What sho9uld I do after my bike sits in the rain?

[m2736185]

I rode my bike in the rain today and didnt get a chance to cover it. Is there anything I should do to prevent rust or any other problems rain/water can cause?

[woobie]

Clean and lube the chain, other than that a little rain won't hurt it.

[md86]

They're motor vehicles after all , so if rain DID hurt them , they'd be kinda useless ..... But some stuff CAN rust a bit after enough rain . I rode mine all the way to the Gap in the rain (little less than 300 miles) , and in the rain half the way home . Just needed to clean the chain good .

[The CyberPoet]

If you haven't smeared the electrical connectors with dielectric grease to prevent future electrical issues, now would be a good time to do so. That way, sitting/running in the rain in the future shouldn't cause any problems.

cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[Scott]

What kind of problems would you expect to incur if you don't use this grease? Because the guy I bought my bike from, he had the bike sitting outside his house and I didnt see a cover. And my bike is hard to start even with a new battery; it cuts off when I put the key in on position even before trying to crank it. Sometimes I gotta shake the bike to get it to work or if worse, jump start it. Its due for check up, spark plugs, carbs etc, but I think the problem might be a connection.

[The CyberPoet]

What kind of problems would you expect to incur if you don't use this grease?

Well, the grease literally displaces the empty spaces in connectors (which prevents water from getting into them and sitting in there, inducing corrosion), as well as acting as a dielectric sink for any dissimilar metals in the connectors. Since it takes up the empty space, it also prevents other items which may attract water (such as dirt, organic particles like little bits of leaf, etc) from getting in there as well.

It will not prevent issues with bare insulation or frayed wires, but will keep corrosion from building up at the ends of wires; corrosion which otherwise can actually travel down the wire itself over time (into the areas under the insulation).

Good Luck!
=-= The CyberPoet