Thumper Club Forum

Club House => Chatter => Topic started by: Mark on December 31, 2011, 04:56:47 PM

Title: What is favourite/best protective coating
Post by: Mark on December 31, 2011, 04:56:47 PM
I'm not one for cleaning my bike but I don't want it to rot either and I would like everything to work as it should.

Many have their own ideas but what is your favourite spray, greases and methods of protecting your bits preferably for longer term winter protection.

Mark
Title: Re: What is favourite/best protective coating
Post by: SteveC#222 on December 31, 2011, 05:46:18 PM
When I ran the MZ & GN250 through the winter I used the good old oily rag every week or so. An old towel soaked in old sump oil and wrung out.  Mind out around the discs of course and wear some old marigolds as old sump oil is supposed to be carcinogenic!  Worked a treat! ..looked Bl00dy 'orrible , but it kept most of the rust at bay.  For shocks, get a suitable length of old inner tube and split lengthways, liberally cover the spring coils in grease then put the inner  tube round the whole shock held with cable ties. Make sure you get the top frame tube and undersides of the tank as this is a favourite place for muck to gather. Lastly, if you can, get a bit of washing up liquid bottle and attach to the front of the frame in front of the ht cap/plug, this stops all the crap gunging up the plug hole and stops HT problems. Non of this is pretty, but it works and in the spring all washes off. Oh yes,  50/50 clean( cheap) oil and grease applied to the chain weekly.
Title: Re: What is favourite/best protective coating
Post by: Steve H on December 31, 2011, 06:13:18 PM
A pot of grease and a paint brush always worked well for me, again looked awful but easy to clean off with a  degreaser.
Title: Re: What is favourite/best protective coating
Post by: johnr on December 31, 2011, 06:42:13 PM
acf 50
Title: Re: What is favourite/best protective coating
Post by: guest987 on January 01, 2012, 10:00:44 AM
Heard a lot of good stuff about ACF50. Gives a lot of protection over a long period. I will be appllying it to the XBR once it's back together.

Rob.
Title: Re: What is favourite/best protective coating
Post by: Andy M on January 01, 2012, 11:03:43 AM
ACF50, Scotoil anti-corrosion spray or Bikespray all work well. Prices vary and protection levels seem about the same. You need to keep using the stuff which can get expensive.

The old rag soaked in WD40 and oil still has a certain usefullness, I can wipe the Bonneville down every few days of after a soaking when I put it away. Apply the sprays onto a warm bike and you might as well just use air freshener.

It probably won't worry anyone but I don't like the BMW brand. It has some sort of hardener so while you spray less you'll need white spirit in the nooks and cranies come the summer to get the stuff and it's ingrained dirt off.

The best solution of course is a properly designed bike with plastic bits and enclosd chains and no fake chrome.

Andy
Title: Re: What is favourite/best protective coating
Post by: SteveC#222 on January 01, 2012, 11:28:46 AM
The best solution of course is a properly designed bike with plastic bits and enclosd chains and no fake chrome.

Andy

That'll be the MZ then!

( Can anyone explain to me why they used top notch Bosch alterators, silver plated switch internals then made the tail bulb fitting out of old tin foil!!)
Title: Re: What is favourite/best protective coating
Post by: beamer on January 01, 2012, 07:23:36 PM
I paint anything metal with waxoil exept exhaust and discs then dont bother to wash it again till spring.Its a bit of a pain cleaning it off in spring,I use white spirit .Once its cleaned off it looks as good as the year before
Title: Re: What is favourite/best protective coating
Post by: beeman on January 01, 2012, 08:16:16 PM
ACF50. Used for several years with reasonable results
 Like the idea of plastic bottles inner tubes etc
Not so easy on the fazer, 4 cylinders and single shock etc

As for the comics even motorcycle sport has sunk that low it was recommending
Washing down after each trip and drying down before putting
Away

12 hours shift 40 minutes traveling home 0345 hrs minus 5c
I just call that bo""ocks and put it in the garage and go to bed

I just wash the paint work and lights with soapy water Every week or so.
then in spring a good clean keeps it tidy.

Won't win a concours event but is not a rat bike. I ride about
12-15k most  mostly commuting
Bike on and ride safe
Beeman
Title: Re: What is favourite/best protective coating
Post by: Steve Lake on January 01, 2012, 08:39:21 PM
i'm with the ACF50 brigade..... since first using it 5 years ago i have become increasingly impressed with its performance.... not cheap but worth it.