I live in an area where it rains heavily for a good part of the year.
Whenever I ride in the rain or leave my motorcycle outside in the rain, I am lowkey afraid of whether my motorcycle will rust because of the rain.
So, will a motorcycle rust in the rain?
Small and minor exposure to rain will not damage your motorcycle since motorcycles are designed to be resistant to water in general.
However, a long and continuous exposure of rain and water particles to the motorcycle components will slowly rust the metallic covers in your motorcycle.
One can use a bike cover to cover their motorcycle in order to reduce the exposure of rain to their motorcycles.
Are Motorcycles Designed To Be Resistant For Rain?
Yes.
Motorcycles are designed and manufactured to be ridden in rain.
The resistance of the motorcycle accounts for the water it can be exposed to. This includes not just rain, but also dew, humidity, moisture, and even the water you use for washing your motorcycle.
The surface of the bike which will be exposed to rain is either coated to resist oxidization or painted like the engine tank wherein the paint will prevent rusting.
So, the first thing to keep in mind is that our motorcycles are designed to be resistant to water in general. And will not rust for some minor exposure to the water be it in the form of rain, snow, humidity, etc.
Does Water Rusts Your Motorcycle Components?
Wait, we just discussed that motorcycles are designed to be resistant to water. Why are we going with this again?
Well, here is the concern.
While motorcycles are designed to resist oxidization due to water, a long and continuous exposure of water particles to the motorcycle components can have its effects.
Your motorcycle which is exposed to the outside atmosphere will be made up of either of the two materials:
i) Leather or Plastic/HDPE materials; or
ii) Metal.
Furthermore, the metals can be varied and include some of these depending on the make of your motorcycle:
- Aluminium alloys
- Mild Steel
- Chrome Plated Steel
- Stainless Steel
- Titanium
However, the important thing of note here is that all these metallic components are susceptible to rust and corrosion when exposed to water.
While the coating and paint might prevent or delay the corrosion process for some period, a long duration of water exposure to your motorcycle is not a good thing to have and eventually your motorcycle components will start rusting.
Long Term Exposure Effects Of Rain On Motorcycles
Just to be clear, if your motorcycle is exposed to rain for a day or two, there is absolutely no reason to worry about the rusting of your motorcycle.
Small and minor exposure to rain or water for that matter is not a concern for your motorcycle health.
However, if the motorcycle is wet due to rain or any other causes for a long duration, say it rains daily for three months and your motorcycle is out there exposed all the days, then it is an issue.
Long-term exposure to water will make the metallic components in a motorcycle start oxidizing which will result in rust on the surface.
So, try to avoid long-term exposure to water or rain on your motorcycle as much as possible.
This includes washing your motorcycle with too much water daily, leaving your motorcycle outside to get drenched in the rain for months, etc.
Steps To Prevent Motorcycle Rusting Due To Rain
Now that we know that rain can cause motorcycle rust if exposed for a long tenure, here are the steps you can take to prevent such a rusting process.
- Use a Motorcycle Cover
- Clean and Lubricate the Chain
- Clean the bike regularly
#1. Use a Motorcycle Cover
The simplest solution of them all. Whenever you are leaving your motorcycle out in the open, especially at night – use a bike cover to cover the motorcycle.
This will drastically reduce the amount of rain hitting your motorcycle.
I use it since the region I live in has a heavy monsoon season.
Although, while riding, your motorcycle will still be subjected to rain, the long-term exposure is far reduced with a bike cover since we are protecting the bike when at rest.
Using a motorcycle cover will not just help you protect the bike from rain but also from the sunlight.
Heavy exposure to sunlight will also have its effects on motorcycles. The Ultraviolet rays will damage the paint and also the rubber and plastic components of your motorcycle.
So, investing in a bike cover is well worth it.
#2. Clean and Lubricate the chain
If your motorcycle is exposed to rain especially when you are riding, the most sensitive part susceptible to rusting is the motorcycle chain.
This is because while riding, it’s not just the rain but muddy particles also get entangled in the chain and sprockets.
So clean the chain regularly. Then lube the chain.
If your motorcycle chain is dry, then the chain can rust within a week or two if left unchecked.
That’s why it is important to keep the chain lubricated, especially during monsoon or rainy seasons.
#3. Clean the Motorcycle Regularly
This might actually sound strange because we are asking you to clean the motorcycle with water to remove the effects of rainy water.
But here is the thing. When it rains, it is not just rainy water that is stuck on your motorcycle, there is mud and dirt that comes along with the rain that is sticking on your motorcycle.
Add to it the aesthetic mess of dried raindrops on the surface that looks really bad.
What these muddy particles do is speed up the rusting process on the components since they have water trapped with them.
This is specifically damaging to your motorcycle chain and sprockets.
To avoid these circumstances, just clean your motorcycle regularly whenever there have been frequent rains and your motorcycle has been exposed to the rain.
It never hurts to keep your motorcycle clean.
Summing Up
- Motorcycles are designed to be resistant to water in general and will not rust for some minor exposure to the water be it in the form of rain, snow, humidity, etc.
- However, while motorcycles are designed to resist oxidization due to water, a long and continuous exposure of water particles to the motorcycle components is going to have its effects.
- Eventually, water rusts your motorcycle components that have metallic covers.
- Long-term exposure to water will make the metallic components in your motorcycle start oxidizing which will result in rust on the surface.
- Steps to Prevent Motorcycle Rusting due to Rain:
- Use a Motorcycle Cover
- Lubricate the Chain
- Clean the bike regularly
- If your motorcycle is exposed to rain for a day or two, there is absolutely no reason to worry about rusting of your motorcycle. Small and minor exposure to rain or water for that matter is not a concern for your motorcycle health. Only long-term exposure needs precautions.
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