Winterizing

[cwtart]

TIme to put the RSV to sleep for the winter. I remove the battery, put Stabil in the  gas tank, turn off the gas petcock, and run the carbs dry. I think this is the bare minimum - what do the rest of you do?

[Marcarl]

I just look at it once in a great while and wonder?: what is that still doing here,,,, then come spring I discover the answer.

[cowpuc]

You are on pretty much the same path as I CW only I do not add stabil or any other additives, instead I choose to just start my bikes up every few weeks during the winter (even once every couple months works great for me), let em warm to operating temp, make sure I twist the throttle a little to put fresh fuel into the carb circuits.  I also like to leave my bikes off the ground,, I even have track lifts for Maggie my R1 to make this simple for her. That serves dual purposes of being able to drop them in gear when I run em so any/all bearings in drive system get lube and also relieves the suspention.. Many also remove batteries but I have found that leaving batteries in and running them like this also keeps battery fresh and ready for spring.  I also do a complete lube/tune up in prep for winter so bike is ready for spring OR in case @Flyinfool slips up with his WWW (hey Jeff,, how about a quick peek at that cool little WWW man here?) and our winter months get that Indian Summer thing happening!  

I also fill my tanks to the brim with fuel to make sure humid air has no place to form rust within my tanks,, a malidy that is common here in humid Michigan.  I have treated/coated MANY tanks thru the years because this little act of kindness is often over looked. I have also seen the results of friends washing their bikes just before winter thinking it was a good plan only to realize in the middle of the summer of the next year that the water they applied last fall had gotten into wheel bearing resulting in a failed bearing at the prime of riding season,,, an act of Murphy you know..  I absolutely do not wash my stuff before storage of any form but instead,, especially if it is going into storage for a while,, I spray it all down with wd40 (avoiding brakes of course) which I have found to wash off fairly easily when ride time starts BUT, when concerning my own bikes - that I ride,, not bikes waiting in line for restore/resale, I very seldom wash them but ride them instead... Crazy huh.. 

Puc

[MonsterBiker]

Winterize?  Oh, you poor people!  It's just now starting to cool off enough to go riding here in Florida.  I am more likely to Summerize my bike.  😏

[Heimdog]

I do all the same plus I stuff some steel wool into the exhaust pipes.  Not deep at all so you can pull it out in the Spring.  I figure it's a way to keep critters from crawling up in there.  

 

 

[N3FOL]

Honestly, you don't really have to do all that hard work just to winterize the RSV.  Just what cowpuc said, simply start your bike once or twice a week during the winter months and you should be just fine.  Having a full tank of gas is significant during the winter hibernation.  If a nice warm day happens during the winter months, you'll be glad your bike is ready for a ride in short notice.  

[cwtart]

I would like to be able to start the RSV once in a while during the winter months but the RSV will be locked in a heated garage in northern Wisconsin while I spend the winter in Florida.

[N3FOL]

Yes sir.  I now see your situation.  With that said, do the full winterizing with the wheels off the ground.  Winter is coming.  

[saddlebum]

I just through a cover over the bike Don't mind a nice ride in the winter can be very refreshing.

[Popsnana19655]

Never had to do that. We just put on thicker gloves and extra thick socks. But we just moved to Joplin Missouri from Dallas Texas. 

Need Wind therapy year round. Working on my bike now. Feeling a little under the weather not being able to ride now. 

[bpate4home]

9 hours ago, Popsnana19655 said:

Never had to do that. We just put on thicker gloves and extra thick socks. But we just moved to Joplin Missouri from Dallas Texas. 

Need Wind therapy year round. Working on my bike now. Feeling a little under the weather not being able to ride now. 

I from Northern Ohio and lived in Texas the last 15 years so I can relate. Although as a kid in Ohio I did ride year around for a couple of years as I didn't have a car. You can get heated gear though that can help get you some wind Therapy. 

[gmarshall]

I don't do anything. There are days invert month of the year that I can ride.

[AGrengs]

I do the sta-bil and run the carbs dry routine, and have battery tender leads hooked to battery.

[MonsterBiker]

On 10/22/2020 at 2:50 AM, cwtart said:

I would like to be able to start the RSV once in a while during the winter months but the RSV will be locked in a heated garage in northern Wisconsin while I spend the winter in Florida.

You are doing it wrong.  The RSV should be spending the winter in Florida with you.  It's the best time to ride down here, summer is too hot.  Do it right and you can ride year-round.