| Author | Message | ||
     Kowpow225 |
It's getting that time of year again when the snow will fly, and it's time to park the beast. Is this correct? Any other suggestions? (In this order) 1. Full wash and wax. 2. Replace oil in both motor and trans. 3. Add fuel stabilizer to fuel tank. 4. Ride at full operating temperature for a few minutes to let the oil and motor get warm. Plus, this allows the fuel stabilizer to get into the injectors and fuel lines. 5. Remove battery and put it in a warmer location. Keep an eye on the charge or put it on a charging device which monitors and charges it automatically. 6. Cover the bike with a breathable cloth, such as a cotton sheet. 7. Walk away and as you are doing so, kick yourself in the ••• for living so far north.  I've also heard to take the plugs out and put a small squirt of oil down into the cylinder, then crank it over a couple of times to allow a slight film of oil to stick to the walls. Would it instead be easier to start it up once a month to let the oil circulate and again cling to the walls? I wonder if that would cause more condensation to form in the motor and oil since it'll be so cold. Until then, I've got some more riding to do before the glaciers slide through. Kyle | ||
| M1combat |
Well, if you have a garage I don't recommend the cover. The cover can chaffe the finish but dust washes off... As far as the battery is concerned, I would leave it in the bike and start the bike once a month and let it idle until it gets to the operating temp. If you do remove the battery, place it in a warmer place and not on the ground. Have at least a length of 2x4 under it. | ||
| Bubabuell |
If you're going to store it for longer than 6 months, which I doubt you are, then I might squirt oil down the cyl's as you mentioned. I might consider )though some may say it's overkill) adding dialectic grease to your electrical connections. If anything it helps them from oxidizing too much. As well you could add anti-seize to the spark plugs. Keep tires off the ground. Maybe making sure rats don't nest under it. | ||
| Bomber |
don't start it unless you plan on getting it completely warmed up -- otherwise you're just creating condensation that won't have a chance to evaporate -- bad joojoo a little oil in the cylinders ain't a bad thing, but make it a little some tell horror stories about Stabil -- some don't -- I used it in everything,m and have yet to haver a problem Like M1 sez, do not place the battery on the cold, damp cement floor -- that will render it DOA | ||
| Midknyte |
I've only had a problem when I "didn't" use Stabil... | ||
| Dj_rider |
UGH DONT TALK ABOUT STORAGE JUST YET, IM ONLY 2 WEEKS OUT OF GETTING MINE FIXED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  | ||
| R1DynaSquid |
Stabil....yuk Have never had any problems with storing my bikes, lawn equipment, etc & not using that stuff. Used it 1 time & it seriously gummed up the carbs with a nice red substance that looked like loctite. | ||
| Xb9er |
I don't recommend Stabil (or any fuel stabilizer), because they are unnecessary. Why add something your bike doesn't need? I think it was already mentioned, but Do Not start up the bike every so often because it will do more harm than good due to condensation. If you are going to start it, then ride it! I don't take my bike out of service in the winter. Mike. | ||
| BadS1 |
Leaving it sitting and idling isn't good either.You might get it up to temp but the condensation still will lay in the muffler.Leave it sit until your ready to ride it again.I fill it up,put her up on the stands with a cover on it,and keep the Battery Tender on it.I also change the oil and primary.Tuck her in and kiss her goodbye. | ||
| Blake |
What is this "Winter" you speak of? | ||
| Midknyte |
rub it in... rub it in... | ||
| Ted |
I've been waiting for this subject! I know the manual advises to replace the oils, but 5-6months later is it any good? Does synth degrade after time ,but not use ? | ||
| BadS1 |
Blake I like to think of it as a break if you will.See come April I'm so excited to take my bike out that its like getting a brand new bike every year.Or it just makes me appreciate the riding season more so it means more to me.Some of us get real bad PMS!!!! | ||
| Gearhead |
I have never used StaBil in my bikes or collector cars when I store them and this covers 25+ years of dealing with both. I do however fill the tank with a quality high octane fuel, I like BP. I never remove batteries either or put them on a tender. Unless you have a drain on it, it doesn't hurt them to sit, check the racks of batteries at the parts stores and those stored in warehouses. The battery on the 2 x 4 is a myth, too. Having worked in a parts store all through college our Motorcraft and Delco salemen told us that the old tar top batteries could break their cases if left on a cold floor because of the old style plastics used back then and the fact that people could actually put too much water in them. With today's high tech plastics and sealed batteries there is no way just setting a battery on a concrete floor can leak voltage unless the case is cracked so electrolyte can seep out. Change the fluids if you want just so it's ready for spring riding but todays oils don't break down that fast unless there are other issues. Ride it, park it, forget it until spring... | ||
| Easyflier |
I usually limit my winter riding to days when the roads are clear and the temp is at least 35 degrees (but I have been known to go for a spin when it's down about 27). Oh, I winterize mine by shoving a shop rag into the scoop on the oil cooler, dropping tire pressure about 6-8 lbs and ride conservatively.  | ||
| Coolice |
My bikes have it good, heated garage, wash area inside, and stay connected to Battery Tenders all the time. The battery in my VFR lasted 8 years. And I ride every Thanksgiving morning to get breakfast, 20 to 100 mile rides too. And if the temps aren't bad,and no ice on roads I've ridden in 10 degree weather. Plus Daytona comes real soon, less than 5 months and I'll be riding in Florida so why winterize-yuck! | ||
| Buelluk |
Same here as Easyflier, as long as the road is clean and dry , I just put on plenty of layers and take it for a spin - I also ride conservatively until the fork oil gets warm, I found the front end was a bit stiff last year at below 40 degrees. | ||
| Chainsaw |
I thought winterizing a bike meant wearing a snowmobile suit on putting on knobby tires?  I have never winterized a motorcycle, I mean really, what's the point, we only get 60 inches of snow annually in Denver,...it melts soon enough | ||
| Coolice |
knobby tires... check out a site called iceroadracing.net! Ya gotta love it! | ||
| Mmelvis |
Getting to be the best time of year to get the bike on the track. | ||
| Hootowl |
You guys don't need to do anything to store your bike for the winter. Just deliver them to me here in warm and sunny Houston, and I promise that I'll ride them all winter long. Problem solved. Glad I could help folks. | ||
| Lazyme21 |
Hootowl, I am with ya man, if you get a lot of takers on that, just forward them to me down here in sunny South Florida.  (Message edited by lazyme21 on October 15, 2004) (Message edited by lazyme21 on October 15, 2004) | ||
| Barkandbite |
I Live in Cali. What's winter? Does that mean when it's cold -- like 70 degrees? Hmmm. | ||
| Shawn_9r |
C'mon... Cali and FL. Hawaii is where the "REAL winter sets in. | ||
| Uncbigm |
Any additional advice for those of us that live in the cold cold north and cannot store our baby in the dry/warm garage? I live in CT and will most likely be storing my Blast ouside under it's normal waterproof cover for the duration of the winter. This will be my first winter with a bike (or is that without my bike), and only my second in CT. As far as I'm concerned its cold enough here to put the cars away too and just stay indoors. The point is, unless I decide to get a few buddies to help me put my bike in the basement it will be spending winter outside, and I was wondering if there was anything else I should do aside from changing the oil (just done recently), and whether it is indeed a neccessity to remove the battery when outdoors. Thanks! (Message edited by UNCbigM on October 18, 2004) | ||
| Xb9er |
Yes, removing the battery would be a good idea. Keep it indoors hooked up to a Battery Tender Jr. Mike. | ||
| Starter |
Remove battery and stick in your wardrobe. Fill with cheap oil cause you'll be needing to change it in 6 months. Fill fuel tank. Lift tyres off ground. Remove ignition leads and crank a few times while spraying WD40 or similar directly into intake. Resist the need to crank it. Lube cables and moving parts. Cover with a soft breathable cloth. Not sure of the quality of metal but I used to give all the bare metal a spray with WD40 to stop oxidation. (Message edited by starter on October 18, 2004) | ||
| Coldwthrrider |
KowPow, you're in Indiana! I've been there in the winter and they hardly even get snow! Just ride it all year, that's what I try to do. This will be my first winter with the Buell but in the past I make a point to get out and ride at least once a month if possible. If it snows too often or the roads are just too icy then I'll run it for a while with the garage open for ventilation. It's way easier than winterizing, and on that warm day in February when you want to get it out but aren't ready to "unwinterize" it yet you don't have to worry. Just make sure to change the oil once it gets warm in the spring, it can get milky from all the water not getting out of it if the engine doesn't get fully warm to evaporate it. So far this fall I've noticed the Buell is a great winter bike because it has a built in seat warmer! | ||
| Xb9er |
It's much better for the bike if you don't start it up at all instead of running it "for a while with the garage door open..." Idling the engine for more than 2-3 minutes may cause engine damage. If you start it then you should ride it. Mike. | ||
| Mikep |
I just park my XB9R in the garage, and when there is no snow on the streets or when I feel like it, I start it up and ride to work. I simply do not do anything special. I park it and ride it when the whim hits. mikep |
