Naked bikes + Winter = Not good?

[Dom]

I'm hoping to pick up a bandit/hornet 6 after I do my test, but since I'd be using it for college and it'd have to sit outside with no weather protection 5 days a week I was wondering how well it'd hold up?

Since the engine's so exposed would I end up with a rust bucket in 5 minutes or would a decent clean once a week keep it looking (and working) good 'til the summer? I have a nasty feeling someone told me bandit's are notorious for not liking this 'weather' stuff. Please say I'm wrong and have nothing to worry about.

Cheers

[Rob W]

I reckon the Hornet would hold up better than a Bandit if sat out in the winter. Cant you just buy a cover for it at least?

[jay12329]

A hornet will last bettre than a bandit but both will fall apart if not look after. Coating everything in winter treatments (Scott the oiler people do a good treatment) and rincing with cold water after every ride on salted roads should keep the most of rust at bay. A good clean of the down pipes with autosol before winter sets in should see them stay clean and shiny till spring.
HTH
J

[instigator]

Get some protection on it, probably some stuff better than WD40, but thats what I use for everything. Remember, get a waterproof HEATPROOF cover for the bike. I still need to buy one of these for my bike, an er5, which will be sitting outside every day of the week and will be used on every day except snowy ones.

Just look after it. Too many people think bikes have as good build quality as cars...But they don't. Well, especially with all the important bits of a bike being on show.

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

Haven't you got a bike shed?

Remember bikes are small and you can ride them around/over things to get to places.

Just becuase they say you shouldn't do xxx doesn't mean you cant.

There are my 2 pennies.

Failing that, use treatment/sprays etc. I do use them and my bike is covered, but still gets wet a lot.

[Full Bananas]

From what I've heard, Suzukis are slightly more water soluble than other makes, but Scottoiler FS365 provides pretty good protection from rust. The road salt will definitely do more harm than the rain from being left outside anyway.

[Sparks!]

You could always carry a bike cover with you and stick it over the bike at college etc..

I do the same for work, although admittedly I leave the cover at work but it wouldn't be much / any hassle to take the cover with me... just bungee it to the rear seat or something

Take a load of elastic bands too... stick the cover on then wrap elastic band over the cover to the indicators etc.. it stops the cover going for a flying lesson!!

I speak from experience so use elastic bands
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[Dom]

Cheers for all the replies guys.

Claud we haven't got any bike shed to speak of annoyingly, despite it being the biggest college in hampshire. They bothered to make a nice undercover bike park for pushbikes (unfortunately they have those pushbike stand things in there so no room to sneak in a bandit ) but the bike parking area is just a little area of one of the car parks with a barrier round it. It's totally pointless and not even big enough for all the scooters and the odd bike to fit in, but I'll stop before I get really ranting.

Jay I'll be sure to give all that stuff a try. As for the cover I expect I might have to bite the bullet there but we'll see. I'm not to keen to be carrying it both ways and the hassle of putting it on/off would be a bit annoying but then I guess I'm already arsing around warming the RS up atm so it'd just be more of the same. For sure it'd be the best thing though.

Hmm, I sense a little 'we want a roof' campaign coming on...

[Bendy]

Bike covers really aren't that much hassle, get a nice thick waterproof one and you'll find it actually keeps the chill off the bike - my old CB lived onstreet all winter a couple of years back and always started better when it was covered for some reason.

It's also easier than clearing the snow off yer seat in the morning.

[mchaggis]

[BLacKPooLLaD]

My m8 has a Bandit 6, he used it over winter/summer last year on the motorway. Wash it everyother day, and spray the swinger, the tripple tree i think its called, like the yoke, the frame underneath is the main areas, thats where his rusted alittle.

Luke
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[Robin]

Why not keep the little bike as well and use that as a winter hack, keep the big bike nice for when the good weather comes around.

[Dom]

[MissFickle]

i would park it in my lounge..

[neon]

[mollers01uk]

Hi there

My first post / reply

I did my cbt then had a kawasaki kh125 for a year, then got a t reg 1999 hornet 600. First big bike i was so scared when i first rode it but it felt really good.

In reply to your question about leaving outside most of the time, i'd say the hornet is a great bike i left it outside most of the time as well with work and as long as you clean it and look after it as well then you will have no problem. Honda's are great.

[california_rookie]

[jay12329]

My hornet seams to have a bit of underseat storage. Space for a set of waterproofs around my alarm.
J