Use Your Bike (at least occasionally....)

[Blubayou]

Hi Guys,

Long time since I posted on here, mainly because I haven't been riding my PCX for various reasons. But to be fair, I could have taken it out for a run now & then but didn't.

As a result I took it for an MOT a couple of weeks ago. The wizened mechanic said to me, 'you haven't been riding this have you, because your headset is notchy & the brakes are dragging'.

This is a 6 year old bike with just 11'000 miles on it.

The brake pistons were really very badly corroded. The CBS was almost impossible to bleed.

The headset bearings were nasty so I replaced them. They were a real pain to do.

So all in it cost me a whole days work & 2 MOTs.

Lesson learned!

[springer1]

Not sure about the causes. Was the PCX was stored out of the weather?

[Blubayou]

Hi Springer,

The bike spent most of the last 18 months in the back garden here in the UK, but always covered by an Oxford Aquatex cover

[Blubayou]

The top bearing seemed worse than the bottom. As you can see by the surrounding rust, there was not a lot of grease around.

[Mel46]

I must say that I have never seen one in such bad shape. Do you have acid rain or something similar?
Also, if you cover a bike in a moist climate (foggy, damp, drizzling) moisture will rise up from the ground and condense under the cover. There is no breeze to dry it out, so the moisture just sits there. You should probably try to find a way to give the bike a chance to dry out occasionally. I have a tarp over my lawn tractor that I have to remove ever so often to let the breeze dry out any condensation. The same applies for the bike. Even a "lean-to" made from a tarp attached to a garden shed wall leaves room for air.

Remember, ACF-50 is your best friend in damp climates.

[you you]

I must say that I have never seen one in such bad shape. Do you have acid rain or something similar?
Also, if you cover a bike in a moist climate (foggy, damp, drizzling) moisture will rise up from the ground and condense under the cover. There is no breeze to dry it out, so the moisture just sits there. You should probably try to find a way to give the bike a chance to dry out occasionally. I have a tarp over my lawn tractor that I have to remove ever so often to let the breeze dry out any condensation. The same applies for the bike. Even a "lean-to" made from a tarp attached to a garden shed wall leaves room for air.

Remember, ACF-50 is your best friend in damp climates.

It’s the most minor salt corrosion not acid rain ffs.

I doubt if the bearings were “notched” from standing.

Greasing the race and reassembly would have been worth a go.

[gn2]

Notched bearings is a sign of impact damage and is almost inevitable.
Aquatex covers are not waterproof.
Any bike left outside in the UK needs to be fully treated with ACF 50 or it will rot.

[flyingzonker]

Outside is outside whether it is covered or not. Try living in a tent for a while and you will see what I mean. If I didn't have a garage to store mine I would damn well bring it into the kitchen....in which case it would be rather nice if the kitchen were on the first floor with no stoop or step up in front of the door.