Dear Diary,
Winter has once again returned. The gritters were out last night; perhaps they know I have tested my KEIS heated kit, washed the winter liners for my textiles, and have stockpiled XCP Salt Remover and FS365.
November: it happens at the same time every year and is a significant month for motorcycling in the Northern Hemisphere.
I have no real data to back this claim, but I’m going to suggest it is the most popular month for SORN (Statutory Off-Road Notice) applications.
In the UK, we pay a tax called Vehicle Excise Duty, also known as the Road Fund License or Road Tax.
Almost every vehicle has to pay it, and a SORN declaration tells the government that you are not going to use the vehicle on the road, so you can claim any unused Road Fund License back.
The cold and damp days ahead are not the most enjoyable for riding, but there are those of us who can’t resist the thought of a crisp, cold day, some weak winter sunshine and the chance to enjoy a ride.
The only problem is that to enjoy that cold crisp day means enduring more than our fair share of damp, soggy ones, but such is life.
Suzuki GSX-S1000GX
Last year, Suzuki offered us the use of a V-Strom 800RE, on the condition that we rode it through winter and reported any problems with the bike’s finish.
Other than me not checking that the side stand was locked down, and the bike slowly falling over in the driveway, it was an absolute delight.
This year – much to our surprise – we were offered a GSX-S1000GX to use over winter, on the same basis. Ride it through the crap winter weather, and report any problems.
If you think Suzuki wouldn’t do this if they didn’t think it would be a success story, you might be right, but it isn’t always good news for manufacturers.
A few years back, we had to tell a different manufacturer that their new mid CC adventure bike was covered in rusting fasteners. Not the easiest of phone calls, when you feel responsible for the motorcycle looking distinctly used.
XCP Salt Remover
Despite the overwhelming desire to ride a motorcycle whenever possible, some of the motorcycles we use regularly have been through the hibernation ritual. Cleaning off anything that can attack the bike while it is “sleeping” prevents being annoyed when the sun returns and your motorcycle is corroded.
If you ride through winter, you already know the enemy: road salt. It clings to your bike, attracts moisture, and quietly eats away at metalwork, fasteners, and paint, which is why we use protection … and we all know, we should always use protection.
Three Main Players
ACF50 is a blocker – clean your motorcycle, apply ACF50, and it blocks the winter road crap from getting to the motorcycle.
FS365 takes a different approach, neutralising the aggressive salts as they land on the bike by using mild alkalis and pH buffers to neutralise the acidic elements.
XCP Rust Blocker forms a soft, clear, and long-lasting protective film that bonds to metal surfaces, shielding them from rust and corrosion.
Know Your Enemy: SALTS
Although they have different approaches to the problem, the objective for all the winter protections remains the same: neutralise or block salt in all its forms.
Whether you are deep cleaning the bike before winter hibernation or cleaning it after a winter ride, when water evaporates, salt crystals remain behind.
Unlike traditional cleaners, which mainly tackle dirt and grime, XCP Salt Remover is focused on salt.
It works by reducing water’s natural surface tension, so instead of beading up, the solution spreads out, creating a “sheeting effect” resulting in better coverage, improved run-off, and more effective salt removal.
The formula is pH neutral, biodegradable, and safe on all surfaces—metal, plastic, rubber, etc.
Wash and rinse your motorcycle, spray on XCP Salt Remover, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse again to remove any remaining road salt or salts from your cleaner.
Frustration
It may sound counterintuitive to apply XCP Salt Remover after cleaning your motorcycle and before applying your chosen winter protection, but there is method in our madness.
We covered the perils of some motorcycle cleaners last year, which, if we are riding through winter, we’ll be using a lot. [See Diary of a Winter Rider – Part 2]
It is worth a read, but the bit that relates to salts is :
Nearly all of the motorcycle cleaners I have contain TETRASODIUM EDTA as an ingredient. When mixed with water at less than 1%, EDTA has a pH of 11.
The common EDTA strength in a motorcycle cleaner is 5%. It is aggressive stuff, and ironically, it is what makes some cleaners so effective.
EDTA is used as a chelating agent, which is a fancy way of saying it is the stuff that separates the muck and road crap from your motorcycle by bonding to the metals so the crap can be washed away.
It’s a frustrating realisation that I’m resorting to stronger, more volatile chemicals to remove the road crap created by rock salt.
Applying XCP Salt Remover helps ensure that, when rinsing our beloved motorcycles after winter riding, or before we put them away for winter, we have removed all salts, including tetrasodium salt (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or EDTA).
And if you can pronounce ethylenediaminetetraacetic – you were paying more attention in school than I was.
Bottom Line
If you are riding through winter, trying to avoid rock salt and road grime is pointless. The gritters have already been out spreading the devil’s own rock salt on the roads.
It may have dissolved, but it is still there, waiting for some water so it can spray itself on my motorcycle. And when I come to clean my bike, some cleaners contain more salt than rock salt does.
Will XCP Salt Remover and normal winter cleaning help keep Suzuki’s GSX-S1000GX in showroom condition?
There is only one way to find out …
