Rust protection for motorcycles – especially older bikes – is critical to keeping your ride running smoothly for years to come. 

Countless sources on the web offer tips on motorcycle rust removal for bikers slapped with surprise oxidation while readying their bike for the first spring ride. Certainly, you’ll need to neutralize rust when you find it – Don’t ignore it! However, the best way to tackle this problem long-term is to prevent rust from developing in the first place.

Zerust motorcycle covers are the way to go for this. There are endless motorcycle cover products on the market, and certainly, you can find a few a bit cheaper. But these traditional covers only go so far. In fact, they may be part of the problem because all they do is keep the dust from collecting. They don’t keep moisture from gathering, and may even trap it in, exacerbating your risk of rust.

Rust is a form of corrosion broadly explained as a wearing away of materials due to a chemical reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of water or air moisture. Fluctuating temperatures, humidity and salt can make the problem worse for any vehicles, tools or other items prone to rust.

Proper storage of your motorcycle is especially important if you take your bike out in winter on occasion. That’s because road salt and other chemicals used to keep the roads clear of ice and snow is incredibly corrosive to any vehicle (see the AAA report revealing $3 billion annually in vehicle rust damage caused by de-icing agents). Even if you wait until early spring to take out your motorcycle, you may still expose your bike to salt, which can remain for weeks on road surfaces until washed away by multiple rains. Rinsing that salt off right away is important, but so is smart storage afterward.

If you have the option of storing your bike in a climate-controlled garage, that reduces the odds of rust formation. But a Zerust Motobag offers a surefire way to protect your investment – even when the storage conditions aren’t otherwise ideal (i.e., cool and humid).

One of the most common places motorcycle owners find rust is in the metal fuel tank. As noted by auto insurer Allstate (which has an interest in keeping insureds’ motorcycles in good, safe condition), rust can worm its way into the fuel system and into the fuel lines, obstruct fuel filters and eventually clog the jets in the carburetor. You should be able to see if rust is there by opening the fuel tank cap and peering all the way down to the bottom. If you find rust, it needs to be removed.

Some mechanics will advise motorcyclists to top off their tank, invest in a high-quality tank sealer and continuously apply WD-40. These aren’t necessarily bad ideas, but if you truly want an effective, long-term solution, you’ll find it in the Zerust Motobag. As noted in our Zerust Motorcycle Cover Manual, the motorcycle cover contains a vapor corrosion inhibitor, which emits an odorless, invisible vapor that shields metal surfaces from the collection of moisture that causes corrosion.

These covers can last up to five years from the first time you use it, assuming that when you tuck it away in a cool, dry place away from direct sun, you also keep the bag zippers closed.

Contact Zerust for information on motorcycle covers and motorcycle rust prevention by emailing us or calling (330) 405-1965.

Additional Resources:

The Most Common Problems With Older Motorcycles, June 22, 2016, By Matthew Bochnak, The Allstate Blog

More Blog Entries:

Rust Protection for Cars Essential After Road De-Icer Exposure, March 29, 2018, Zerust Motorcycle Rust Prevention Blog