Salt residual
Thread Starter
|
Stage I
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Justin,TX
Salt residual
I just spent 4 days in Galveston,TX and wind has blown sand and salt water on my black matted Street Glide. I notice that a film like layer is on my color, how do I clean it up? Also, some rust has shown on some weldings of the pipes, how do I get rid of it?
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 1,533
Likes: 439
From: Texas
4 Days 100yds from the gulf and you're surprised? When we are in any coastal town, bikes get rinsed off 2x day while we are there.
Wash it, rinse well. Not sure what to use on the flat paint.
You can use naval jelly to help clean up the rust.
Wash it, rinse well. Not sure what to use on the flat paint.
You can use naval jelly to help clean up the rust.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 9,243
Likes: 3,267
From: west Michigan
You can rinse salt off with water. If you want protection, there are products like Boeshield but I don't know if there's anything that will stay on a hot exhaust pipe. Find a big auto parts store and see what they have.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,129
Likes: 505
From: Illinois
There is a rust converter that will turn rust into a black, solid surface. You can apply this to any joints where rust is showing. It will get rid of the rust, and if done with an artist brush, you won't even be able to see it because your bike is black.
As for the salt residue, put water in a bucket and pour in a box of baking soda. Add a little bit of baby shampoo and wash your bike with this. The baking soda will neutralize the salt and stop the corrosion (salt will pit your paint microscopically) and the baby shampoo will wash away the junk.
Once you are done washing everything off you can use S100 Total Cycle Cleaner (http://www.s100.com/s100_tcc.htm) to bring the sheen and "new look" back to the black paint.
Also, don't forget to spray inside the rubber boots on the throttle and clutch cables with silicone to prevent any rust from corroding your connections. If you pull back the rubber and you see rust already forming, you can use naval jelly to get rid of the rust. Naval Jelly will damage paint so you don't want to use it on painted surfaces.
Don't neglect your seat(s) or any other leather material either. Use Lexol leather cleaner to clean them good and then Lexol leather conditioner to restore the oils to the leather.
As for the salt residue, put water in a bucket and pour in a box of baking soda. Add a little bit of baby shampoo and wash your bike with this. The baking soda will neutralize the salt and stop the corrosion (salt will pit your paint microscopically) and the baby shampoo will wash away the junk.
Once you are done washing everything off you can use S100 Total Cycle Cleaner (http://www.s100.com/s100_tcc.htm) to bring the sheen and "new look" back to the black paint.
Also, don't forget to spray inside the rubber boots on the throttle and clutch cables with silicone to prevent any rust from corroding your connections. If you pull back the rubber and you see rust already forming, you can use naval jelly to get rid of the rust. Naval Jelly will damage paint so you don't want to use it on painted surfaces.
Don't neglect your seat(s) or any other leather material either. Use Lexol leather cleaner to clean them good and then Lexol leather conditioner to restore the oils to the leather.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 12,229
Likes: 7,806
From: Along the shoreline in SW FL
Just frequent rinsing with water. I've lived on the salt watershoreline most of my life. I'm not a freak about "washing" my bike, and actually I think I've only used "wax" once on one of them (several bikes ago).
My bikes are always older ones and frequently get compliments on how good they look. I usually just use water, sometimes regular soap, and when drying...I use an oily old shower towel. I like using oily towels on the bikes...and I find it works well helping protect the metals from salty ocean air.
I'm sure there are tons of "magic promising the perfect finish" products out there...I'm just saying the old fashioned method works well for me.
My bikes are always older ones and frequently get compliments on how good they look. I usually just use water, sometimes regular soap, and when drying...I use an oily old shower towel. I like using oily towels on the bikes...and I find it works well helping protect the metals from salty ocean air.
I'm sure there are tons of "magic promising the perfect finish" products out there...I'm just saying the old fashioned method works well for me.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 349
Likes: 59
From: Bedford, Nova Scotia
After you get it clean you could buy a cheap (<$20) waterproof bike cover to use when the bike is parked in a similar area. When finished with it just give or throw the cover away.
Trending Topics
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,048
Likes: 492
From: Heart of Georgia
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,126
Likes: 51,457
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
A week spent on the beach in Corpus Christi and then another 5 days to KC cost me a set of spoked rims and rust anywhere it wasn't painted, front end started pitting a month after washing. 2 weeks without a car wash was all it took.
Last edited by TwiZted Biker; May 2, 2017 at 09:55 AM.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 349
Likes: 59
From: Bedford, Nova Scotia
That is just wrong! Here on the Nova Scotia Atlantic coast the same thing happens unkess you keep it clean and put the polish to it. We also have residual salt dust from road salt to contend with.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post