Winter storage- helpful info for those who need it

[Eck]

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/winter-storage.html Edited September 27, 2013 by Eck

[Bert2006]

Great post.

 

Thanks for the info. Probably 1 month away from storing for the winter and you covered all of my questions.

[MidlifeVenture]

Link goes no where for me

[86er]

 

I quit riding for the winter on December 31 and don't start riding again until January 1st!

 

[JohnT]

 

I quit riding for the winter on December 31 and don't start riding again until January 1st!

 

It's easy to be tough, when ya live in Georgia!

[Brake Pad]

don't forget vasoline on all your chrome parts:thumbsup2:

[Brake Pad]

I only ride half the time here in south florida, the rest of the time I'm sleeping:draming:

[BigLenny]

don't forget vasoline on all your chrome parts:thumbsup2:

 

Haven't heard of that before. So.....what is it for?

[Guest tx2sturgis]

don't forget vasoline on all your chrome parts:thumbsup2:

 

Yeah, and those dirty dishes are piling up in the sink!

 

 

 

[PhilH]

don't forget vasoline on all your chrome parts:thumbsup2:

 

........ and vaseline for your own skin

 

It gets dry, you know......

[XV1100SE]

Couple things about the list....

1) " on the way back, fill the tank up...add the gasoline stabilizer that you bought right before you fill the tank...wait until the end of the ride to visit the local gas station"

- I add fuel stabilizer to a low fuel tank and take it for a ride. I put in a full can of Seafoam so that the ratio of fuel/Seafoam is high on the Seafoam side. This makes sure the stabilizer goes thru the system and is present in the fuel lines and carbs. Stop at a gas station as close to home as you can and fill it up. For me that is two blocks away from home. I put in a high octane fuel (94 octane) since it is supposed to have the lowest (or no) amount of ethanol and because it is close to winter the tanks at the gas station have their "winter gas". Then I park the bike and turn off the fuel petcock

 

2) "Get cheap-ass oil"

- disagree with this. I do a regular oil change (change the oil filter IF it is on the schedule) and use my normal oil. I don't want to have to worry about whether or not it has friction modifiers or not. I know that what I use is "good" oil - Rotella T6. If I've recently changed the oil I don't do it again. If I'm near the change period I will change the oil but only if I'm near the scheduled change. Because I run the engine once in a while over the winter I'm not as worried about sludge collecting.

 

3) Fogging the cylinders, drain the carbs

- I've never done this on my bikes. Carbs should have a good amount of Seafoam in them and running the bike periodically over the winter coats the cylinders.

 

4) Cover intake/exhaust openings

- never done this on my bikes except one year when my old bike was parked inside a garden shed. I don't have a concern about rodents "nesting" in my pipes since I park the bike in my garage and I like to start the bike periodically during the winter (on warmer days when it is above freezing). I run the bike to make sure oil gets moved around, cylinders get a coating, fuel flows thru the carbs. I make sure the bike runs long enough to burn off any moisture/condensation on/in the engine and exhaust

 

5) Remove and charge the battery

- I leave the battery in the bike and about once a week I connect a battery to a charger overnight (this year I got a Deka AGM battery and a Battery Tender and will probably follow the same procedure). Parked inside the garage it does get cold but I've never had an issue of a battery freezing. We don't live in the Arctic and the coldest it might get is -30C/-22F OUTSIDE. I don't start the bike when it is that cold... I will when it is +5C/40F.

 

6) Wash and wax the bike

- I do this before the end of October but I'll also use S100. We've had snow on Halloween so I make sure the bike is clean and ready to be parked for winter before the end of October. I won't ride once they put the salt/brine on the road. If I ride the bike after washing/waxing it I don't worry about a little dust/dirt being on it over the winter

 

7) Protect the bike's exposed metal

- I don't spray any lubricant on the bike. I start the bike over the winter and spraying it would just burn off when I warmed it up and possibly leave stains

 

8) Cover the bike

- I have a cover I use overnight during the summer when travelling : so people don't know what is under the cover (so to speak); if it is going to rain; or if there will be dew in the morning. I don't cover the bike in the garage over the winter. This way there is no cover to trap moisture (even though I have a "breathable" cover). What dust may fall on the bike isn't going to hurt. Being in the garage (on my Carbon One lift with legs) the bike is out of the elements

 

I would also add :

- make sure the tire pressures are set properly. Even though the bike is on the lift over the winter and the tires not on the ground, having the proper pressure reduces the chance of tire cracking from being under inflated (in my mind anyway). If I have to move the bike in the garage and take it off the stand I know the tires will have pressure in them

 

- winter is the time to do additions or maintenance on the bike. Adding chrome, reworking some wiring is best when you can't ride. Riding season is for riding.