My car broke, and I am interested in getting a new vehicle. I have been thinking about buying a motorcycle, but I have been reading the winter salt and sand might be really bad for motorcycles. I only want one vehicle so I would ether get a car or bike.So my question is, would buying a motorcycle and riding it during the winter destroy my bike and make it not worth it? Is corrosion bad or minimal.can I prevent it?
If you are GOING TO buy a motorcycle, do NOT ride in winter. Winter riding is tricky and dangerous. If you do not ride a 'cycle now, the winter is NOT the time to. The damages don't show where you can see them, but I ride the bike in the pic all year. Including the past 3 winters. The finish on the lower forks was shot in 6 months. Rust and corrosion everywhere. Replaced a rear sprocket and drive belt. Replaced inner primary bearing - cold oil did not lube it well enough. And let's not forget that knee shaped dent in the left side of the gas tank - nice Valentine's day present for the wife, that was.
The salt will rot your bike. You will also learn that motorcycles suck in the snow. Only an inch of snow can make riding treacherous. Hitting slush can also be dangerous. You will also quickly learn that motorcycle tires do not have the grip in the cold than they have in the summer. The compound used to make motorcycle tires is designed for warm weather riding. You will need to slow down in the corners accordingly. The salt will make the roads wet. Cars will send up lots of spray. The only difference is that the salt that was used to melt the snow and ice will be mixed in with this spray. Forget about keeping your face shield or glasses clean enough to see. Same thing goes if you install a windshield. In no time it will be covered in salt. You will need to pull over every few miles to clean this off. If you hit ice, especially in a corner, you're going down. Black ice is real bad. You don't even see it and next thing you know you are taking a slide down the pavement. The winter cold sucks on a motorcycle also. Ay 65 MPH 10F feels like -19F. At 65 MPH 0F feels like -34F. Hypothermia is a real possibility. Frostbite on unprotected skin can happen after only a few miles of riding.
You can do a lot to protect the bike during winter. Corrosion can be pretty bad, so it would require more maintenance during Winter, than during Summer. How badly does it snow where you are? if the snow is a minimal or nonexistent problem, then it won't be that bad, but if it snows a lot, then a car will be a better choice for you for the winter. I would be more concerned with safety during the winter, than maintenance, with the issues of normal ice on the roads and black ice.
