Non Boxer winter hack engine advice

Dingle · Post by **Dingle** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 3:12 pm

StreetFlatTwin wrote:Just one question if I am hooking it up to the trickle charger can I set the alarm???

I've never had a problem (or had issues caused) setting an alarm whilst a bike has been on my optimate.

Boxadog 2000 · Post by **Boxadog 2000** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 6:14 pm

Do not use WD40 for long term it's crap.

Use ACF50

StreetFlatTwin · Post by **StreetFlatTwin** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 7:44 pm

Yeah but surely WD40 is OK if the bike is washed and dried before being stored in a nice dry garage and won't be ridden again until spring?

Or will I just buy some ACF50???

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 8:58 pm

StreetFlatTwin wrote:Yeah but surely WD40 is OK if the bike is washed and dried before being stored in a nice dry garage and won't be ridden again until spring?

Or will I just buy some ACF50???

WD40 is funny stuff - it starts off as hyrdrophobic (ie water-repelling) then after 10-14 days' exposure to air undergoes a chemical change where it becomes hydrophillic (ie water-attracting). Fine for lubricating things/freeing off the odd nut and bolt every so often but as a protectant, leave it well alone.

An RAF aircraft airframes technician told me this and it was he who first made me aware of ACF50.

StreetFlatTwin · Post by **StreetFlatTwin** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 9:17 pm

Really???

Thanks for that-I never knew that!!

ACF50 it is then!!!
So how do you guys actually apply the stuff?? I had an aerosol can and it came out pretty thick which was fine for behind fairings etc but not on my R1200S that I might brush against and start up every so often during the winter.
I'm guessing you need to buy the big bottle and a plant sprayer (the ones that you pump and goes a fine mist??) do you just cover the urea and discs when applying....oh I'll start a new thread!!

Dai wiskers · Post by **Dai wiskers** » Fri Oct 19, 2012 10:16 pm

I tend to use duck oil old habit i suppose a 5 litre can is expensive but will last for years and years
http://www.axminster.co.uk/swarfega-duc ... tomsection

available elsewhere all seem about the same price five litre can comes with a hand sprayer i believe

Can't help with alarm and batt minder

StreetFlatTwin · Post by **StreetFlatTwin** » Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:18 pm

Well I have been riding the RF for a couple of days and to be honest it isn't that bad for a 20 year old bike with 44k!! Yeah brakes are "adequate" and the suspension is soft (as is the power delivery!!) but for winter it's quite good!!

I haven't ridden an inline 4 for years and my god they're hard work!! Holding the gears til you get to upwards of 10k before anything happens!!

The only thing is that I am so used to naked bikes and after putting a flat bar conversion on the R12S (and loving it-now a gorgeous S with GS riding position!) the bars are a bit low!!

Seemingly this is a simple job of swapping the top yolk over to a Bandit 600 top yolk so if I decide to keep it for a while then that's the route ill be going-but ill need to order longer brake lines!!

The Teutonic Tangerine · Tue Oct 23, 2012 10:38 am

[quote="StreetFlatTwin"] and believe it or not MOT'd!!

quote].

The most startling MOT I ever saw was on a Sunbeam S8. My mate bought it, I rode it home. the front forks were a bit odd so we drained them of about a quater pint of water and quarter pint of oil then refilled them. The rear plungers were solid and gummed up with a hand painted paint job. The first time I used the front brake in anger I was surrounded by a cloud of rust. Anyhoo we took it the same afternoon for an MOT and it passed (this was in 1979) The brake test was basically a winch and a spring balance you held the brake on and the cable was wound up and if the spring balance reached a certain reading without the bike moving it was a pass.