Rossi1981

hi there, i am considering getting a 2012 ER6n. however, i will be commuting on it every day and whilst at work it will be sat outside. i was sondering how it would fait against the british winter and if there are any major corrosion issues with them. or other things i should think about. will this bike stand up to the british winter??

MrFett

Get a quick easy cover for it so it doesnt just sit in the weather. They don't take much effort to toss on! :-D

Rossi1981

problem with that is you shouldn't really put a cover on a wet bike. surely it will just spend the day sitting in its own moisture in a lovely sealed bag which will aid corrosion.

williamr

I used a 6f for three Winters - I did use the car for a few days when we were on strike in January 2010 and the pre-dawn temperature hit -15 in Crewe - and had no problems. If you use a cover make sure that it's breathable and don't cover a wet bike. Sitting uncovered does it no harm while you're at work, but carry something to dry off a wet seat.

I had no problems with brakes sticking or any of the common Winter issues. The one thing to watch, and I'm not sure if it's the same on the '12 bikes, is the chain adjuster at the end of the swinging arm. Make sure that the drain holes are kept clear and water doesn't lie inside the swinging arm.

I'd suggest Phillips eXtreme Vision or Halford's Superbright bulbs in the headligts.

If your commute is short - less than about 5 miles - think about an alternative to the bike. Anything less than about ten miles could give long term issues.

Use a tap water hose at least once a week to rinse off any road salt. That will cause corrosion if left. So will keeping the bike in an unventilated garage or a garage that's heated to more than a few degrees above the dew point unless it's cleaned and dried first.

And be aware that riding on a freshly gritted road is almost as bad as riding on ice.

Rob

Rossi1981

Whats a better choice for a short 5 mile commute that takes me about 15 mins on average?

Glocken

my old 650r sat a whole winter covered in snow without a cover on it.

nothing happened.

salt is your enemy though

__________________
'06 650R RIP
'05 Sv650s

williamr

Best choice would be a bicycle. Otherwise a small 2-stroke. Small gets up to temperature faster, and two stroke because it has a total loss oil system so your oil doesn't get contaminated by the acids produced during cold start.

It takes about ten miles for oil to come fully up to working temperature in a middleweight 4-stroke, after which most of those contaminants burn off. Short cold start commuting on such a bike needs very frequent oil changes to compensate.

A 125 cc 2-T twist and go with storage space and good weather protection makes a great short distance commuter. A 50 might be OK depending on your route. An electric bicycle might also be worth thinking about, especially a Sakura or something similar.

Rob