ACF50 - spray on an leave?

[mudcow007]

Bought a bottle of this stuff years ago, ive never really used it before.

I've got the non aerosol stuff, do i just fill the pump bottle up an stick it in some hot water to make it thinner, then just spray it everywhere avoiding tyres/ brakes an shizz?

when you spray it on do you need to wipe it over to spread it?

I've never had a bike with fairings before, i took my first side off last night an its manky as funk in there

Also just read that ACF50 can go outta date??

[Rogerborg]

Heating it is an interesting plan, but it's pretty viscous stuff and I've never been able to get it to spray in anything like a useful mist.

Clean the bike, apply with a brush, ride.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Baffler186]

Spray and leave, it might drip overnight so leave a towel under the bike and don't spray it above tyres/discs (obvs). I've never tried heating it, might explain why I always get a dquirt rather than a fine mist
____________________
Current: 2009 SV650 S, 1990 Kawasaki GT550
Previous: 2009 CBF125, 1998 GSF600, 2004 FZ6 Fazer, 1978 CB400a Hondamatic

[mudcow007]

when i first got it I tried the pump spray but it came out like paint.

by sticking the bottle in hot water I was able to get a mist effect

[Rogerborg]

Gadzooks. I shall have to try that. You learn something new on BCF every day (for the set of You excluding Tef).
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[rhun]

I had my bike sorted at allyearbiker and he had a wax on/wax off approach and used it sparingly. If you use too much it turns into a gloop and attracts dirt.
____________________
Honda CBR600F6

[Hawkeye1250FA]

I use the aerosol version.

Spray everywhere, wipe excess with rag and continue across all exposed metalwork.

As others have said, leave a towel or cardboard box under it overnight. I generally always get some on my brakes by accident. Easily resolved by dragging the brakes for a few yards.
____________________
1993 RF400R - 2002 Bandit 1200 - 2012 1250 FA

[ADSrox0r]

Heat it, chuck it in an HVLP gun on the compressor and off you go. Done mine this way for years now and it goes on a treat and uses far less for the job than jizzing it everywhere with a 'spray' bottle.
____________________
Current bikes: '08 VFR 800 VTEC(yo) , '07 ZZR1400 Winter hack: '95 Aprilia 650 Pegaso Currently lusting after: RC30

[kgm]

I use a soaked rag for easy to reach parts and a small paintbrush for the trickier or recessed stuff and for fastners. Works well with no drips.

I've just bought an olive oil mister to try (under a tenner) as I don't have a compressor, although that would be the best method.

Heating it a little definitely helps it mist better from the aerosol.

[Landy10]

Reading this and finding the heating acf50 in hot water a great tip.
It has however made me laugh due to a friend having an unfortunate incident with a tube of CV grease for his landrover.
He had a kettle in his workshop and instead of pouring hot water from said kettle in to recepticle he just put the tube of cv grease into the kettle and switched the kettle on to boil, end result tube explodes and covers him and the workshop in rather warm cv grease

[MCN]

[doggone]

I put it in a used kitchen cleaning spray bottle rather than messing about with the tiddly one they give you.
If you take the internal pipe off it will work upside down which is often useful.

[myvision]

is the scottoiler FS365 as good or is the ACF 50 miles better?
____________________
VFR800FI, YZF600R Thundercat and FZS 1000

[MCN]

[evilzed]

[Qyburn]

[Johnnythefox]

I use the aerosol and I also find the acf50 grease is great on fasteners or known nicks in chrome.

[ThatDippyTwat]

[NJD]

Give your bike to Craig23: rumour has it dirt moves out his way when he's riding on the roads.

ACF-50: wash the salt away after a ride and reapply.

In truth there's not really a lot to it: apply once before winter and once afterwards, and there you have your two yearly washes of the bike (beside the above salt washing away). Spray bottles probably better than aerosol (less rags, less money spent on rags) but whatever you buy (spray 1l or aerosol) you'll have on your shelf, or in your cupboard, for a long time. Ensure all dirt is removed before spraying (so doesn't get trapped underneath) and you're good to go. Spray away, and plenty of, and thank yourself afterwards.

Give the underside of the bike a mass spray and the downpipes: be prepared for a stink and smoke upon startup, just ride away and close yer nostrils.

Probably better to do it sooner rather than later: sod standing out in that cold for longer than is needed.
____________________
The do it all, T̶h̶e̶ ̶b̶r̶o̶k̶e̶n̶ ̶o̶n̶e̶,̶ ̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶b̶i̶g̶ ̶l̶u̶m̶p̶,̶ ̶C̶h̶o̶n̶g̶ ̶N̶o̶o̶d̶l̶e̶

[MCN]

[Qyburn]

[almostthere]

stupid question but if acf is water resistant how do you wash it off for the summer? never used it myself.
____________________
Beer, It's the reason I get up every afternoon
www.mfairco.uk

[ADSrox0r]

[kgm]

I've always done the clean and reapply regularly over winter. Has worked ok, although always a little rust needing wire brushed off in the summer.

It's also a pain in the arse wet cleaning in the freezing cold so this year I'm going for the spray and forget method to a greater extent to give it a go.

[craigs23]

I tend to dose my bikes in ACF50 after taking ownership, then apply occasionally when needed throughout the year.

Winter wise, I would only give my regularly used bikes a wash if I know the following few days are going to be alright weather wise - but tend to resist giving the bike a thorough degreasing-clean until spring arrives. The accumulated road grime, mixed with a ACF50 base layer can be surprisingly corrosion resistant.

During winter:

https://i.imgur.com/Hkpx2bV.jpg

Post-spring clean:

https://i.imgur.com/C6Ju0AD.jpg

If possible, I do still tend to rinse road salt off bare metal components using cold water, if there's been a lot of salt on the roads after some rides.

My shinier bikes only come out now and again on sunnier winter weekends, and get treated to a decent clean after each ride - but only because I wouldn't use them as regularly.