We ride our police bike year round here in the northeast w/sidwcars in the winter. This is the 4th winter four the current fleet of '08 FLHTP's, and the salt wreaks havok not just on chrome, aluminum wheels, exposed bolts, coooling fins etc. etc., but also on electrical systems. Admittedly a police bike sees far more use in a salt environment then an occasional ride by a careful civilian owner's, but you get my point. Salt is the mortal enemy of a motorcycle. They are nto designed or built to handle road to the degree a modern passenger car can.

I do, on occasion, ride my '04 Ultra during the winter months, but only after it has rained a few times to wash most of the salt of the roads, and it is dry on the day I ride. I've had no problems with that and think the OP won't either.

 

Why do they use that crap if it's so bad.