Sea salt spray?

[sgtslag]

Been thinking of trailering our touring bike to the Corpus Christi, TX region, in February, to ride for a week, away from the snow...  Heard something about sea salt spray getting inside the bike's engine, and carbs, and causing issues.  Anybody live near a salty coast that would care to comment on the effects of salt spray on bikes?  Thank you.  Cheers!

[TOOLS1]

Prolonged exposure will cause oxidation. However I have never heard of it ruining an engine. I would not worry about it unless, you plan on powering a boat with it. There are millions of bikes in coastal regions. My best friend lives in Charleston SC, and has never had a problem.
TOOLS

[Lucky 1]

Living along the ocean will cause more corrosion and faster.
It has to do with how far above sea level you are.
If you are right at sea level it is most severe.
If you are even 20 ft. above seal level it is less.

The worst is if the car or motorcycle drives through the salt water.
If you submerge the brake drums or discs on a car in salt water you
can have frozen up parts the very next day. Not kidding.

So when you live near the ocean try not to drive through water if
you think it is salt water, and not rain water.

That is why you will see boat owners rinsing down their entire trailered boat
at a marina along the ocean. To get the salt off of the boat and trailer.
What happens is the salt crystals that are left on the surface start to act like little
prisms or magnifying glasses to burn the paint and start the corrosion process.

[cityslicker]

I heard that's almost as bad as road salt  corrosion.

[TOOLS1]

It is, but they rust from the top down, and not the bottom up like road salt. I had a friend that had a really nice old truck in FL. One day he was driving to work, and the top (outside layer of sheet metal) just flipped back over the cab.
TOOLS

[Daddyman]

Was it a Chevy?

[shinyribs]

Daddyman wrote

Was it a Chevy?

      Nah,couldn't have been.It woulda quit runnin' long before it had time to dissolve.Musta been one of them blue ones

[MarkPBG]

I live in South Florida. All the cars and bikes along the coast that don't get their outsides washed down weekly have rusty bolts, frames, corrosion on the aluminum parts, etc. I wouldn't worry too much about the inside of the engine, the oils, combustion heat and the fact that more than half the engine isn't accessible to the outside air will keep it nice, but DO wash down the ENTIRE bike…all the little nooks and crannies you can reach. We've got guys who bring their classic steel hot rods to Hollywood Beach on the boardwalk right at the beach every month for years, they wash them down after and they still look brand new. You really only need to worry if there's a prevailing wind coming toward you off the surf and it's strong enough to kick up some bigger waves. Without that, you won't get enough spray in one visit to even worry. (i'd still wash it down to be safe.)
My parents lived on A1A right on the beach and it took about 4 years of parking there 24 hours a day for the bolts to rust on their minivan. LOL  My car is 3 years old and I'm at the beach two to three days a week for 4-6 hours at a time, I have yet to wash this car once and there's no rust yet. (it's a toyota, so I don't care…if it was my camaro, you can bet I would be washing it.)

Don't forget, there's guys that have been racing the same car on the salt flats out west for more than 20 years….the SAME car, just changing the suspension, engine, etc.

[TOOLS1]

The fact that it was old, and still on the road tells, you it was not a Chevy.
TOOLS

[shinyribs]

I think I'm fighting a losing battle here.

[MarkPBG]

Oh, then YOU'RE driving the ford? lol

[Daddyman]

Well I'm glad I had a camera with me today... You'll never ever see this again!

[shinyribs]

MarkPBG wrote

Oh, then YOU'RE driving the ford? lol

Atta Boy!


Looks like the slide in camper is about to slide out

[MarkPBG]

I like 'em all….just grew up on Chevy. Now I can't buy one at all because ALL the GM cars…every last one…has the Onstar hardware and there's NO way to delete it. Part of the electronics of it are embedded in the ECU now too. The Feds can track your car without your knowledge, even turn on the in car microphone and listen in (unless it becomes "disabled" somehow). But I'm not ever going to own a big-brothermobile! Guess I gotta build another old muscle car…darn.

[TOOLS1]

I'm with, you on that Mark.
TOOLS

[shinyribs]

I hear ya.Privacy Act my big butt

[TOOLS1]

Privacy act? It was overturned by the Patriot act.
TOOLS

[shinyribs]

TOOLS1 wrote

Privacy act? It was overturned by the Patriot act.
TOOLS

Yeah right.I think this needs to go in the joke section now

[Rusty Spokes]

I'm with you too Mark and tools! Pre 75 Chevy for me only, unless it's the 454ss Chevy's 1990-1993 Limited Edition. But on the sea salt deal..you don't have to worry about that unless you have a lot chrome or ride in a sand storm but other than that... you can ride on velocity stacks all day and not affect your motor. Just have a safe ride 

[Lucky 1]

Yes it is the same thing. Salt