Periodic winter start ups ?

[jim oneill]

Living in the Northeast I,m not riding in the winter. I,ve got the bike on a battery tender but want to know if its worthwhile to start it up and let it run for 10 minutes or so every now and then in winter? any opinions pro or con, thanks

 

[El Toro Joe]

I start mine every morning and ride it to work...as long as there's no snow on the roads.

 

[ionbeam]

This thread may go down the toilet PDQ. IMO, starting but not riding is not at all good for your motorcycle. The engine, oil and exhaust doesn't get a chance to warm up the way they would if ridden. Light hydrocarbons (gas) and H2O won't boil out of the oil and you will be filling the exhaust system with moisture. You would have to continue to put the battery on a charger or you will drain the battery over time.

 

[RossKean]

Mine doesn't get ridden from mid-December to mid-March. Unless I am doing some maintenance stuff that requires a running motor, I do not start it. If it does get started for the above-mentioned maintenance stuff, I make sure it runs for at least 15 minutes to get things hot enough to reduce the amount of condensate in the oil and exhaust system.

FWIW, I don't use a battery tender. Over the course of the winter layup, I will put the battery on a slow charge for a short time every 4 to 6 weeks or so. In the past, I have disconnected the battery but I didn't bother this year. The battery does not seem to be seriously depleted when I do the top-off charge - computer/clock etc do not draw that much power. Top-up (max 2 amp rate) takes less than an hour; a small percentage of the battery capacity. (My battery is the OEM Yuasa, 2007 bike with 86,000 miles)

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

If you stored it properly for the winter (you DID, didn't you?), then why would you even consider starting it unless you're going for a ride?

 

[DragonflyTN]

Harrumph! Starting and letting it run for 10 minutes it won't hurt it. How many times have you cranked that thing up just to run to the liquor store 2 minutes away? Did it drop a valve? Your muffler rot out? Jeez, the way some people talk you'd think metallurgy hasn't advanced at all since 1896.

 

[fjrob1300]

I park my bike in Decmber. Put a battery tender on it. I will be digging it out in the next couple of weeks. No, I didn't start it at all over the winter.

Rob.

 

[Spud]

I start mine about once a month after putting it on a charger for a while, let it idle for 15 minutes or so, rev it up a little. If roads permits, take a trip around the block. It's a 2008 and the engine still works (

), and the stock battery is still lighting it up. After seeing some of these responses maybe I should just let it sit???

 

[RadioHowie]

Harrumph! Starting and letting it run for 10 minutes it won't hurt it. How many times have you cranked that thing up just to run to the liquor store 2 minutes away? Did it drop a valve? Your muffler rot out? Jeez, the way some people talk you'd think metallurgy hasn't advanced at all since 1896.

Well, at least not in Milwaukee it hasn't, and it was 1903, not 1896.

But what's the point of letting it sit and idle for 10 minutes? To charge the battery?

Harrumph! The motor needs to be running around 4k rpm before the alternator puts out enough juice to charge the system. Letting it sit running at idle doesn't charge the battery fer crap.

 

[John d]

I've heard that 90% of engine wear occurs during start up. So I wouldn't start it up unless I really meant to do something with it. Riding to the end of the street and back would be a bad thing as well. Does it really matter in the overall scheme of things..........you decide.

 

[mcatrophy]

...Harrumph! The motor needs to be running around 4k rpm before the alternator puts out enough juice to charge the system. Letting it sit running at idle doesn't charge the battery fer crap.

That may be true for the Gen I, but the Gen II has an improved charging system.
I always let mine idle from a cold start until the engine speed drops to near normal idle. Within a few seconds (maybe ten) from starting, during the fast idle of about 2k, the battery voltage gradually rises to 14.0 or 14.1. That shows a reasonable charging capability below 4k.

I'm not saying it would get to that voltage if the battery was depleted before the start, but it's certainly charging.

 

[frankenfeejeer]

I start mine every morning and ride it to work...as long as there's no snow on the roads.

X2!!

 

[Lockback]

I don't see the need or reason to start the bike up during the winter.

I don't know if running it that long at low revs recharges it enough to make it worth it, particularly considering the bike runs rich when it first starts up, which adds to contamination unless you burn it off with a decent ride.

Just my $.02. I really think at today's prices, it makes sense to invest in a Battery Tender, hook it up and let charge all winter. I've used one for 20 years and have never had any battery issues.

 

[FJReady]

Every couple weeks I start mine up, let her get nice and warm, then just leave her there unridden. She hates it when I do that. Oh wait, this is about my motorcycle??

 

[mr.paul]

The scientists say to not start it unless you intend to fully warm it up. No need to add condensation and additional heat cycles to it.

The psycholigists say, sometimes you've just got to hear her purr...........

mr.paul, generally resisting winter starts for yet another year.

 

[RadioHowie]

Of course, SOME of us ride everyday. Frak that "winter" crap!

 

[Road_Runner]

The scientists say to not start it unless you intend to fully warm it up. No need to add condensation and additional heat cycles to it.
The psycholigists say, sometimes you've just got to hear her purr...........

Had a neighbor who revved the piss out of his Goldwing in his garage 2-3 times a week for like 20 minutes, and I live in San Diego! Think he liked the purr, but was afraid of the bike.

+1 on letting it get fully warmed up if you are going to start it. Assuming it is on a charger and has fuel stabilizer in it, my take is let it sit unless it can be ridden.

I have been fortunate enough even when I was in the Army to have lived in places that were warm enough to be able to squeeze a ride in at least a couple of times a month.

 

[HotRodZilla]

I would like to see a study that proves or disproves the benefit/dangers of starting the bike and just letting it idle. Anecdotal thoughts and people's "beliefs" will not be sufficient.

Without solid proof being submitted, I will post up every 5 minutes to tell how you have not met my burden of proof and are wrong. This will accomplish a few things: It will make me feel smarter, it will boost my post count, and it will make you want to choke me.

So, let's see the studies!!

 

[RadioHowie]

Glad to see the "Dick-Up" gauntlet has been thrown.

Somebody PLEASE don't let 'zilla be even remotely close to right!