Winterization Tips

[oldryder]

It's about that time of year here in the waaay north....

I have about a dozen bikes I keep in unheated storage every year in MN. I have found the following procedures to give me troublefree start-ups come spring.

1. Run the tank near empty and then fill with non-oxygenated (no alcohol) fuel. Immediately add stabil and run for a few minutes to get the treated fuel all the way thru the fuel system. (I have never had a spring fuel problem using this approach. I have had problems from draining it.)

2. change the oil & filter. you don't want to give the various contaminants in used oil all winter to work on your engine internals. plus, it'll be ready to go come spring.

3. stuff the airbox intake and exhaust outlets with steel wool. Mice love airboxes for some reason and sucking a mouse nest into your engine in spring is a downer. Re: the exhaust; you can spend hours trying to figure out why an engine with spark, fuel, and compression won't run until it blows a mouse nest complete with mouse babies out the exhaust. (Also, I don't think mouse pee does much for exhaust systems.) STICK A PIECE OF DUCT TAPE ON THE MIRROR WITH A NOTE ABOUT THE STEEL WOOL SO YOU DON'T FORGET IN SPRING! It also helps to sprinkle moth balls around the bike.

4. Remove the batt., store inside. at a minimum put a battery maintainer on it once a month.

5. lube the chain.

6. Add note(s) to steel wool note any repair, service, or improvements you're leaving for spring

7. clean it well, put on sidestand, shed a tear as you cover it up. A mousetrap or two on the seat will discourage any cats from climbing up under the cover and snoozing on your seat leaving a mess of pawprints and cat hair for you to clean up come spring (f#@king cats!). you may have to reset the traps a few times.

 

[Old Michael]

Exellent stuff oldryder. Especially the steel wool idea.

Now this winter thing.......whatzat all about?

 

[Bungie]

Steel wool is no guarantee. I've seen mice go through COARSE steel wool, that had a piece of ghetto board nailed over top of it (which pretty much all glue!).

Still better than nothing though. We had some flurries up here yesterday morning, and it feels like it again today. I'll put my bike away when the chance of snow staying on the ground is much higher. Prolly another 4 weeks or so.

 

[Vesparado]

So your cats just sleep on your bike and they don't go after the mouse problem?

 

[oldryder]

WInter is when you work on your race bike, read a lot of motorcycle magazines, and maybe ride a snowmobile to get a semi bike fix. Some real hardcores race on the lakes with studded tires. If you're lucky enough to have the $ maybe you go to one of the track schools in LV or CA.

It's 46 degrees here today, windy, and raining. We'll get a few more nice days this year and then it'll be April before the bikes come out again.

 

[TCMike]

WInter is when you work on your race bike, read a lot of motorcycle magazines, and maybe ride a snowmobile to get a semi bike fix. Some real hardcores race on the lakes with studded tires. If you're lucky enough to have the $ maybe you go to one of the track schools in LV or CA.
It's 46 degrees here today, windy, and raining. We'll get a few more nice days this year and then it'll be April before the bikes come out again.

Think positive! Sunday looks o.k., and we should have at least 4 more weeks of occasional decent days. Then 5 months of winter.

 

[RCook]

Not being quite as far north as you I guess I can be a bit more lax but I'm in roughly the same boat. Bummer your season is ending, I'm hoping to be able to ride until November but that's not up to me

1. Fill tank and add StaBil, let run until you can smell it Now personally I always run ethanol and have never had an issue with wintering it, luck maybe? Not sure but I've been doing it this way for years and I'm not going to change now. Also I've seen the effects of mixing 'regular' gas and ethanol and I don't want to introduce any possible problems.

2. Change oil and filter, clean and re-oil K&N air filter.

3. Wash and wax.

4. Store hard luggage inside, put bike on center stand, attach the Battery Tender and cover the bike with the fancy bike cover.

5. Pray for freak heat wave so you can ride on New Years Day again

Other than that I try to make the IMS in Minneapolis to see what I need to buy for the next riding season.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Which chain on we talking about?

The camchain?

 

[Big Sky]

Yep, those of us who can see the Canadian border know about these things. Here in Montana, mine are laid up Nov.-Feb. And when bringing them out of hibernation last spring, I found dog food kibble in the vicinity so checked for mice in the machines and found none.

Only one addition to the original post, add the Stabil BEFORE filling the tank to the brim. This assures proper blending. I'm also told Sea Foam may be a better additive/preservative.

 

[squeezer]

My favorite winterization guide, though it leans towards overkill:

https://www.clarity.net/~adam/winter-storage.html

 

[rickcorwn]

What's all this talk about putting bike's away :blink: We're planning a ride up by the Canadian border NorthwoodSTOC Yummmm, pancakes.

All good tips oldryder, I'll add one, don't start your bike until spring. No matter how much you think you warm it up the oil never really gets up to temp enough to get rid of the bad crud from start up. I know lots of people do it but no good will come from it. If you doubt me next oil change start the bike from cold and let it idle until it's fully warm. Then dump the oil you notice it's barely luke warm.

Put it away and leave it alone.

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

It's too early for posts about winterizing. The colors haven't even changed yet!

Don't let the first cold snap discourage you. We'll have an Indian Summer.

 

[oldryder]

I'm counting on Sunday. My daughter and I will be at DCTC!

(for you out of towners DCTC is a tech college with a 7/8 mile track for their truck driving school. Advanced riding instruction classes are held there that are loads of fun. Basically you get to work on your technique, go fast, and not worry about someone stuffing you in a corner like they would in a race.)

++++++++++++++++

WInter is when you work on your race bike, read a lot of motorcycle magazines, and maybe ride a snowmobile to get a semi bike fix. Some real hardcores race on the lakes with studded tires. If you're lucky enough to have the $ maybe you go to one of the track schools in LV or CA.
It's 46 degrees here today, windy, and raining. We'll get a few more nice days this year and then it'll be April before the bikes come out again.

Think positive! Sunday looks o.k., and we should have at least 4 more weeks of occasional decent days. Then 5 months of winter.

+1 on not starting it until you can ride it again. It's hard though. Sometimes you just want to hear the music .....

 

[Big Sky]

It's no illusion: we had our first snow on the ground yesterday morning. Gerbings, etc. and studded snow tires and we'll push it into December.

 

[Bigbeavk]

Last winter the dang mice stored molasses coated feed corn under my throttle bodies. It was nice to have fresh popcorn on our first ride. :yahoo:

 

[JT 384]

Thanks for the info, it's a cool 3'C here today. I already have had snow fall this week. It will be my first time storing a bike this winter and I will be very sad to do it. I was wondering if its better have the tank full of fuel with fuel treatment or have her dry?

 

[squeezer]

Thanks for the info, it's a cool 3'C here today. I already have had snow fall this week. It will be my first time storing a bike this winter and I will be very sad to do it. I was wondering if its better have the tank full of fuel with fuel treatment or have her dry?

If it's just for the winter, fill 'er up and add Stabil (and run it awhile to get the stabilized gas into the engine). If you're going to Japan for a couple of years, drain her.

 

[JT 384]

Sound good. Its only for the 5 months of winter. :sadsmiley02:

 

[Bungie]

Thanks for the info, it's a cool 3'C here today. I already have had snow fall this week. It will be my first time storing a bike this winter and I will be very sad to do it. I was wondering if its better have the tank full of fuel with fuel treatment or have her dry?

I hear that JT. We still have a few nice riding days (I hope!) I'm hoping to get out today for a little scoot before the rain starts up again.

Follow the original posters advice, its good.

I will add the following though: Park your bike on the centerstand if it all possible (to unload the suspension), and do not let the tires sit on pavement or concrete all winter, put some cardboard or plywood under the contact point of the tires. Get yourself a Battery Tender/Optimate (Do not buy a 'trickle charger' at crappy tire!) and install the pig tail connector permenantly (mine tucks hidden under the gas tank when not in use). Plug it in and leave it plugged in all winter.

My bike fired up after about 3 seconds of cranking this spring.