Is ACF50 really the best product for protecting your motorcycle against corrosion? 

Recently spoke to a friend who is a veterinary nurse. She disclosed that most vets are now under corporate ownership. Driving up prices and driving down service and care.

Retail companies has a saying. 3/33 customer service. When you get good service you tell 3 people, but when you get bad service, you tell 33. I see what you said with good will, as today's customer service has gone down hill. It's not the people that you are talking to, it's the manager that allows this service. And they will blame it on business as they can't afford better people. No! Manage your people and know what service they are providing. I could go for hours on this issue. Sending good energy to your pup!

Hi Stu. As a retired Veterinarian in the USA I can tell you your observation about the deterioration of service is spot on and not unique to the UK. I began cleaning kennels ect. in 1968 while in jr. high school right through college and on to getting my degree. In that time I've seen the profession undergo tremendous changes. Some for the good but a lot for the bad. The cost and service aspects have suffered the most for lengthy reasons too involved to outline here. Suffice to say I feel it will get worse before and if it gets better. Keep up the good work and I hope your pup heals quickly.

As a confirmed wimp, I rarely ride in the winter unless the roads are dry and salt-free. If I did have to ride in the winter I would buy a winter hack. Bugger all the faff of applying oils/sprays/protective formulas...

In case anyone is interested in the photo of the rusty hulk on the cover of this posting.... It's a Russian Ural , late 60s to early 70s , 350cc either single or twin , pre mix two stroke , I think.

Ha Haven Vets ive heard about them, The breeder I got my cat from specifically advised me not to register him with them. well done for shaming them, they messed with the wrong guy this time! I agree with you about acf50 its been sold for a purpose it was never intended to be used for, I still use the old Finnegans wax oil, lifetime rust protection in one application!

It's been a while, but when I was riding all year round in the UK North, the standard solution for me was Waxoyl diluted with kerosene, sprayed everywhere with a spray bottle and left to dry as soon as the cold weather arrived. Don't wash the bike unless it's absolutely caked, and then just hose it down. Come the spring, steam clean it all off... wash the bike properly and polish. Worked perfectly every time. The best solution by far though? Move to a warmer climate!

XCP rust blocker, clear coat. This stuff is good, it dry, so crud doesn’t stick, unlike ACF50. Works for me.

I have been using ACF50 on aircraft for years and been very happy with it, apply once a year and forget. I use XCP on motorcycles, easy to apply and lasts well, it does hold onto muck but I live with that after all I want a bike I can ride all year round knowing it is protected underneath.

MZ riders of my acquaintance smothered their bikes with a light grease in winter, and left it there in summer! When you ride a bike 365 days a year, aesthetics take second place. Any suitably viscous oil-based product will protect metalwork, it depends how pretty you want the bike to look in the meantime.

Every animal injury happens on a weekend. It's the rules. As for ACF50...lol you're right, my RU-vid suggestions have been throwing ACF50 vids at me... EDIT: I do not own/have a pet. The first advert I got as I watched this video was for a product for dogs (I think it was called "you move?") I HATE this level of intrusion.

I hope willow heals well, and soon. The same thing happened to my golden retriever years ago. The cause was a discarded smashed beer bottle in a stream. In the last 20 years the litter problem has become noticeably worse. It might help if there was a £1 deposit on all glass, plastic bottles, and also cans. Then kids could earn money by picking up any items discarded by feckless litter louts!

Stu, one of my old neighbours had his own recipe for an anti-corrosion system for his bikes. At the time he had a collection of rather ‘ratty’ KH Kawasaki’s, in fact he had all the 2 stroke triples from the 250 up to the 750. His method was to mix petrol with 2 Stoke oil and then use an old plant sprayer to apply this solution. Not quite sure what ratio of petrol to oil he used, but after this solution was applied the petrol would evaporate off and leave a thin protective film of 2 stroke oil on the bike. Not sure of the longevity of his solution, but it certainly was cheap compared to the modern chemicals that are now available.

Sending Willow all the best for a speedy recovery.

I use the cheapskate option, bituminous paint on the inside of mudguards and a regular going over everything with an oily rag.

A problem that I have found over the years is that any solvented oil/wax based product will render any plastic covered wiring or sheathing brittle and will rot rubber components such as cable bellows. Take care to protect these items when applying the protector spray

Good info Stuart 👍

Thanks for the tips Stuart. It's a constant battle with the elements.

I've always just used cheap £1 spray cans of 3 o 1. Oil . In over 40 yrs I've never got any corrosion .... and that includes riding in sleet and snow 😢.

Thanks Stu, a really useful and informative upload 👍

Nice one Stuart, as always great information on tried and trusted products....

Gt85 all the way for me

I bought a few Autobrite products following your recommendation in previous videos and I've been very happy with them. Their Ultimate Pink Drying Towel is simply the best of its type on the market!

Thanks for the recommendations 👍

Hope Willow gets well soon. Thanks for another informative post 👍

I only use ACF50 on my new and classic bikes wouldn’t use anything else 🙌🙌 Especially on chrome tanks and rms plus the engines come spring like new again The modern bikes get used occasionally in winter and don’t have to re apply it either Happy days 😊😊

Thanks Stu cracking video, I'll definitely be having a look at the bilt hamber stuff 👍🏻

Great video - I was going to buy some ACF 50 today! 😮‍💨 Thank you Stuart

Hi Stu, I hope Willow is on the mend, so worrying when our pets are suffering. I applied ACF50 to my old Honda CB Seven Fifty after doing a restoration on it (it had been stood in a garden for literally years). Unfortunately, due to changing circumstances, the poor bike ended up standing outside again when not being ridden, and after the so-called "storm-proof" cover began collecting moisure underneath, it's also been sleeping under the stars again. Three years on, and the only corrosion I can find is on a few bolt heads that had lost their plating over the 30 years of the bike's life so far. Now, if these products you've tried are said to be a lot better, I'll have to give them a try!! Thanks for your numerous product reviews, and safe riding all!

I stopped using it as it's so messy. I use waxoil spray along with a light coating of GT85 for between wash protection.

I hope Willow is doing fine now. I had a similar issue with a poor performing vet when my cat needed emergency care a few months ago. The vet who eventually leapt to his assistance is now my regular vet of choice and my cat fully recovered, after an equally eye watering bill but it was well worth it. Being a divorced man I am able to keep my bikes indoors! lol and as a fair weather rider, additional rust protection is not a priority. Even so, it is still wise to protect them and the Bilt and Hamber item you mention is my weapon of choice now.

ACF50 is good. I used Finigans wax oil when I was commuting on a Motor Guzzi. It was black from front to black but used degreaser gunk and hot jet wash and it was still like new underneath the crud.Vaseline is good on the chrome that’s stays cold

On every single bike I've bought, used or new, the first thing I think of is corrosion protection. Great video. Very useful info. Thanks.

Hope Willow does well, I understand the frustration with vets, business first, welfare second. Some anyway. 👍

Stuart great video as always. Wishing Willow a speedy recovery. When riding my W650 daily as a commuter dreaded corrosion took its hold. Bike stripped, blasted then sprayed with molten zinc and coated. All fasteners replicated In stainless. So now almost corrosion free😊

Another informative video, thanks, Stuart. I have another use for Waxoil. When I used a bike all year round for my only transport, I wore Dunlop steel toe-capped wellies for riding in heavy rain. Main problem with rubber boots is that they can be cold. I have a pair of foundry safety boots originally for work. These are steel toe-capped, leather, zipless, with a large "funnel" at the top which folds over when worn with quick release buckles (you want to get them off as fast as possible if hot metal gets inside). I gave them a good coat of Waxoil and left them to dry for a few weeks. For biking, they are as functional as wellies but being leather, they are warmer.

great video, used the Jenolite on my Ducati Monster. I'll buy some Bilt Hamber for our 2 Vespas.

I prefer Vaseline boy, not sure what to use on the bike though😂 Hope the pup is better now.

Sorry about your pup! Had a $10k bill last year. Thank goodness we have pet insurance.

I’ve only recently realised how bloody lucky I’ve been in having been able to store my 70s Japanese classics in bone dry facilities. In our old house, I had the big bike she’d installed, and on recommendation from the shed company, had a proper thickness concrete slab and reinforced steel, then the internal floor was grooved floorboards over an inch of good quality building insulation. I threw a cheap carpet on top. My electrician fitted lights that feel like natural daylight and a proper two way consumer unit, fed by a buried, armoured cable 150 feet from the house. That gave me the capacity to even run a welder, apparently, not that I ever did. But I fitted a pair of 2kW electric heaters with thermostats on the insulated walls. Even the roof was double skinned, with insulation between. Normal bituminous roofing felt. Big double doors and a ramp built by me to take the bikes up the 6 inches from the lawn level. The only addition was to install one of those extractor fans high up on the back wall and a vent near the front. Fan ran 24/7 for 15 years, and I replaced it twice. For all that effort, with no more heat than to leave the wall heaters on frost guard setting, the shed was bone dry, winter and summer, no matter what the weather did. So I’ve been very fortunate never to have experienced the dreaded condensation. I do use ACF50, but I’m still on the one aerosol I bought a decade ago! Removing wheels or mudguards and rear light carrier yearly to clean into the seams and then spray with your favourite protector is probably the single biggest tip I have against corrosion. Best operating tip is do oil each lock cylinder and barrel every year. Best over wintering choice I usually make is to brim the tanks after last ride, add fuel preserver and run the bike until piping hot, turn the fuel tap off and run it until it starves. It’s nearly as good as draining the carbs but it’s lazier and avoids risk of float bowl drain plug washer leaks. Obviously only works if you’ve fitted an on / off fuel tank tap, but I’ve done this for decades because the vacuum operated taps can leak by. Thanks to Stuart for sharing knowledge and experience! Cheers Mike

Hello Stuart, I stopped using ACF50 and switched to using Waxoil a while ago following yout first Winter protection video, I switched over because I got fedup with the bike and my trouser legs getting covered in ACF50. I'm gradually using the rest of the can up around the house - stiff window/door hinges etc - a job for which it's brilliant.

Thanks, Uncle Stu for delivering the goods as always. I used XCF last year and was disappointed at how much crud stuck to it. It was as if I'd taken my bike down to the beach, covered it in oil, and then rolled it around in the sand. I'm looking forward to trying out some Bilthamber waxoil this year =)

I use ACF50 spray on the underbelly of the bike, and either paintbrush or cloth application for the rest of the machine. Its a HD so mucho chrome, especially wheel spokes. 6 years on and (touchwood) no corrosion. Will give the jenolite a look see when the ACF is finished. Hope the hound is on the mend. Thanks as always, very informative video.

I use ACF50 as a treatment between dissimilar metals, steel bolts into aluminium, and between all faying surfaces, you are right in that it does wash off when used externally, but is ok in hidden areas. The Jenolite looks interesting, I will try that, many thanks. Tim

Brilliant video as always Stuart and you've shown me another wallet opener, i will purchase some right now 😃👍🏻, hope willow gets better soon matey 👍🏻

Cheers Stuart, Gritters are out in Scarborough, so just ordered 2 tins of Bilt Hamber and will give it a go. Always used acf50 but like you said, you need to reapply alot. Hope your dog gets better.

Thanks!

Great information Stuart...Thank you! Here in the U.S.A., I use a product called Fluid Film on my cars once a year, which works wonders for preventing rust.

I think of all the time I used to spend after getting my bike wet, cans of WD40 and hours in the evening during winter with my sore fingers and Autosol keeping my bike looking good!! These products make riding in winter feasible, and with snow foam and high heat/pressure bike dryer it gets dried after a wash. Your cleaning advice is much appreciated, hail the god of Chrome. Hope your pooches recovery goes well. Stay well.

Thanks for sharing these products Stuart. Just a thought .... if you want to use Waxoyl or similar in colder times of the year when the wax solidifies in the spray gun nozzle , boil some water in a suitable container , like the wifes best saucepan , and warm up the product by placing it near a radiator . Then put the product bottle in the hot water when you spray your bike , car , whatever , outside in the cold . Simples , but do not tell the wife , eh ! I find that , what ever , I do nature produces rust . But then I do live in the Uk . My father worked for many years in the heat of the the Persian Gulf , or rather the deserts near the Gulf . There vehicles could arrive in Dubai or Abu Dhabi and have no paint left on one side of the vehicle due to sand storm damage after a two hour drive ! Nought on the market to nullify that problem either ! Lol .

Hope willow is better soon,vets are not what they were we have two dogs and a one eyed cat We use Norwood in Beverley treat ours very well. Good coverage in your vid (excuse the pun) I've just ordered rust blocker having seen it being used in another channel.but will be ordering the auto bright one. Thanks for showing it

Watch out using the Muc-off motorcycle protectant spray since this removes the Jetolite protectant instantly… However in spring the protectant spray is great!

I use Xcp rust blocker and Xcp rust blocker clear coat on my bike, both are fantastic. There’s plenty of independent testing videos on youtube (showing on test strips of bare steel) how good XCP is compared to many other products, including the acf-50. Also there’s vids of bikers who use it. Good stuff. The clear coat makes your bike look like new. Under my guards I put cosmoline. The brand I use is CRC soft seal.

I tend to activly encourage it. Not a bad anti theft device. :)😊

Good morning Stu. Another good informative video. My go to product has always been WD40 but it does have a few drawbacks. My bikes are garaged & covered. I don’t have to commute in all weathers anymore but I don’t mind a ride in winter if safe to do so. I tried ACF50 & didn’t get on with it. Like you said, road dirt sticks to it. I’m always happy to hear of better products & especially trust your advice. Take care. Hope your dog heals quickly.

Thanks Stu I got fed up with ACF50 having to spend too long cleaning and reapplying, i dont ride much in foul weather now but will certainly be looking further into these products, sorry to hear of your experience with willow and the vets, that is just not on, its been a few years since i had a dog and back then our small local practice was excellent, but all these seem to get bought out by the money grabbing big ones, hope its a speedy recovery.

Been using acf for years it's great, I did a experiment with 2 6''nails one with and one without acf nailed to a bit of timber and left outside for 2 years the one with acf came out as new so acf all the way for me 👍

Some valid points and yes, acf50 does wash off but will arrest corrosion and brings surfaces up nicely. Xp is way too gunky and attracts muck. My go to product which doesn’t wash off easily and doesn’t gunk up like xp is Lanoguard, made from natural lanolin. Sticks to metal like glue, won’t harm paint, rubber, plastics or electrics and is brilliant protection. Did my car underside 3 years ago and only had to re apply this year. Brilliant stuff. Use it on vulnerable areas of my bikes and its the best I’ve used. Even good as a skin moisturiser😂

Great vid as always Stuart. As an ex matelot,aircraft husbandry was a daily task. Something you might not have heard of is Ambersil PX24,PX28 and PX32. Px24 8s my go-to anti corrosion treatment. It worked on RN helicopters in the harshest weathers and low level sea salt blasting. Another option but difficult to find.£60/ 5 litre but will outlast the bike tbh

In the summer I thoroughly cleaned my r1200gsa and coated it with acf 50 and an air compressor with spay gun, allied it to dry for a week before I used the bike, first salt ride last week 😬 and I just rinse the salt with cold water hose, now because I applied it correctly (thin coat) it doesn’t wash off but I do re apply with a rag in vulnerable areas every 3 rides, my previous ktm I rode through 2 winters was perfectly preserved, now I Don’t commute so I dare say when you’re riding every day it’s takes it’s toll on whatever you use, if I did commute I think I’d just get an older st 1300 pan and wouldn’t even bother washing it🤣

Have tried afew. Find GT85 The easiest to use , and fine for non salted roads. There is a new one based on lanolin extracted from sheep's wool. Haven't tried it yet.

I have been using a plutoline product for about 7 years ( PPF-52 ) it’s been a really good anti corrosion product, use it on my bike and some of the exposed metal running gear bits on my 7 year old Jimny, which is still looking great, down side is it stinks

Hi Stu. First of all, thank you so much for these videos. They are an invaluable source of knowledge! I use the Jenolite waxoil as base layer and then something like Silcolene Pro Prep or GT-85 after a wash on top of it. Do you recommend rinsing the bike after every ride in the winter? Will this make a difference? On the one hand, it might rinse of the salt. On the other hand, it might wet the bike, disolve some remaining salt, and facilitate corosion. I was always wondering if it is actually beneficial to do that, especially on a dry day with salty roads.

I use ACF50 before the Salting begins I thin it though, with another brilliant (and relatively cheap) product GT85. It is much easier to manage and apply using a "Flairol" hair sprayer thingy. The Un thinned ACF really is only appliable with a brush unless you have a pro style compressor.

Scott oiler do a spray oil thingy as well these days that does a very good job

Bilt Hamber Dynax is fantastic stuff.

Good video thank you! I have some acf 50 left ? Thinking shall I use it underseat wire ect?

I hope willow and your bank balance are ok. If Willow is like either of my 2 Dalmatians that I had he/she will do the same thing in a nano second to injure themselves again! My first one managed to hurt himself on bank holidays so the vet had to charge me double bubble! Thanx for the advice on the winterization too🙂

Great informative video …and I believe that mudguard will now last forever 😂😂

Hello Stu, I hope Willow is on the mend. I’ve just applied some XCP clear coat to mine, seems excellent. I never thought ACF was much cop to be honest.

Hey uncle Stu, sorry for your pup, hope it gets better soon. Quick question, apart from the engine specific protectant, how would the Autobrite Magiseal you reviewd a few months ago fair against these sprays as a winterizing option for a motorcycle? Does Magiseal even work as a corrosion resistance layer or does it do a completely different job?

Interesting one Stu I will give the Bilt Hamber a go I have got the ACF50 but do find it very gloopy to use the aerosol seems to be a good option although maybe the 5ltr one maybe better value, but the aerosol would be easier I reckon good tip thanks .👌👍

I've used XCP Happy with it ,my bike lives outside, ps hope Pooch is on the mend

Used a good coat on my Land Rover chassis (1961) of Finnigans waxoil, not easy to apply, catches the grubbyness, but on the bulkhead outrigger, the bit just behind the front wheel and so gets blasted by everything, the coating remained doing its job, not pretty but very effective, the vehicle was in use every day both on road and off, (60,000 miles in five years!), not tried the others but if you want something to do a job most effectively then you have to accept the compromise, this is true in everything you do as nothing is perfect.

always sprayed w40 in the winter every 2 weekd in all my bike and ac50 once a winter and w40 every time i touched rain or too much humidity in ny other seasons ir once a month. never had rust just obviusoly never touch the paint never had rust issue

Have you tried GT85 ? I use this all the time, it does tend to burn off if used on the engine and exhaust but leaves a protective residue behind I did try the waxoil spray and yes very sticky and a nightmare to remove Ride safe 😊

Yes your dog comes first, no wonder vets are so wealthy. My tip is to keep some leftover engine oil in a jam jar with a 1 inch paint brush, maybe oil mixed with grease in the jar.

Well done & thanks for getting anything out at all under the circumstances. Willow's health & well being comes way above anything to do with motorbikes bless him! Hope to hear good news on his progress next week.

Anybody else say ey up when the videos start? Or is it just me? 😅

Having tried ACF-50 on my CG125 and found it gets washed off with washing up liquid solution quite easily, i switched over to TechCote TC200 (one i found via a Bennetts BikeSocial video!), that has since been used to protect the CG, and then when i sold it and got a NT700V Deauville, it's being used on that for now too, definitely want to give the Bilt Hamber stuff a try though once my TC200's all used up. Autobrite stuff looks like a good idea too, and they do a snow foam treatment that's safe for waxes and protectives? That could be a good.

No corrosion issues here in the sun. Why are you riding on the video, nice ace bars😊 Look after your furbaby ❤ Hope the paw gets better soon🙏

Hi Stuart, I have a classic 500 in Matt battle green finish, would the Bilt Hamber be suitable for the Matt paint work as I don’t want it to get a shine? The bike’s tucked up for the winter but I wouldn’t mind a bit of extra protection while it’s under cover. Any advice would be appreciated.

Family first...you can always get a new vehicle..

Good to know, Stuart, but I'm still using that Silcolene Pro Prep stuff you recommended a few years ago & there's no rust visible on my four-and a-half year old Interceptor - even on the cheap aftermarket chrome "silencers". Admittedly, I don't generally use the bike much in the autumn/winter months.

I do not ride in the wet or winter months (mostly) so reckon ACF50 is ok. However, moght be worth trying a different product if it is better as you say. Thanks

Another vote for XCP rust blocker here...

Hi Stuart or anyone else who cares to way in. Big question on XCP rust blocker. Just about to take ownership of a classic 350 and have been watching all the vids on how to care for the bike etc. I ride all year with exception of really icy winter days. After crashing my Yamaha xsr 125 on an icy road the winter just gone, I feel it’s not worth it. Is XCP good for use on hot engine and exhaust parts and do we think it is as good or potentially better than some of the motorbike protectors mentioned in this vid such as the wax oil etc? Bennett’s have certainly highly recommended it over many other leading brands and I wondered if you have had any experience with it? Thanks a lot

Stuart, Can you advise what to use to clean off ethanol stains from the engine of my T100 regards Steve

Interesting! I worked for 30+ years in the motor trade and I have never heard of Bilt Hamber products. (I’ve ordered some) I’ve always used 3m cavity wax, WD40 and Silkolene pro prep with good results. I hate ACF50 it’s bloody awful stuff and over rated. See how we go😁.

I’m terrible at cleaning the bike as it is, haven’t got the time to remove and treat all panels like you do bud. Love my classic as long as it remains respectable for a year or two I’ll just buy a new bike by then 😂😂

Hey Stuart, I’ve used some bilt hamber uc anti corrosion but I have notice I got some on my tank, can the upol remove it?

Humble and simple WD40s not bad on Chrome etc. 🙄

Love to Willow, well done Stuart for standing up for the animal owners , I'm been waiting for this, I hate the sticky acf50 residue 😮😢🎉❤

Hi Stuart. Can you send the links for the products you mention. Or even just let me know the name of them. Thanks in advance.

Morning Stu. I am one of those die hards, vlogging throughout the year. I found this interesting, having a Royal Enfield Classic 350, I have been using Scottoiler FS365 to keep the bike in tip top condition, and it has worked well for me, but I am always willing to try new products. Thanks for sharing.

Well done for exposing 🕵️ the vet baggers ...lets hope they get their finger out and start putting the pets in their care first ...🦆😸😺

Buy a Hunter 350, it's all plastic or powder coated. Or live in Australia. 😁

I know Haven vets! They have a terrible reputation. Every other dog owner ive spoken to while walking my pooch seems to have had a bad experience with them. They probably didnt want you to go elsewhere because they are hemorrhaging clients.

Live in a warm country. No salt on the road, no corrosion. 😏

Strange, just debating buying acf50 and this pops up😀 Sorry about your dog, hope he's back to full health soon. Shame on those vets, all vets seem interested in now is making money, they give dogs annual vaccines that they do not need, if you look into it they only need that vaccine every 5 years, I keep collies myself.