G'day there, firstly i'm a new member. Just recently purchased my first Harley, 2011 model Softail Standard. Loving the ride. Took it to the dealer i purchased it from for it's first service. After picking it up, i gave it a clean a day later, i noticed RUST on the spokes of the front wheel and left hand mirror nut. Took it back to the dealer and showed them, his explaination was, it's caused by brake dust. I looked at him dumb-founded, not buying what he was saying. He asked if i cleaned the bike regulary, to which i replied of course, i keep it garaged and clean it a couple of times a week. I don't ride in wet weather. Anyway, he took pics of the RUST and said he will forward them to Harley, hopefully they will warranty the rim.
Has anyone else had similar problems???

cheers Brendan

 

Brendan,

Have one of the Moderators move this post over to the General Chat area where it will get more notice and replies.

 

it sucks on a new bike, but steel rusts.especially on the parkerized spokes and bolts.try to keep the bike dry.a little chrome polish on a rag will take care of rust if you keep up with it,if you dont keep the rust cleaned off 000 or 0000 steel wool with chrome polish on it will clean the rust with out scratching or damaging anything(new perfect chrome may get swirls)..replacing the wheel with chrome or stainless spokes will take care of most of it..and it isnt caused by brake dust

 

I take it from your sentence structure that you are from a different country than I am, but what we do have in common is rust. Doesn't matter if you ride in wet weather or not... doesn't matter if you clean your bike regularly or not... if there is moisture in the air and you do not treat your exposed metal parts with a rust inhibitor you will always have some rust somewhere. All is not lost... many of us here on the salty air side of the Gulf of Mexico spray our bikes down once or twice a year with good ol' WD-40 or Jigaloo. I have a 8 year old bike that doesn't have one bit of rust on it so I must be doing something right... I ride in all kinds of weather including salt laden rain.

 

A new bike should not rust within a year no matter how you treat it. That should be a warranty item.

 

I didn't think they made a Softail Standard for 2011.

 

Why... the factory isn't responsible for the weather or how well someone treats their bike. If it were a rust thru issue on a painted part that would be different... this is on fasteners. who knows where or when moisture was allowed to sit on these parts.

 

I have had a little rust on some of the fasteners on my o5 other than that I have had none

 

Brendan; do you happen to live anywhere near a coastline/ocean? Sea/salt air accelerates corrosion...

 

i live 10 kilometers from the coastline