A heads up for folks storing bikes this season or for long periods any season.
Had a couple of clubmates bring their near new bikes by to have me look at them and do a service on them this week. They had not ridden much this summer due to other committments and left the bikes in an enclosed two car garage in Central Texas.
The brake rotors,exhaust pipes, most small fasteners are very rusted , the chrome on the mufflers are speckled with rust and the saddles have a dried out appearance. There was a light haze on all the exposed surfaces. The gas QC on his '06 GS at the top of tank was leaking upon trying to start as well at 18K ( coincidental maybe, but as I removed it it snapped like ten year old brittle plastic) The ones on my '05 were still hard after 30K.
I asked a few questions about the garage and they said they had left the pool chemicals in the same space unknowingly.
They said the chlorine pails were sealed tightly, but having been around chemical rooms at water treatment plants and near pools I knew that doesn't keep the product where you want it to stay. That stuff eats metal vent grates on doors in no time. Stainless steel does not stay stainless.
I walked out to the shop this AM and it smelled like chlorine was everywhere. Have all the roll up doors open this afternoon! I plan on washing the bikes...actually flushing them when I go back out there. My camera is on the fritz or I would show some of the hurt
. Hopefully a little TLC and elbow grease with naval jelly will clean most of it up...the exhaust headers look the worst on the GS. The saddles will need some mink oil or something to rejuvenate the finish. One stock, the other a R Mayer.Anyways, these folks are not clueless, just did not think it could be an issue with sealed containers. The space was not wet, but did not have any added ventilation in the heat. Food for thought as you button down for the season.
