Rusty water pours out of bars

[Boatguy]

I’m wondering if I should be concerned.

The other day I was moving my bike off the carrier for the first time in a long time. I got off just fine and then before I got the side stand down somehow I dropped it. Lol. On tar in a parking lot. No adverse conditions. I just somehow lost my balance while walking the bike.

When I dropped it, a bunch of rusty water came out of the handlebars.

Is that a cause for concern? Do you think they are weakened tremendously? Or it’s not a big deal?

I mean, this must happen to everybody, right? I can’t imagine my handlebars are any different than anyone else’s.

[Boatguy]

Maybe I posted this on the wrong day. Can you at least share your opinion if you don’t know the answer?

[Boatguy]

Also, Why do grips have that little hole in the end of them?

That’s how all the water got into mine.

[XLsior]

Well you know the handle bars a ferrous. Water got in somehow.

If its a new bike I wouldn't worry about it being an integrity issue.

Just some surface rust. Let it dry out and spray some penetration oil/wd40 down the inside.

If it concerns you get some aluminum bars that wont rust.

[Sport Rider]

assuming it hasn't been prolonged exposure over a few years I would not expect any integrity issues. I'm wondering why you would have collected that much water in them. that little hole in the end should not have allowed that much. Hmmmmm.... Either way, I wouldn't worry much about it.

[Boatguy]

Thanks for the opinions. Much appreciated. Because I didn’t know if I should worry about it

The water gets in the little hole at the end in the grips because the bike goes down the road at 70mph sideways when it’s in my front rack/carrier on my rv.

Pretty sure that’s where all of the water comes from.

[Megadan]

The little hole is there to make installing the grips easier. It gives the air in the grip someplace to go as hpu slide the second one on. You can do one of 3 things. Make the hole bigger so the water that gets in can dry out, or dry and clean out the bars, put a bit of tape over the holes or a tube patch, or drill a small hole at the bottom center of the bars so that anything that gets in can also get out.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by Megadan

The little hole is there to make installing the grips easier. It gives the air in the grip someplace to go as hpu slide the second one on. You can do one of 3 things. Make the hole bigger so the water that gets in can dry out, or dry and clean out the bars, put a bit of tape over the holes or a tube patch, or drill a small hole at the bottom center of the bars so that anything that gets in can also get out.

As far as practical solutions, that’s a good idea. I like drilling a little hole at the lowest point. Good thinking. Thanks.

[Thumper]

If you expose the bar ends, you should be able to pass a wire through (straightened coat hanger will do), then bend a u-turn in the end of the wire, pinch a small rag into it, and then pull it through while twisting to really clean/dry it. A blow dryer to finish it off.

I agree that this is probably surface rust. I would bet there is water in the center area of many handlebars (it's lower). It is probably more common than we might think!

[zero_dgz]

Why not just blast right through it with compressed air from the air compressor? That'll ensure it's dry, and any rust flakes that may have been in there definitely won't be in there no more.


If OP really gave a rat's ass, one could take all the switches and levers and so forth off, dismount the bars, and dunk them in a can of Rust-Oleum or whatever to coat the inside. You'd probably have to do one end, then the other -- unless you want to decant the paint into a really tall, thin container.

[JerryHawk250]

You could remove the bars and plug one end off, pour in some rust converter, them plug the other end and flip the handle bar a few time to make sure inside is coated. Then pour out the excess.

[zero_dgz]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

You could remove the bars and plug one end off, pour in some rust converter, them plug the other end and flip the handle bar a few time to make sure inside is coated. Then pour out the excess.

I'll leave this here for any Waldos passing by in the future who might read it... That rust converter stuff (it's phosphoric acid, usually) does not prevent new rust. I have used it extensively in my line of work. It does convert red ferric oxide (Fe2O3) into iron phosphate, but it doesn't do anything to actually protect the surface from new rust from forming. Application of rust converter is only the first step. You still need to top coat the metal with some manner of protective paint, enamel, or powdercoating afterwards. As we've discussed already, there are a myriad of clever and/or gimcrack ways one could accomplish this.



Also, one of the byproducts of its chemical reaction that converts the rust is water. Which then creates more rust, if the surface is not dried and is left untreated.


So tl;dr: Just applying that stuff to a rusty area is not a complete fire-and-forget solution.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by zero_dgz

Why not just blast right through it with compressed air from the air compressor? That'll ensure it's dry, and any rust flakes that may have been in there definitely won't be in there no more.


If OP really gave a rat's ass, one could take all the switches and levers and so forth off, dismount the bars, and dunk them in a can of Rust-Oleum or whatever to coat the inside. You'd probably have to do one end, then the other -- unless you want to decant the paint into a really tall, thin container.

Or just use a funnel and fill the inside of the bars.

Probably a good precautionary measure after I get some new ones eventually.

What compressor are you talking about? The onboard air on my RV for the exhaust brake and air bags? Not certain that has the CFM required.

[Thumper]

I think that you meant to quote Jerry. I'll stick by that theory
I am sure you do give a, well...

Originally Posted by Boatguy

Or just use a funnel and fill the inside of the bars.

Probably a good precautionary measure after I get some new ones eventually.

What compressor are you talking about? The onboard air on my RV for the exhaust brake and air bags? Not certain that has the CFM required.

[Boatguy]

Originally Posted by Thumper

I think that you meant to quote Jerry. I'll stick by that theory
I am sure you do give a, well...

Actually, no. I was answering that tall container decanting part.

But that’s before I saw Jerry‘s post. Same idea.

Right now I’m just going to dry it out. Drill a hole in the bottom and then look to replace the bars at some point.

Luckily I do have my drill and some bits with me. One thing that stinks is I need to do an oil change on everything (3 engines are traveling with me). And I left all of my ratchets and sockets on the boat. Ugh. Lol