Did I just screw the pooch?

[Sig_Girl]

Forum Sponsor

So, I rode till November this season. It got cold quick, so I didnt do a oil change or fuel stabilizer before I parked it in my garage. What I do, do is start the bike and let it run for about 30 mins every couple weeks. The bike has about a half tank of fuel.

I heard this will screw my bike up and damage the engine etc. Is there anything I can do now, to help mitigate the damage? Does running your bike for a bit every few weeks to check battery, really screw your bike up?

My bike is a cbr250 btw.

Thanks,

 

[Riceburner]

just top up the tank and leave it alone. Put the batt on a tender or manual charge once a month. No damage to the engine. It's just that running for 30 min just allows condensation to continually settle as opposed to drying out once for the hibernation. The condensation could eventually rust out on parts like the pipes, etc. You could also do an oil change, if you are due, the next time you decide to run it...and could mix in stabilizer before topping up the tank...but not really needed if you are only going to be off the road a couple of months more.

 

[Outlaws Justice]

this all also depends on how the bike is stored, is it climate controlled or do the temps fluctuate a lot?

 

[Riceburner]

depends on how tall you are....if shorter let it really low to have a comfortable ride....taller? ..get it pumped up as much as you can...double the amount stated on the side wall (those are guidelines anyways)....that way your knees don't get cramped all folded up....

 

[omnivore]

My 98 CBR600 sat in a shed for 6 winters....battery would see a charger once a month. Never drained carbs or tank...never added stabilizer. The OEM battery lasted almost 8 yrs....and bike would fire up first try every spring.

 

[Paul1000RR]

So, I rode till November this season. It got cold quick, so I didnt do a oil change or fuel stabilizer before I parked it in my garage. What I do, do is start the bike and let it run for about 30 mins every couple weeks. The bike has about a half tank of fuel.

I heard this will screw my bike up and damage the engine etc. Is there anything I can do now, to help mitigate the damage? Does running your bike for a bit every few weeks to check battery, really screw your bike up?

My bike is a cbr250 btw.

Thanks,

Your bike will be fine...

 

[FLSTC]

If you let your bike run in the garage for 1/2hr there is a high risk of carbon monoxide getting into your house.

 

[unL33T]

Why do you even show up to these threads?

You were new too once

There are literally two threads about the same "problem" near the top of the page. And it's not even a problem.

Leave the bike alone. Change the oil in the spring. Ride away. No issues. If your battery is low in the spring you can boost it. If it doesn't hold a charge well it's like $50 for a new one. Not a big deal.

 

[evang]

Your bike should be fine. This year is the first time I've ever pulled my batter. Previous years I did the same thing as you. Though last year I went 2 months without starting it and the battery completely died. Hence the pull this year. Haven't put it on a tender yet, but I tested it last night and it's still holding a full charge.

If it was my bike, I would top it and put some stabil in just to be safe. It's probably fine, but for half a tank of gas, $6 for stabil, and 30 minutes... why not.

 

[skip]

Top the tank up. Pull the battery and charge it before you put it back in the spring.

 

[2WET]

Your bike should be fine. This year is the first time I've ever pulled my batter. Previous years I did the same thing as you. Though last year I went 2 months without starting it and the battery completely died. Hence the pull this year. Haven't put it on a tender yet, but I tested it last night and it's still holding a full charge.

If it was my bike, I would top it and put some stabil in just to be safe. It's probably fine, but for half a tank of gas, $6 for stabil, and 30 minutes... why not.

Same, this is the first year i have not even touched anyone of my bikes, the winter has been, well everyone knows nothing less then -15 to -20's -30's, snow after snow all winter winter since november, and looks like this year will be first time i won't be riding in march either, the weather is just not letting up.

all previous advice is sound, don't worry a 250R will take a beating, more so then a 600 high performance super bike. Previous years i used to open the garage and roll my bikes on the drive way and start them up, and rev them o 5000 rpms once or twice after they warmed up, and go around the block once. But that was when the winter would be hovering aroin -2 to -9 and day time like felt like 1 or two degree, this winter has not even gone below minus teens, and if it did, is was either snow storms and too much snow and ice.

If you store for winter then you should not touch it till spring, but if you do then you have to keep it on and off every week, but again even that is not always possible if it gets too cold like -20, -30 and you doing that it will hurt the engine. If it's below -10 your fine doing the weekly on off, just pick the warmest day of the week to do it.

but most of the time if your bike is less then 10 years old you'll be fine, the bike won't be old enough for you to notice, but come spring, clean the crap out of all fliuds, brakes, coolant, oil, greasing, seafoam gas tank etc. this winter has been too harsh for me to even risk riding with the same break fluid, fork oil from before the winter. Where i live we had -40 temperatures.

Forum Sponsor