The Zinc bolts will turn a nasty color and form rust spots in a year, especially around the battery box and timer covers. I just installed a complete set of chrome caps on all of mine. We dont have a garage either and store ours inside our Haulmark trailer. Condensation builds up after putting a hot bike away into a small confined area. Even going from hot sunny days to cool nights will cause problems if you use a cover. We just got some PACKING TUBES from our Harley dealer to set inside our trailer. Harley puts one in every bike crates that's shiped. The Dealers just throw them out. It's the same stuff you little packets or tubes in medicine bottles or anything where moisture might collect. Anyway, we asked them for a few and they were happy to give them to us.
I love Bling ( most ladies do) and I spend 8 hours polishing mine up in the spring......and that's it for the year. Swiffer off the dust or damp wipe off the bugs and micro cloth it dry. If you dont have a fancy blower......a leaf blower works pretty good too.

 

Please don't say "bling" it reminds of those movies with the old white people trying to be hip.

 

Being a gal, we're use to saying Bling, so you'll have to excuse the females on this site. Ladies have been using the word BLING way before the HIP HOP crowd did. I think it sounds better than sparkle....dont you? But, I can totally understand a gentleman not using that word though.

 

Yea my wife says it too and I cringe when she does. I'll just have to keep training her.

 

Hahahahahahaha.......an effort in futility I fear.

 

Nice postings LWOS. Droll but diplomatic.

 

I cannot stand chrome and I cannot stand cleaning my bike. When I get around to it all the chrome will be gone, I have a street bob so at least there is not that much to replace. Spokes are a pain in the tail to clean, especially if you let the brake dust build up on them like I did. When I have my tire replaced before I ride to Sturgis I am going to have the wheel powder coated black and the spokes replaced without something other than chrome.

Maybe if I gave my bike a good cleaning more than twice a year it would not be such a big deal, but every time I wheel it out of the garage on a nice day to start cleaning I end up riding

 

fxdc all the way, chrome is easy to clean

 

Regardless the choice it's never a pain...I enjoy cleaning my bike.