Been out today.


Ralph

New member
Out for two or three hours today, only 3 days after the highest
rain fall since records began, and in the UK that's a fair bit of
damp, many small places still cut off power off road washed away
and so on still blowing a half gale 50 mph this afternoon water
flowing off the fields across the roads, even the local radio station
was off air for about a day only able to play caned music they
are still on emergency generators, and the 07 ran like
a good un, never missed a beat, even 50 mph + side winds don't
move it about unlike some much heaver bikes I have had,
even started first touch after about 3 weeks in a cold garage.
Smooth, quiet, economical, light, only real annoyance
is the rear shock but that,s ok at slow speed gets a bit floppy
at medium then to me at least seems to get better as you push
on, what,s not to like.
 

KEVINJSTANLEY

New member
you are a braver man than me going out in those conditions..:) the cleaning you would have to do afterwards just does bear thinking about
 

Scim77

Member
I also went out yesterday, although it is considerably milder and drier in Sussex. Just like Ralph, my bike fired up immediately (also not run for over two weeks) and was a joy to ride, as usual. I did a couple of hours, thanks to Oxford heated grips, Acerbis handguards and Furygan gloves. I always enjoy every minute, except the cleaning up afterwards! Despite purposely swerving around damp bits and tip-toeing through wet bits, I accumulated all the usual mess, particularly around the rear spring and suspension. Does a rear hugger reduce this in any way?
 

Ralph

New member
A hugger helps a little but not a cure, you can get a sock made of neoprene I think that fits over
the shock and that may help I thought of getting one they fit without taking the shock off I thought
of giving the shock a good spray with something then fitting it then hope it survives the winter.

I have a fender extender but even when everything else stays clean the front of the engine looks
like a potato field.
 

sdrio

New member
2 weeks of commuting into London here, without the chance to wash it. Mine is absolutely MINGING at the moment.

You 'keep it sparkling in the garage' chaps would cry if you saw it. :D

I'll add the obligatory caveat that it is liberally sploshed with ACF50 under the cack though, so I'm pretty confident it'll come up gleaming after I hit it with the pressure washer.
 

Simoncrp

Member
Same here. I have only had my bike for 1 week and its splattered with filth. And that's only from commuting around London! Although I do admit to putting on a tail tidy. I don't have the time to wash it every week though.
Would you recommend using ACF50?
 

Scim77

Member
I strongly recommend ACF50. I have no idea was its chemical composition is but it works as stated. I have the MT-07 thoroughly bathed in it. A couple of my previous bikes, like the Norton Commando and MotoGuzzi had lots of bare aluminium alloy, as well as chrome and steel bits. I kept them treated with ACF50 throughout the winter months, whilst still riding the bikes. ACF50 prevented polished alloy wheel rims, brake ferrules and all sorts of nuts and bolts from tarnishing and was infinitely easier to clean when Spring arrived. It is mighty clever stuff.
 

sdrio

New member
Same here. I have only had my bike for 1 week and its splattered with filth. And that's only from commuting around London! Although I do admit to putting on a tail tidy. I don't have the time to wash it every week though.
Would you recommend using ACF50?
Sure would. It seems daft not to.

After I wash the bike, I just splat it all over the bottom / vulnerable places (behind the back wheel etc) - obviously you'd have to make a choice between gleaming and highly polished, and covered with ACF50, but during the winter you're not going to keep it clean whatever you do. That's the only downside, the bike won't look as clean as it would without it.

The crud collects on top of it, and you just take it off with a hosepipe and sponge, or if you're lazy like me a pressure washer. I am often told not to pressure wash it, but to me the bike's a tool, I'm not super fussy about keeping it looking new. I just want to keep it as rust free as possible.

It's cheap and effective. I bought a 5l bottle of it about 4 years ago, and still have plenty left.

Having said that, I still have a bit of corrosion on the bike where I missed it, or didn't think I needed it. The water pipes running past the clutch cover got salt damaged last winter, and the nuts on the front brake disk are rusty. I do those with a paintbrush now, as I'm wary of spraying any kind of liquid around the brake disks. There are a few other dots around, but the areas others have found rust, like round the rear shock etc, are as clean as a whistle on mine.
 

Noggie

New member
Never ride in the rain or wet roads.
I did it once with the mt this year because it rained the day I had it booked in for a service.

Only rode it 2000km, and washed it twice this year, doesn't get dirty on dry sunny days on paved roads :)
 

Ralph

New member
Only place up to now I have found rust is just were the mirror storks enter the mirrors.
This is the start of it's second winter. 9000 miles up to now
 

bhd

New member
I slathered mine in ACF50 at the weekend and am very glad I did so, though having ridden through the torrential rain this evening I can't believe there will be much still on there!

Overtrousers failed their first proper test, as did my old faithful, once-waterproof, never-let-me-down winter gloves :(

What are the rules for re-applying? Gently rinse off crud and re-apply, or chuck more on on top of the crud?
 

Ralph

New member
When out I had some cheap as in £19 claw gloves on warmest hands ever but was not
out long enough to test if real water proof.
Mind you a pair of elephants ears would keep them dry not very fashionable but warm n dry.
 

bhd

New member
When out I had some cheap as in £19 claw gloves on warmest hands ever but was not
out long enough to test if real water proof.
Mind you a pair of elephants ears would keep them dry not very fashionable but warm n dry.
Oh yes, come the cold weather I'll have heated inner gloves underneath lobsters, but I'll be on the hunt for new waterproof gloves this weekend. Still lamenting the loss of Hein Gericke.
 

Simoncrp

Member
For the uninitiated, what's the best way of applying ACF50? Do you use the spray or a bottle and just apply with a rag? Does one only apply on metal or plastics as well? What about the chain and brake discs?
All advice appreciated!
 

bhd

New member
There are others better qualified than me to reply (and I'm sure they'll be along in a minute), but as far as I'm aware, you can put the stuff pretty much anywhere except brake disks (not sure about chain) - it's a bit like WD40 in its lubricant qualities, so you want to avoid getting it on tyres, brakes, etc. You can buy it in aerosol or liquid form, and the drill is to spray it where you can, but use a rag to wipe it over surfaces such as wheels where you don't want it to creep. I used a paintbrush to dibble it onto fastners and areas where I didn't want to spray. I haven't had the nerve to put it on the calipers, but hopefully someone will come up with a good technique for that!

I haven't put it on the underside of the seat, but think I probably should, and await others' advice...
 

sdrio

New member
For the uninitiated, what's the best way of applying ACF50? Do you use the spray or a bottle and just apply with a rag? Does one only apply on metal or plastics as well? What about the chain and brake discs?
All advice appreciated!
I spray it on then just wipe up the drips. For fiddly places use a small paintbrush. The big bottles come with a small pump up aerosol bottle, which isn't very good.

It's very inert, so there is no risk of it damaging surfaces, but I'd avoid completely soaking electrical connections.

Disks - it won't harm them but the first time you use the brake it will get scraped off. You could put some on if you were planning to store it, but rememember to go easy for the first mile afterwards.

Chain - seems pointless as your chain should be well lubed anyway, and if you use an oil based lube, that will protect the chain as well as the ACF will.

It won't harm the chain to put it on, but it's not a lubricant so you'd have to lube it as well anyway.
 

Scim77

Member
ACF50 is a sophisticated product aimed initially at the aircraft industry to inhibit corrosion on all components and electrical parts. It is worth reading the following link :-

ACF-50 Corrosion Control for Motorcycles

If you use it on brake discs then DO NOT operate the brakes until the ACF50 has been degreased from the rotors, otherwise the ACF50 oils will soak into the pad material and could reduce their effectiveness. If you want to protect your rotors over the winter, I think it would be wise to remove the brake pads first.
The much-used WD40 is, in fact, a poor lubricant. Its propellant drives out more lubricant than it delivers, particularly in door locks etc. It also tends to crust and varnish over time, impeding electrical connections. By contrast, ACF50 has good lubricity, does not varnish and is safe on electrics.
Application by spray is difficult, due to its viscosity - it tends to jet rather than spray. But a combination of this, plus rags and little paint brushes will enable the vulnerable areas to be treated. I would confidently soak electrical connections and switches too (see link above)
 
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sdrio

New member
ACF50 is a sophisticated product aimed initially at the aircraft industry to inhibit corrosion on all components and electrical parts. It is worth reading the following link :-

ACF-50 Corrosion Control for Motorcycles

If you use it on brake discs then DO NOT operate the brakes until the ACF50 has been degreased from the rotors, otherwise the ACF50 oils will soak into the pad material and could reduce their effectiveness. If you want to protect your rotors over the winter, I think it would be wise to remove the brake pads first.
The much-used WD40 is, in fact, a poor lubricant. Its propellant drives out more lubricant than it delivers, particularly in door locks etc. It also tends to crust and varnish over time, impeding electrical connections. By contrast, ACF50 has good lubricity, does not varnish and is safe on electrics.
Application by spray is difficult, due to its viscosity - it tends to jet rather than spray. But a combination of this, plus rags and little paint brushes will enable the vulnerable areas to be treated. I would confidently soak electrical connections and switches too (see link above)
Good to know about the electrical connections, I'm probably fussier than I need to be with that - always avoid getting it near the switchgear and around the headlamp. Will save me a bit of time!

Agree on the wd40 thing too - I've used to many times to release stuck things, but as a lube it's clearly way too thin to be useful on moving machinery.
 

Ralph

New member
One thing I did notice after 3 weeks a long time for me without riding was how good
the MT-07 is to ride, we all have a bitch about something on the bike but a lay off
reminds you how good this bike really is at any price but for the price they are Bargain.
;););)
 


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