Rust and Corrosion

[Tev62]

The CB developes rust and corrision as any other motorbike will do, depending on the conditions it is ridden and parked in. My CB had some salt rides in winter and is always parked outside sheltered by an breathable outdoor cover.

Here are some parts, on which I could and can find rust. Painted parts first: the triple clamp, ABS rings, the front upperside of the tank, the main stand and the frame.
I assume that the lacque and primer aren't the best on all these parts and do some repainting every now and then or oil these parts with Ballistol.

Some chrome parts like schock absorbers, mirror arms, upper sides of fenders and the ring around the front headlight also rust a bit. I use Autosol to make them shine again and sometimes oil for rust prevention. I had to change the clamp, that fixes the rear exhaust to the catalysator, it was destroyed by corrision.

All in all not very amusing but I can live with these alterations of the CB through all the years. It's not worther or better than other motorbikes I own or knew, seems to be normal and it's just the way it is. It looks like more or less each of them was cooked in the same water with the same ingredients concerning the finish.

Agreed. I am sure if a manufacturer wanted to market a "corrosion resistant" bike, they would have. However, the owner would pay for that feature. Certainly, the manufacturer would have to consider in their plans selling less bikes in the future if they models lasted "forever".

However, let's re-consider the concept of "Garage Queen".

Do you want to be thinking in your death bed, " ... I feel so lucky my bikes didn't rust and stayed safe, beautiful, and warm in the garage." - only to have your successors sell your machines at a low-ball prices after you are gone?

Or this? " ... man, I feel so lucky to enjoy all those rides over my life in almost any weather. I can still feel those engines resonating in my bones and that air in my face. That feels good. I feel good. Life was good. The bikes were sooo good."

Dead on!

I like a clean(ish) motorcycle but I can't get excited about cleaning any motorcycle. My Triumph Tiger has completely painted surfaces or plastic, I rarely clean it and hardly ever treat it. It has about 28,000Km & is 3 years old, lots of that was in the wet (I do live in Ireland). It does not have a rust mark on it anywhere, there is virtually nothing to rust, even the spokes are painted. But when I pull up in the parking lot it doesn't get a second glance. But after only a few short weeks of owning the CB and with restricted riding I have never had so many people start a conversation with me about the bike, and not just by old farts like me! I'll take that reward for a little bit of hidden rust.