02-13-2017, 03:06 AM
The cylinders look like they have suffered from road salt damage from winter driving. Washing it once you got home would help, but not stop the corrosion because the bike has spend the entire working day covered with the salt. Salt will chew through the whatever finish is on aluminum. That is why airports used urea, not salt, to deice runways.
BTW: If a car has dry road salt on it, it would be better to neutralize and gently clean it with white vinegar, than scrub it with soap and water. We Canadians know that from cleaning our car mats once winter is over. Unfortunately our cars smell like chip wagons for a few days each spring.
Air conditioner covers do not cover all the way to the bottom to prevent condensation from rusting the machine out during the winter. Similarly a motorcycle should not be covered right to the floor if stored in an unheated garage. Changes in temperature and slushy cars will create condensation in the garage and under the plastic bike cover. Simply lift the cover in the center and place it on the foot pegs to let it breathe.
Concrete garage floors will also give off moisture. If possible a motorcycle should be stored on a sheet of plywood or hardboard. Particle board is not recommended as it absorbs moisture.
I found out the hard way when the mufflers on a my Goldwing suffered some surface rust on the bottom one winter. After that I parked it on a sheet of plywood, and gave the mufflers a light coat of Vaseline. It helps protect against rust, and wipes off easily when the bike is started in the spring.
BTW: If a car has dry road salt on it, it would be better to neutralize and gently clean it with white vinegar, than scrub it with soap and water. We Canadians know that from cleaning our car mats once winter is over. Unfortunately our cars smell like chip wagons for a few days each spring.
Air conditioner covers do not cover all the way to the bottom to prevent condensation from rusting the machine out during the winter. Similarly a motorcycle should not be covered right to the floor if stored in an unheated garage. Changes in temperature and slushy cars will create condensation in the garage and under the plastic bike cover. Simply lift the cover in the center and place it on the foot pegs to let it breathe.
Concrete garage floors will also give off moisture. If possible a motorcycle should be stored on a sheet of plywood or hardboard. Particle board is not recommended as it absorbs moisture.
I found out the hard way when the mufflers on a my Goldwing suffered some surface rust on the bottom one winter. After that I parked it on a sheet of plywood, and gave the mufflers a light coat of Vaseline. It helps protect against rust, and wipes off easily when the bike is started in the spring.