Battery in or out during winter.

[eworth]

Hello,

Just wondering if I can get some insight from you all out there. ( In the northern climates )

Gets kinda cold during winter here in Wisconsin.

Is it OK to leave the battery in the FJR for the winter with a Battery Tender Junior hooked up for the season? (Nov.-April)

How cold is too cold for a battery before it should be removed and brought in the house for the winter?

Thought I remember reading that a charged battery won't freeze.

I've usually removed the batteries in the past but wondering if this is more than necessary.

Just took it for a ride yesterday, changed the oil, cleaned and waxed her and put it away. Filled tank and stabil too before the short ride.

Possible snow showers today.. SUCKS!!

Eworth.

Thanks in advance for any constructive advice.

 

[El Toro]

If I could not bring the bike into an HVAC conditioned area, and if it were to get as cold as you describe, I would bring the battery in and put it on a tender.

You can probably get away with leaving it in the bike.... but I'm cringing at the poor rubber parts, plastic fairing pieces, seat vinyl, etc. too. I guess I'm a sucker, but I'd probably end up heating the space where the bike was stored. When I did live in the northern climate, I got the bike into the basement each November, but I know this isn't always possible for everyone.

 

[FJR1300Mark]

I grew up south of Chicago and we would keep cars and MCs outside under a carport all winter. Never had a battery freeze and I don't think we always kept them fully charged. If the bike is in a garage, even if it is not heated I"d leave it in the bike. If it is out in the snow, I'd bring the battery in. And I'd leave it on a batteryminder or tender for the duration. or take it off for a week every month if you need a close encounter with riding.

FJR is not very good in the snow. I did one short ride after a week of snow and it was the shortest ride I've ever had on the FJR. Out of the garage to the street a walking u turn and back to the garage. But on a clear road cold day it is great!

 

[twistedcricket]

I left my bike in the garage all winter with the battery hooked up to ta battery tender. It's condition in the spring might also depend on how old the battery is. Mine will be starting year 3 when springtime/riding season come around.

 

[Danno]

Hello,
Just wondering if I can get some insight from you all out there. ( In the northern climates )

Gets kinda cold during winter here in Wisconsin.

Is it OK to leave the battery in the FJR for the winter with a Battery Tender Junior hooked up for the season? (Nov.-April)

How cold is too cold for a battery before it should be removed and brought in the house for the winter?

Thought I remember reading that a charged battery won't freeze.

I've usually removed the batteries in the past but wondering if this is more than necessary.

Just took it for a ride yesterday, changed the oil, cleaned and waxed her and put it away. Filled tank and stabil too before the short ride.

Possible snow showers today.. SUCKS!!

Eworth.

Thanks in advance for any constructive advice.

You put it away already? I bet we have a few nice days yet.

As to your question, I have always stored my bikes with the battery in, unheated garage. Although this will be the first winter for my FJR. I have read that the electronics on this bike draw some power just sitting so I guess I should get a battery tender. If you keep the battery in a charged condition, it will not freeze. However, I do not plan on leaving the battery tender on all winter. I know responses will be that the battery tender is automatic and you don't have to worry about overcharging. My last bike had the original battery, 6 years old, and I never touched in during the winter. Started right up in the spring. My plan for the FJR would be to turn on the battery tender a couple times this winter, and not start the engine.

That's my $.02.

By the way, you got some nice roads over there.

Danno

 

[snikr]

Here in Vermont I take my battery out and put the Tender to it. I do that because I don't ride it once I put it up till spring. And it's in an unheated garage. Tried the Tender hooked up to my battery in the FJR and it wouldn't start the next spring. That said my battery was never very good anyway. New battery is much better. YMMV

Tom

 

[eworth]

You put it away already? I bet we have a few nice days yet.

Danno

Subject to removal at my discretion if the weather is nice and hoping that it warms up again. Mentally, I'm not ready to put it away. Winter and cold CAN'T be here that quick.

I'm more than willing to get it out . BUT if the weather turns bad and stays bad, well... she's already ready.

eworth

Based on the replies above, the battery is staying in the garage with the battery tender plugged in.

 

[El Toro]

The sta-bil is probably the most important thing for the guys who have an off season. I'm sure you'll be fine leaving the battery in place.

 

[eworth]

The sta-bil is probably the most important thing for the guys who have an off season. I'm sure you'll be fine leaving the battery in place.

10-4 on Stabil. Never had a problem when using it but know those who haven't used it and need help in the spring getting them going again.

Snow flurries right now. :angry:

 

[YooperDick]

I usually take my battery out for the winter but can't suggest any science behind that choice. I also put it on a battery minder.

Also, before putting the battery back in, I put a loop of ribbon around it so I have something to grab onto when removing it in the fall. Fat fingers, little clearance, and arthritis makes it difficult to remove.

 

[zip]

The sta-bil is probably the most important thing for the guys who have an off season. I'm sure you'll be fine leaving the battery in place.

My garage isn't heated, so I'll be figuring out how to take out my battery. But planning to ride until there's ice on the ground here in Boston!

A couple of questions, though:

How much fuel would you consider leaving in the bike with Sta-bil?

Anyone have a battery tender that they prefer or can recommend?

 

[El Toro]

How much fuel would you consider leaving in the bike with Sta-bil?Anyone have a battery tender that they prefer or can recommend?

When I'm going to store something, I treat the gas with sta-bil and then I fill the tank. Condensation with temperature cycles will be less if the air space in the tank above the gas is minimized.

Deltran makes very nice "industry standard" Battery Tenders, sort of like Xerox makes industry standard copy machines. Battery Tender and Battery Tender Jr. are both Deltran products.

A good supplier for such equipment is https://www.derbycycles.com. Take the hyperlink entitled Battery Chargers in the left column to find the Battery Tenders.

Their prices are very good, shipping charges are fair, speed of order processing is great, and they have an excellent inventory. The one bad thing about their business policies is that they charge a restocking fee if you have to return something.

 

[eworth]

I usually take my battery out for the winter but can't suggest any science behind that choice. I also put it on a battery minder.
Also, before putting the battery back in, I put a loop of ribbon around it so I have something to grab onto when removing it in the fall. Fat fingers, little clearance, and arthritis makes it difficult to remove.

I like the ribbon idea. It's difficult to grab. Thanks.

 

[Fred W]

I have an unheated attached garage.

I do not remove my batteries from any of my 3 bikes or from the car stored there. I do remove the batteries from my lawn tractor (out in a shed) and the 2 from my boat (outside under a cover). During the winter I cycle my battery tender around so that each stored battery gets a drink of fresh electrons every few weeks. This seems to work for me.

I also use stabil in all of the carburetted vehicles. I do not use it in the FJR, VFR, or summer car as they are all fuel injected and the fuel rails are sealed from air.

I do try and fill the gas tanks of all vehicles shortly before being stored for the reduced condensation reasons previously stated.

Y storage MV.

 

[stryg8r]

I leave my battery in the bike connected to a Battery Tender in an unheated garage. It's an 2005 with the original battery. No problems to report.

 

[FJRScorpion]

I leave my battery in the bike connected to a Battery Tender Junior in an unheated garage. I have a scorpion alarm system, so its a neccessity. It's an 2005 with the original battery. I do however tape a 4W night light to the side of the battery with aluminum foil cupped around it to direct the heat to the battery. This may be overkill, but I have a terrible track record with past bikes and their batteries, even though I moved them to the house and used a timed trickle charge. So far this scheme is working out for me. I live in a pretty cold area (NW Indiana) and I cringe when I walk into the garage during the winter after a warmer day. The condensated water is running off the bike and of course leaving stains on any exposed metal. I've also had bad luck with Sta-Bil on three bikes and one snow blower. I'm convinced that it only works about 50/50. When I talked with the local MC dealers service technicians, they basically say that they get some of their work in the spring from folks that depend too much on it. I bought Sea-Foam (sp?) this year thinking that I might try it instead. Also, I usually fill my tank to the top for strorage then drain it before the first ride in the spring. I use the gas for the lawn mower and put fresh gas in the bike. This time though I'm going to try this new approach and see if it works out.

 

[El Toro]

I also use stabil in all of the carburetted vehicles. I do not use it in the FJR, VFR, or summer car as they are all fuel injected and the fuel rails are sealed from air.
I do try and fill the gas tanks of all vehicles shortly before being stored for the reduced condensation reasons previously stated.

I'm glad its worked out well for you, but I've seen some pretty big messes in fuel rails and injectors after leaving them over a winter, especially in northern marine applications where the season is over at Labor Day, and storage might run through Memorial Day.

One particular mess I remember from this past summer involved a couple hundred horsepower Honda outboard. Even the Honda tech trouble shooting over the phone said to just throw the rail and injectors away and replace with new. This boat had not had bad gas, but it had had gasohol (which is the normal fuel now in most of the US).

Right now the Feds would like to increase the ethanol content above the 10% that is currently allowed, however an article I recently read said that they couldn't dictate an increase without positive input from the marine, motorcycle, and small engine sector of the motor industry. Problems with gasohol during storage were noted, and this is true for fuel injected as well as carburetted systems.

Some guys I know in the northeast don't use sta-bil, but every three or four months they drain their tank, stick the gas in the truck, and refill the tank with fresh gas.... running the bike for a bit after the refill.

I dunno... I suppose I should defer to the experts on coping with winter. Its been a while since I had to. I don't miss it.

FWIW, aviation fuel seems to store quite well and not mess stuff up, ,however it may still have lead in it, so it wouldn't be good to use it in an FJR.

 

[Fred W]

I also use stabil in all of the carburetted vehicles. I do not use it in the FJR, VFR, or summer car as they are all fuel injected and the fuel rails are sealed from air.
I do try and fill the gas tanks of all vehicles shortly before being stored for the reduced condensation reasons previously stated.

I'm glad its worked out well for you, but I've seen some pretty big messes in fuel rails and injectors after leaving them over a winter, especially in northern marine applications where the season is over at Labor Day, and storage might run through Memorial Day.

The key is not to let the layup go over 3 months. Ride until New Years and then make sure that you get back on the road (or water) by April 1st. I don't have enough years of life left in this ol' body to waste more time than that with my toys not running.

 

[jameswilson]

I also have had trouble with Stabil. Two years running (about 15 years ago) I had to flush the tank in the spring due to small dark dots clogging the fuel filter (I was told this was "fuel mold"). Ever since I have used "Sea foam" and not had any problem. . . (shouldn't have said that, now I will be jinxed)