fergusmacdonald Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Hey all, First post! Just passed my test last November, and bought my first bike last week. Did my training on an XJ6 and loved it, so thought it would be a good first bike. I'm planning to move to London next month so bought the bike for commuting. Living in Edinburgh just now, and although the weather is not great, can't resist taking it to work nearly every day! (unless it's really icy or chucking it down!). A few people I know have bikes, and are telling me that I need to wash it every time I go out if there's salt on the roads. Is that correct? The last few days, I've come home, hosed it down, but by 8pm it's already pretty cold so I've put on the cover (Oxford Stormex) and locked it up for the night. Unfortunately I have to leave it on the road outside the house. Would really appreciate some advice on if/when I should hose it down, if it should be dried before being covered etc...just run down the routine I should be following when I get home. It doesn't have an automatic oiler so should I be re-oiling the chain every time I hose it down as well? Any help/info would be much appreciated....really, really, really can't wait to get it out on a dry day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Baker Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 First things first, get yourself a scottoiler. Saves a lot of the problems with oiling your chain, dont get me wrong, you still need to clean it down every wee while but it'll keep your chain for longer. I commute to Edinburgh for Uni from Glasgow and my chain would be killed by now with this weather. I know the cold weather is killing to do any work in but you gotta be religious with it. If your hosing the bike down every time your getting home late then putting a cover over it, wheres all that water going to sit? Its gonna drip through and freeze on all the parts you dont want it to. It takes a couple more minutes but just take a quick shammy round it, doesn't have to be perfect or bone dry but it saves you walking out to a frozen set of brakes or worse. I know the covers are good at keeping the frost out but i always say its better safe than sorry, especially if water freezes in your lock set. Now if your hosing the bike down, either avoid the chain or hose the chain down but you gotta dry that chain before you re-lube it or its just gonna drip off. Thats my thought behind it anyway, other people might think different. Hey all, First post! Just passed my test last November, and bought my first bike last week. Did my training on an XJ6 and loved it, so thought it would be a good first bike. I'm planning to move to London next month so bought the bike for commuting. Living in Edinburgh just now, and although the weather is not great, can't resist taking it to work nearly every day! (unless it's really icy or chucking it down!). A few people I know have bikes, and are telling me that I need to wash it every time I go out if there's salt on the roads. Is that correct? The last few days, I've come home, hosed it down, but by 8pm it's already pretty cold so I've put on the cover (Oxford Stormex) and locked it up for the night. Unfortunately I have to leave it on the road outside the house. Would really appreciate some advice on if/when I should hose it down, if it should be dried before being covered etc...just run down the routine I should be following when I get home. It doesn't have an automatic oiler so should I be re-oiling the chain every time I hose it down as well? Any help/info would be much appreciated....really, really, really can't wait to get it out on a dry day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fergusmacdonald Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 Hi David, Appreciate your response. I had been thinking about getting an automatic oiler. Which model do you have on yours? Did you fit it yourself. Yeah, I think you're right, if I'm going to hose it down, it's not that much more work to dry it off as well! Will invest in a big chamois or borrow one from my car cleaning set. I think I look at the bike and think - dry what! There's hardly any panels other than the tank and the seat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Baker Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I have the V-System on mine, fitting it myself, was a p***-take really when you research it enough. It may not be a lot of panels so'll take you less time. Make sure you get some oil in the seat lock as your not using it all the time. Mine seized and was a pains to get off. Remember it doesn't have to be perfect, your not making love to it Hi David, Appreciate your response. I had been thinking about getting an automatic oiler. Which model do you have on yours? Did you fit it yourself. Yeah, I think you're right, if I'm going to hose it down, it's not that much more work to dry it off as well! Will invest in a big chamois or borrow one from my car cleaning set. I think I look at the bike and think - dry what! There's hardly any panels other than the tank and the seat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fergusmacdonald Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 Ha ha...that is true! I saw your other post about fitting it to the vacuum tubes - seems relatively straight-forward. Guessing you fitted your reservoir under the seat? I see that there are some systems for like £15 www.chainoiler.co.uk which seem to do the same job, but have a double headed nozzle! My local Yamaha shop quoted about £100 for a Scottoiler (presumably v system) and £50 for fitting. Happy to do it myself, just need to decide which one to go for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fergusmacdonald Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 Never mind that...new sets on eBay for £58 delivered! Not too shabby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Baker Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Never mind that...new sets on eBay for £58 delivered! Not too shabby. ride magazine did a fab write up on chain oilers a while back My link I went with the scottoiler because its what most people put on their bike and its quite an easy install for non mechanical minds. I have the double injector and plan to put it on, but i just cant get a nice day to put mine on. Oh and its under the seat, if u want the extra reservoir you'll need to put it behind your licence plate no doubt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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