Hmm,as soon as the gritters come out,my 999 stays in the garage.The salt plays havoc with all the nuts,bolts,chain and all those little untreated brackets.
If you are really gonna ride it in the winter,you could start by arming yourself with a pot of grease and a paintbrush.Paint a thin layer of grease on the alloy fork leg bottoms and all the exposed nuts and bolts.For the hard to reach places,give them a regular squirt with the Scottoiler stuff.Give the bike regular washes and the chain plenty of lube.
I have done this to my Multistrada for the last two winters and its still in good condition,.......but!;
I did spend a few quid on some new stainless bolts for it at the BMF show.There is always a couple of bolts you forget to give the grease treatment.
The 'Strada has also had new crankcases!!:o
Nowt to do with winter initially,the paint started to fall off them not long after I got the bike.The salt did'nt help tho!
For the 749,get yourself a decent hugger,not one of those shorty ones!An enclosed vee peice to cover the front coil would be good too.(Casoli do these.)
Good luck!

Have always ridden mine all year (tho 'only a monster' ) - as do a lot of the Surrey crew on their sportsbikes.

At least with the monsters, I can get to clean it quite thoroughly as no fairings to remove. (Like Keefy, had new crank cases - but paint fell off over the first 2 weeks of owning - and no salt on roads!)
Take time to make sure WD is used throughout, chain is well lubed etc. Only ride for fun at w/ends tho (in the daylight) but still manage about 2 thou miles between Nov & early March

Obviously weather must be much nicer in Surrey, than in Scotland Davie & Scotty!:smug::lol:

C:roll:

I use wax oil on any winter bike but dont think this will solve all the potential corrosion points on a Duc.
Good luck

I've ridden my ST2 through the last 3 winters with nothing more special than a fairings off clean and treatment with that Scottoil stuff (forget what it's called now) before the winter, regular spraying with the same stuff on all the exposed bits (except the brakes obviously) before each winter ride and rinse all the salt off afterwards (only takes a couple of minutes to hose it down).

I have got most of my bolts replaced with stainless ones thanks to Nelly at Cornerspeed, so they're fine.

The bike is looking a little bit tired now, the centre stand has gone a bit flaky and started to get surface rust where the paint has chipped away (I've got another centre stand off eBay for £25 and I'll fit that when I can be arsed) and there are one or two bubbles on the wheels, but it's still reasonably presentable - in fact not too bad for a 4 year old bike that has been ridden in all seasons and all weathers.

I'm with you on the winter riding thing Mark, I had a bank loan when I first bought the bike (it's paid for now) and I just couldn't see the point of paying £230 every month over the winter just to have it sat in the shed. get some nice warm winter kit and get out there - your riding will improve big time as well

same as jools said

but would like too add
its them damn silly ministry of crap designs stupid rubber well nuts that really take a beating over the winter months
i can no longer get some parts of my fairing apart!!
and yes i do grease them
must have spent as much on well nuts as i do on tyres:flame:

ACF50

I'm getting this stuff doesn't need re applying after every contact with water

no reason why you can't ride it through the winter just wash regularly lube things etc etc, it'll look used but unless your really anal about whether your fastners are shiny or if there's a speck of dirt on you freshly polished bike it shouldn't really bother you .

i don't do winter any more.
i rode 2 of the last 3 winters, over 160 miles a day. never again, it wasn't the bike, my toes very dropping off :D

to be honest i,ve got a 4 wheel drive for the winter !!! i rode bikes through many winters when i had to (only method of transport) and dint enjoy one f**kin min ! plaggy bags on boots an all !! my view is "if the weathers sh*t dont ride " never mind all this bull about it,ll make you a better rider , how can you perfect any ridin skills when you car,nt feel your fingers or toes !!!

Winter Duke's, furs band isn't it. :lol:

I service a Two year old CBR600RR that's been used every day as a commuter and call me anal call me what you like but I couldn't do that to a duke. OK if you just go out on a nice winters day then clean it well but day in day out just not ever going to be like it was. not only that but sorely on a cold wet dark winters night, all you lean is how to get home alive every day whatever your on.