So we got a half inch of snow a couple days ago and Ohio Dept of Transportation dumped salt like they have stock in it. They are forecasting mid 50's tomorrow and the low is staying above freezing. I really want to take the Fat Boy to work tomorrow but I am concerned about the salt. Is it really that bad for the bike? Will she still rust real bad even if I power wash her when I get home. I usually park it once they throw salt but this winter has been mild so far...

 

In my opinion as long as wash it good it will be fine.. I mean you drive your cage on it for how long and it hasn't hurt it yet

 

Don't do it! You will never get it all off and pressure washing will just force it into smaller harder to get to places. The gravel sized pieces will chip the inside of the fenders. You might as well dip it in acid. (Lived in Cleveland for beter than 20 years.)

 

If you look at the under body of a car from the north that has seen salt u can't make the statement that salt doesn't do anything to a vehicle, just saying!

To the OP.......if u drive it in the salt I would wash it right away but not with a pressure washer bad idea! Hose with a powerful stream and soap and water. Be sure to spray down everything.

I personnel would not do it but it is your bike. Salt from the ocean winds in Florida can play havoc with a bike let alone road salt!!!

 

Don't have to worry salted roads now, but when I lived Toledo I saw major damage to vehicles from the salt. You got to keep it washed off.

 

Give it a heavy duty washing after and you'll be ok. Salt never has messed with the chrome on my cages.

 

Saw an Ultra on the way home from work today and all I could think about was getting on my bike when I got home...

 

They dump so much salt on the roads here that you can hardly even see the lines on the road after it dries. After seeing what it does to my trucks and cars, there is no way I will ride my bike on salted roads. It's not worth it.

 

ride it wash it enjoy it , salt will cause rust on bare metal if neglected , it may cause some pitting on aluminum or chrome if neglected, how ever if you cannot enjoy your bike when you want to does it really matter how pretty it looks sitting around the garage....it your bike enjoy it however you want to

 

I'd ride. Not all roads are salted equally. Some roads are salted more heavily than others so pick and choose the ones you ride on.