion
 
We have salt in the air here in Florida, But I would rather ride than sit at home and worry about it.
I have outboard engines on my boat 20 years old,in salt water, just wash them off when I get home with laundry soap and no problems.
 
Like Smitty says - if you keep up w/it you'll be fine. Grew up in MN and pretty much dealt w/road salt from Oct - Mar every year on all vehicles. Good washing/rinsing routine & a little prep always help. Make sure you get all the nooks & crannies.
 
Word of warning, be careful when washing your vehicle in below freezing temps. More than once I've been stuck in my own driveway because the whole thing is ice.:newsmile078: :34:
 
I wont even get mine out of storage in the spring till we have a couple real good drenching rains to wash all of the salt off the roads.
 
nrs2420 said:
Word of warning, be careful when washing your vehicle in below freezing temps. More than once I've been stuck in my own driveway because the whole thing is ice.:newsmile078: :34:
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THAT could be a visual for America's Funniest Videos or the mosttpainful painful winter experience...:small3d007:
 
The tough part is making sure to wash it thoroughly. Salt + moisture + metal bits leads to corrosion.

When it get's cold, it's not easy to be disiplined enough to wash very well.

That's where having a winter beater makes for a nice alternative if your budget and garage can allow.
 
nakkers said:
The tough part is making sure to wash it thoroughly. Salt + moisture + metal bits leads to corrosion.

When it get's cold, it's not easy to be disiplined enough to wash very well.

That's where having a winter beater makes for a nice alternative if your budget and garage can allow.
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I just take my time at it and there's not much else to do on these long winter days anyway. I use a selection of various small brushes that I've gathered up to get right in at the awkward bits. And you're right, its not easy when its freezin but the good bit is....gettin back out there for a ride a couple of times a week (unless there's ice/snow) instead of missin it all winter.

BTW what's a winter beater?
 
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