Let’s Talk About Flood Bikes

[Ed. note - In this post-Hurricane-Sandy environment, we felt it important to take a little break from the Christmas  stuff and address the impact salt water can have on a motorcycle.  "Hurricane cars" have been in the news lately, and we've gotten quite a few "Hurricane Bikes" in.  This article will address some of the areas of concern, beyond the damage that's easily seen by the naked eye.  Fixing what shows, in this situation, is not only a bad idea, it is a DANGEROUS idea.]

Guest Blogger Tom McTamney,
Owner of Liberty Harley-Davidson

Let me start by stating a few facts: There is no safe time for bikes, or cars for that matter, to be under, (submerged) in sea water.  None, zero, nada.


Frames, not being water tight, allow water inside when the bike is submerged.  The problem is, it is almost impossible to get the sea water out.  So, if you have your bike fixed and the frame is not only cleaned, but also dried and neutralized, then about a year or so down the road, when you hit that big pot hole the frame will, not may, will fail.

Notice the water INSIDE the headlight

Any electronic equipment, and today there is a lot of it, must be replaced.  The new Dynas and the Softails will have to have the new CAN equipment replaced, and the touring models, well, speakers, radios, fuel injection computers, as well as the injectors themselves and all the lights and switches will also need to be replaced. 

Corrosion in the fuse box

The wire harness on the frame along with any connections will also need to be replaced.  All relays, fuses and the fuse box will also need to be replaced.  Lights, light sockets, light connections, and security system, if equipped will also need replacement.  All of this a quite lot of work.

We have not even talked about the engine, the primary and the tranny.  The engine will allow sea water up the exhaust, and into the valve area and cylinder head, as well as the top of the pistons. In just a few minutes, even though they are covered in oil, the rings will be destroyed.  The crankcase vent near the intake and air cleaner will allow sea water into the bottom end, and all the polished bearings that the wheels and rods roll on will be destroyed.  The tranny on all Harleys are vented on top to allow them to breathe - but in a flood condition will allow sea water to fill the tranny.  We have drained some very interesting caustic fluids out of some trannies we have had in the shop.

"Transmission fluid" drained from a hurricane bike.

Although the primary is sealed, there are several shafts that enter and exit the primary, starter jackshaft, tranny shaft and crank shaft, just to name a few, and the seals, which are designed to keep in oil, will not keep sea water out. Seals are designed with specially designed lip, very good at keeping oil in, but useless in keeping water and even moisture out.  After that, the primary and all the clutch parts are history.

View inside an exhaust pipe

Well, if all that is not enough, your whole bike is mostly aluminum. Cases, wheels, switch housings, throttle bodies, cylinder heads, cylinders, and almost all covers and accessories will corrode if subjected to sea water.  Hell they corrode if they are just next to the ocean.

So what does all this mean?  I’ll tell you.  If your insurance company wants to give you some money to fix your bike, DON’T.  If some shop, any shop, says that they can fix you sea-water-submerged bike, make sure they will be around in a few months or a year when you have sea water related problems. 

Here is the deal:  if your bike was in water, salt water, that was over the lower frame rails then that bike should be totaled.  If anyone says otherwise they are being less than truthful with you.