Cosmoline or 30+ years of grime?

[CRXSi90]

Sometimes when cleaning these old bikes, I wonder if the oily grime I am removing is actually the original Cosmoline from the bike's voyage across the ocean. Some of the Chinese tools I've seen recently still come with a thick/waxy rust preventative coating.

Did bikes of the late 70's and early 80's come with a rust preventative coating?

[madmax-im]

Sometimes when cleaning these old bikes, I wonder if the oily grime I am removing is actually the original Cosmoline from the bike's voyage across the ocean. Some of the Chinese tools I've seen recently still come with a thick/waxy rust preventative coating.

Did bikes of the late 70's and early 80's come with a rust preventative coating?

prolly 30yrs of grime...never heard of them being rustproofed...My 1982 XJ1100 wasnt...I saw it as it was uncrated at the dealers...

[natemoen]

I hate cosmoline!

[CRXSi90]

I guess that makes sense. They do a pretty good job painting the bikes. The things I've seen cosmoline applied to were bare metal. (pin gauges, milling machine, etc...)

I should have known it was just 30 years of grime. It seems like the factory missed painting the bottom side of the gas tank, and there's definitely no cosmoline there!

[trbig]

I hate cosmoline!

I LIKE cosmoline... It means they are still in like new condition! lol.. Especially on things like 1917 Enfields and Garands?

[natemoen]

I LIKE cosmoline... It means they are still in like new condition! lol.. Especially on things like 1917 Enfields and Garands?

Ok, let me ammend my statement.


I hate CLEANING cosmoline OFF!