I know this is a stupid question and the obvious answer is to cover the thing with ACF50 but how resistant is the 1200 to the crap that gets chucked up off winter roads? If it was only a one off I'd just hose the bike down and not give a toss but there's a strong possibility that I'll be taking it for a 9 day jolly to the Czech Republic and the thought of it disintegrating in front of my eyes fills me with horror. Normally I'd use my 660 Tenere for this kind of trip because I really don't give a shit if I lob it down the road on ice or if it looks even more disgusting than normal but it's got one or two little issues that need sorting and I'm not sure I've got time to get it all done so I need to consider using the Multi.
Not very like most bikes these days, if I was you I would get it professionally treated with acf50, where are you located?
Bedford. I've got a pump spray for dispensing ACF50 and I've already got it in mind to go over any exposed wiring connectors with self amalgamating tape (after opening them and giving them a squirt of silicon grease) but it's stuff like the calipers that I'm worried about. I bought the Tenere with the intention of just running it into the ground over a 5 year period and I'm 4 years into the task so I'll be using it if it's sorted out before the end of January.
These guys Halo Smart Clean did a great job of my MTS 1200 last week then I took it out yesterday up into the Sottish higlands thought I'd ruined all the good work but the dirt just hosed off definately worth the money. BTW my bike is 2011 and the only bit I've noticed that suffers is the inside of the axles while it's laid up I think I will get them cadmium plated.
I've heard a lot of good things about them so that's one of the options open to me. I need to email them and find out when and where I can get it done because the price isn't bad and that ACF50 plays hell with the block paving when you drip it everywhere :smile:
I rode mine around Cumbria last winter and the corrosion set in very quickly , nothing is disintegrating but all fasteners on the lower part of the bike dulled quickly , the gear lever linkage was the first bit to go followed by cylinder head cover and wheel hub nuts , someone advised a scottoiler product which I liberally applied early on , complete waste of time , totally useless product ! I cant vouch for the ACF50 as I havent tried it as the damage was done , On the plus side... since continuing to ride in bad weather and salt it hasnt got any worse , seems to get to a certain stage and then stops
How do you professionally apply ACF50'by the way? ive always just bought it in a can and put it on myself so quite intrigued to see what they do
I'm guessing that they actually get it to do something more than dribble out of the nozzle. With the normal aerosols I usually stick the can in a pan of boiling water to get it warm so it sprays out of the can rather than trickle like an ageing porn star and even then I end up spreading it with a small sponge because that stuff isn't exactly cheap and I don't want it forming a pool in the wheel rim or (even worse) on the garage floor. The kit I bought where you get a bottle of fluid and a pump up spray to dispense it is better than the aerosols but it's still not brilliant and I find myself wondering if I wouldn't be better buying a cheap old winter hack and just letting it rot.
You get paid to do it Most of them will bag up/tape up the areas it's not meant to get into ie. discs, calipers and pads, then apply the ACF-50 via and atomised spray so that it gets into all the nooks and crannies where you do want it.
I think I used ACF50 on my R1, it's that pink stuff that comes in a ACF50 tin right? I used a small brush to apply it and a few long ear bud type things, you know the ones that they use at the VD clinic or to take your DNA at the local police station. Any hoo I stripped all the plastics off my R1 then washed it all down with Muckoff and then dryed what i could with an old hair dryer (it was winter) I started at the front and worked back, I did every where I could get in to apply it. It seemed to do a wonderful job BUT as soon as you go near it with any sort of detergent you wash it straight off again especially if you use a hot presure washer like I did. I couldnt stand just leaving my bike all shite up untill spring, it seemed to defeet the odject of having a nice bike, I dont think I'd bother again with it I'd rather just wash it every time I got it home.
Thinking about getting this done. I'm out of his catchment area as I'm based in leeds but I could easily host a session. I also own a nice pub so a meal and a liquid refreshment not a problem. He will come down to leeds if we have 3 or 4 bikes to do so if anyone is interested let me know and I will get it arranged. Cheers, Neil.
Just hose it with plain water. That will wash away most of the gunge and more importantly dissolve salt from the roads leaving the ACF50 to do it's job.
OMG man! wheres the satisfaction in that? When I clean my bike it's more like lathering up a woman with a sopping warm wet sponge coverd in smooth slippy soap and gently forcing it in to all her nooks and cranies ...mmmmmm......... Then blasting it all off with you presure washer, wiping her down with your shammy before covering her once again in loverly slippy wax and rubbing it in. Just a sec I need a trip to the bathroom........... ...... Phew right I'm back then buffing her off and putting her to bed. You cant just hose her off with cold water ewww ya wierdo!
But when you wash it all off properly at the end of the winter it's like getting a new bike :biggrin:
