Neglected Winter Storage

[fjrchooser]

Coming up on peak sidestand season for us Northerners. Just went out to the garage specifically to look at the FJR (jonesing) and was horrified to find it parked on the sidestand right where I'd left it some months ago. Was copping a distinct lean, but not quite ready to fall in a heap just yet.

Another few weeks - who knows ?

Unlike those that have an open riding season, I kinda take NOT going flat for granted when I'm not riding. Could be a costly, embarrasing mistake and a real grinder since I know better.

If you're a casual storage guy like me, you might want to consider switching to the centerstand if you haven't already.

 

[El Toro Joe]

I always use the centerstand

 

[07fjrTom]

It's the simple stuff that'l hose ya when ya least expect it.

 

[lonerider]

Ditto on the centerstand. Always use it when the bike's parked in the garage or anywhere else for more than an hour or two; I don't like to have the suspension springs compressed any more than necessary when parked.

 

[badisbad13]

I use the centerstand and I made a stand for the front wheel for long storage.

 

[escapefjrtist]

...ahhh chooser, you need to throw that thing in a trailer, take it someplace warm(er) and get some riding in. I hear that's what you rich and retired guys do during those cold MI winters. You do have it on tender with a full tank of stabilized fuel, right?

--G

 

[beemerdons]

...ahhh chooser, you need to throw that thing in a trailer, take it someplace warm(er) and get some riding in. I hear that's what you rich and retired guys do during those cold MI winters. You do have it on tender with a full tank of stabilized fuel, right?
--G

Saludos, Jorge: Next to Bustanut joker, you are my very favorite Comedian on our FJR Forum. Yeah chooser, take your FJR to Snohomish County on Puget Sound, Washington if you want to get out of the cold and the wet! Har de har, ha, ha; George you just slay me!!!

 

[Geezer]

I opened this thread expecting to hear that your oil had evaporated and your fuel had gelled from lack of winterizing. Whew.

Anyway, yes, use the centerstand. And roll the bike or raise and spin the front wheel a little bit every week or two so you don't have the exact same rubber on the floor all winter.

 

[Intech]

IAnyway, yes, use the centerstand. And roll the bike or raise and spin the front wheel a little bit every week or two so you don't have the exact same rubber on the floor all winter.

Hadn't thought of that! I will do it when I get home tonight. :battery:

 

[fjrchooser]

A bunch of good ideas. And , um , no George. Thought I'd be able to sneak in a ride at least once a month but not this winter. Still several miles of snow packed or icy roads between me and any road I can semi-trust for a couple months running now.

Call of Duty and a PS3 got me this far, but that trailer sounds like the real deal. Hibernation suks !

 

[FatNakedGuy]

hmm... I have always heard the bike was more stable on the side stand, in gear and pushed forward until it stops.. Someone told me that on the center stand the bike could be knocked over much easier.

I'm going to have to go test...

 

[SacramentoMike]

You're thinking of cow tipping. :lol:

 

[MojaveFJR]

Welp, your only choice is to move to Kaliforniastan and suck it up like the rest of us.

 

[escapefjrtist]

...ahhh chooser, you need to throw that thing in a trailer, take it someplace warm(er) and get some riding in. I hear that's what you rich and retired guys do during those cold MI winters. You do have it on tender with a full tank of stabilized fuel, right?
--G

Saludos, Jorge: Next to Bustanut joker, you are my very favorite Comedian on our FJR Forum. Yeah chooser, take your FJR to Snohomish County on Puget Sound, Washington if you want to get out of the cold and the wet! Har de har, ha, ha; George you just slay me!!!

Thanks Don. I was just trying to offer some constructive advice... :blink: You see, chooser and I go way back to a most excellent cross country adventure a few years ago, 6,000 miles in 2 1/2 weeks. And BTW, today it was 59 wonderful sunny degrees with these in any direction you looked.

This is why we live here.

--G

 

[fjrchooser]

George shamed me so I went out to put Sta-bil in and found out I already had. Along with the M50 ,Corvette & boat. Boat now has a double dose cuz I forgot to tell the dealer when they winterized it. Good thing I write these things on the bottle with a Sharpie or I might forget. Duh..

Yes George, that was GREAT , I think of it often and all the super folks from the forum I got to meet and ride with on that trip. Hmm..You did this to me !

 

[mcatrophy]

hmm... I have always heard the bike was more stable on the side stand, in gear and pushed forward until it stops.. Someone told me that on the center stand the bike could be knocked over much easier.
I'm going to have to go test...

Trouble is, on the sidestand, if for any reason the tyres ("tires" if RH is reading this) go flat, the bike will probably fall over onto its right side. So, safer on the centre-stand.

 

[F8James]

Coming up on peak sidestand season for us Northerners. Just went out to the garage specifically to look at the FJR (jonesing) and was horrified to find it parked on the sidestand right where I'd left it some months ago. Was copping a distinct lean, but not quite ready to fall in a heap just yet.
Another few weeks - who knows ?

Unlike those that have an open riding season, I kinda take NOT going flat for granted when I'm not riding. Could be a costly, embarrasing mistake and a real grinder since I know better.

If you're a casual storage guy like me, you might want to consider switching to the centerstand if you haven't already.

Why park it? Enough dry days in the NE to ride on thru the winter. My rule of thumb.... wet icy really cold (<15 degrees F) leave her home. Otherwise with heated, vest, gloves or grips you're good to go. If parking only use sidestand for the briefest stops!

 

[fjrchooser]

Just getting down my icy gravel driveway without tossing her is enough of a challenge. Not to mention the mile or so of snowpacked secondary roads that frequently have ice under them before I hit a relatively safe plowed primary.

After that, there's the rock salt I'd rather not pepper the bike with until the main roads have cleared a bit. When everything comes together allowing me to sneak out between saltings I do. This winter hasn't worked out that way though.

 

[gearman]

Another rule of thumb: don't start it unless you're gonna ride it. "I'll start her up so the battery can charge". Bad idea. Stationary idling to operating temp + the subsequent cooling can produce mucho condensation. You have to heat/circulate the oil for a significant period to boil the H2O out of the engine and exhaust. The water gets suspended (milky) in the oil and can cause corrosion of the ferrous internals.