WInter Storage Tips

[oldryder]

I store about a dozen bikes every winter in unheated storage in MN. Learned a lot over the years and thought I'd pass it on. Note: the info below relates to storage for a single off season. Longer storage would require some different actions.

make a note on a piece of duct tape of what you've done and anything you need to do before next riding season (like new rubber or tune up or whatever) . I usually stick the tape to the mirror glass as it is easy to remove the tape adhesive from the mirror glass.

Note: using the procedures recommended below I stored my GL1500 at my sisters for 10 months. It started like it had been run the week before.

Oil & filter:

change it before storage. fresh oil does not have combustion contaminants that can cause interior corrosion.

Fuel:

many people recommend draining the fuel for winter storage. I've found on some bikes this creates a problem as you cannot fully drain the fuel system without disassembly.

My best experience has been to run the bike low on fuel, fill it with premium, and immediately add stabil. The stabil helps prevent loss of the more volatile fraction of the gasoline. If it's added to fuel even a few weeks old some of those volatile fractions are already gone. Filling the tank full also prevents corrosion inside the tank.

Battery:

Some recommend removing batteries and bringing them inside. I leave them in the bike with a battery maintainer. mo0stly because in the unlikely event we get an unexpected warm day I can get the bike out much more easily.

clean-up:

I wash it and generally clean it up. I also store it with a cover on it. still needs cleaning in spring.

Tires:

I store on a center stand or pit-bull type stand.

Brakes:

if your brake fluid is more than 2 years old changing it is recommended. brake fluid asorbs moisture in the off season. It sucks to have a dragging brake on your 1st ride of the year. (also particularly unsafe as there is usually a lot of sand left on the road to cause a tire skid.)

Mice:

Mice love airboxes. they've also been known to set up housekeeping in mufflers. mothballs placed around the bike (and even in the airbox) keeps them away. so does a couple of 1/2 starved cats.

thats about it. if I missed anything or anyone has reason to differ please jump in.

 

[Ignacio]

if I missed anything or anyone has reason to differ please jump in.

Just keep riding. Don't store. Make sure the electric clothing works.

 

[RiderCoach Lar]

Come on oldryder dude, it's only Spetember 3rd!!!!! :blink:

I appreciate the helpful posting, but PLEASE don't make me think about this just yet. I'm hoping to get at least another twelve to fifteen more weeks of riding in before the street salt starts flying :glare:

 

[oldryder]

Ignacio; would love to take your advice but ... theres a good 6 months up here of below freezing temps and frozen ground. even with clothing it's not possible to ride safely when you might hit ice at any moment.

On the plus side you CAN have a lot of fun riding snowmobiles with a lot more abandon than is possible for motorcycle street riding.

 

[artistic rider]

Screw that! I'm trying for all year this time! :yahoo:

 

[squeezer]

Ugh. I also find this idea depressing. I usually deal with this around Thanksgiving.

Those are all good tips, though, oldryder. And that's pretty close to what I do except I mix the Stabil in the last tank and run it for a bit to get the stabilized gas throughout the system. I also use something like Heet in one of the last tanks. That anti-gas-line-freeze stuff works by absorbing water, and it's a good way to get condensation out of the tank before storage.

This web site has more than you want to know, and probably more than you need to know, about winter storage.

But I'm riding today. :yahoo:

 

[radman]

Ugh. I also find this idea depressing. I usually deal with this around Thanksgiving.Those are all good tips, though, oldryder. And that's pretty close to what I do except I mix the Stabil in the last tank and run it for a bit to get the stabilized gas throughout the system. I also use something like Heet in one of the last tanks. That anti-gas-line-freeze stuff works by absorbing water, and it's a good way to get condensation out of the tank before storage.

Try to locate non-ethanol fuel for that last fill up-add the stabilizer before filling (I use SeaFoam), and yes, do run the bike for a while on the mixed fuel to insure the rail and injectors have the stabilized fuel in them before shut down. Come summer start-up, I then drain the fuel in the tank, toss it in the car, and refill with a fresh mix, just to be sure.

 

[Big Sky]

A good coat of wax on painted and some other surfaces is often recommended, especially if near salt water. We don't have that problem at 5,400 feet in the middle of the Northern Rockies, but we do get a forced seasonal layup. Hell, we had two inches of snow Monday morning. Still hoping to ride up and into October. Then it's hunting season and no time for bikes anyway.

 

[GunMD]

What is this "winter" that you speak of?

:****:

 

[beemerdons]

What is this "winter" that you speak of?


:****:

Thanks, GunMD! I just wasn't understanding this thread at all. Winter in Phoenix is putting a liner in the Joe Rocket jacket!!

 

[J-DADDY]

Hey Guys-

FWIW I've had excellent results regarding gasoline life using a product called Marvel Mystery Oil. Sounds like snake oil

but has proven (in my experience) to be a great product. I add 8 or 10 oz. to a full tank, run bike to get thru fuel system before winter storage. I've done this with many bikes thru the years, including my '05 FJR.

Case in point: 1984 Honda CB125S; re: gas in tank. This bike sat in garage, unused, for 13 years. The only fuel

related maintainence I had done (13 years ago) was to drain the carb and add the Marvel to the gas tank. A friend saw the Honda and wanted to buy it this past June. The fuel in the tank smelled quite OK (no varnish odor), so I thought I'd try starting it.

The machine started and ran just fine. Also the inside of the tank was clean and shiny.

The purchaser has logged about 1500 miles since. BTW that bike averages, give or take, 100 MPG!

JC

 

[TCMike]

Ugh. I also find this idea depressing. I usually deal with this around Thanksgiving.Those are all good tips, though, oldryder. And that's pretty close to what I do except I mix the Stabil in the last tank and run it for a bit to get the stabilized gas throughout the system. I also use something like Heet in one of the last tanks. That anti-gas-line-freeze stuff works by absorbing water, and it's a good way to get condensation out of the tank before storage.

Try to locate non-ethanol fuel for that last fill up-add the stabilizer before filling (I use SeaFoam), and yes, do run the bike for a while on the mixed fuel to insure the rail and injectors have the stabilized fuel in them before shut down. Come summer start-up, I then drain the fuel in the tank, toss it in the car, and refill with a fresh mix, just to be sure.

I hate this topic, but....... :huh:

Do you syphon the gas out of the tank, or is their an easier way.

So your saying your car gets a bad case of gas every spring!?!? :stink:

 

[squeezer]

What is this "winter" that you speak of?


:****:

Thanks, GunMD! I just wasn't understanding this thread at all. Winter in Phoenix is putting a liner in the Joe Rocket jacket!!

I suppose it's stating the obvious, but just to make it clear, we hate you.

Hey Guys-
FWIW I've had excellent results regarding gasoline life using a product called Marvel Mystery Oil. Sounds like snake oil

(snippage)

That's a cool story. I've seen Mystery Oil on the shelves for -- I don't know how long -- and never knew it was a fuel additive.

 

[wfooshee]

GunMD beat me to it, but:

Winter?

Storage?

And Marvel Mystery Oil is cool stuff. Black magic, if you ask me, but it works. For just about anything.

 

[HotRodZilla]

What is this "winter" that you speak of?


:****:

Thanks, GunMD! I just wasn't understanding this thread at all. Winter in Phoenix is putting a liner in the Joe Rocket jacket!!

Albuquerque too...Suckers!

 

[C&C]

Do use stabilizer, do run your engine to get the stabilzed gas into the system, get your engine up to temperature that last time you run it, do fill your tank (no need for premium though), and cover your muffler holes with tape (to keep damp winter air out of the innards of your exhaust system as well as the exhaust ports).

 

[radman]

I hate this topic, but....... :huh: Do you syphon the gas out of the tank, or is their an easier way.

So your saying your car gets a bad case of gas every spring!?!? :stink:

No, the car gets 5 gallons of treated older gas mixed into the 15 gallons of fuel already in it-dilution ensures no problems. The bike, however, always gets overly cautious safeguards in my maintenance schedule. Oil changed more often than necessary etc. Easy enough to siphon off the fuel in the tank and pour into the car, fresh gas ensures instant starting come riding season, many are the stories here of no start woes for various reasons, some of which are never divulged once the bike is running. Frank gets, as have all my high perf toys, the best I can offer, therefore I offer the above as that little bit of extra insurance that pretty much guarantees fuel system integrity for the life of the machine. Do it, or don't, your call.

 

[mattster31]

Hey Guys-
FWIW I've had excellent results regarding gasoline life using a product called Marvel Mystery Oil. Sounds like snake oil

but has proven (in my experience) to be a great product. I add 8 or 10 oz. to a full tank, run bike to get thru fuel system before winter storage. I've done this with many bikes thru the years, including my '05 FJR.

Case in point: 1984 Honda CB125S; re: gas in tank. This bike sat in garage, unused, for 13 years. The only fuel

related maintainence I had done (13 years ago) was to drain the carb and add the Marvel to the gas tank. A friend saw the Honda and wanted to buy it this past June. The fuel in the tank smelled quite OK (no varnish odor), so I thought I'd try starting it.

The machine started and ran just fine. Also the inside of the tank was clean and shiny.

The purchaser has logged about 1500 miles since. BTW that bike averages, give or take, 100 MPG!

JC

I had a tank of fuel from a truck I had built in my garage that was 14 years old. I drained it out (it did look a bit yellow) and ran it in my lawn mower. Works great!!!

 

[MojaveFJR]

What is this "winter" that you speak of?


:****:

Thanks, GunMD! I just wasn't understanding this thread at all. Winter in Phoenix is putting a liner in the Joe Rocket jacket!!

Ditto out here in the SOCAL desert.

Don't store your bikes, MOVE to where you can ride them all yr round.

I hear TX has plenty of land... cheap... h34r: