Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition) | Page 19 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

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Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Sebi said:
I used to just disconnect the battery and take it upstairs to keep it out of the cold. Then I got lazy...

Last couple of years I just left it in the bike. When it comes time to start it in the spring, it usually has enough juice to crank. If not, it's a bike... As long as it still lights up the dash, you can just push start it and go for a ride to charge the battery. If I had a fancy lightweight battery then the tender and all would make sense but otherwise it's more hassle than it's worth.

If you're really concerned, just take out the battery and store it somewhere in the house. Guess how they sit in storage before you buy them...
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Those fancy lightweight batteries are lithium, they're maintenance free and you can leave them in the bike over the winter. It will start up come spring with no issues.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Mina said:
Those fancy lightweight batteries are lithium, they're maintenance free and you can leave them in the bike over the winter. It will start up come spring with no issues.
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I'd disconnect the terminals and leave it in the bike, lightweight batteries actually tolerate the cold much more than they do heat. Some manufacturers actually say disconnect and store the battery in the fridge.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

RacerX said:
Some manufacturers actually say disconnect and store the battery in the fridge.
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which manufacturer recommends that?
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Evoex said:
I'd be wary of the tires turning into hockey pucks, especially if you`re on OEM rubber. Take it slow in the corners and don't rip it.
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Yep I agree 100% Even last night when I was riding home from the gym a little kid in the back seat of the car gave me thumbs up and was smiling. I let them roll ahead of me then cranked it in first passing them to give him some amusement and the rear skipped a bit (nothing uncontrollable as I was expecting it to happen from previous experiences). For a new rider I'd almost not even bother riding in these temps, especially on stock brick hard rubba.
On my 600 in these temps (2CT tires) I usually bring the rear down to 30psi and front to 25psi just to have that wee bit more traction as more of the tire is making contact with road surface. Once I know shes being stored I fill the tires back up to PSI that the manual states to prevent flat spots from sitting (I only have a rear stand).
Random question....but does anyone here pump the front forks on their bike every 2 weeks or so and move the bike a couple inches (if its no on stands) during winter storage? I have read that if you let the bike sit for too long in a cold garage the seals can go (or forks get seized), and if not on stands, the rubber can develop flat spots from sitting on cold pavement.
 
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Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

arogal said:
.......
Random question....but does anyone here pump the front forks on their bike every 2 weeks or so and move the bike a couple inches (if its no on stands) during winter storage? I have read that if you let the bike sit for too long in a cold garage the seals can go (or forks get seized), and if not on stands, the rubber can develop flat spots from sitting on cold pavement.
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Put a piece of carpeting under the wheel that is not up in the air, the fork seals or forks seizing, I have never heard of, and I personally have never had that type of problem on any of my previous older bikes

.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

If seals leak after cold storage,they were at the end of their life anyway.Dot race tires should not be kept a really cold temps.They will freeze and break up esp if moved while frozen.Modern "normal"tires won't be affected by extreme cold.
 
Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

commuted today. uniqlo long johns (the normal 'warm' version) are definitely not enough for -5c rides longer than 30 min in city traffic.
 
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Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

Mina said:
Those fancy lightweight batteries are lithium, they're maintenance free and you can leave them in the bike over the winter. It will start up come spring with no issues.
Click to expand...

Ah crap, another reason to get those fancy things. Ah well, add that to the shopping list :rolleyes:
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

arogal said:
...
Random question....but does anyone here pump the front forks on their bike every 2 weeks or so and move the bike a couple inches (if its no on stands) during winter storage? I have read that if you let the bike sit for too long in a cold garage the seals can go (or forks get seized), and if not on stands, the rubber can develop flat spots from sitting on cold pavement.
Click to expand...

What can happen is, water condensation can form inside the fork legs or pressure washer spray can find it's way into there and that water will separate and freeze solid, but no occasional movement is going to solve that problem, what you need is a heated garage and half those issues seem to go away ;)

I fixed up a 1980's CB650 for a friend who bought it out of cold barn storage, there was water rust stains apparent on the lowest part of the stanchion tubes, the waterline stain marks even coincide with the angle the bike was sitting on while parked on its side stand.
 
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I agree Robbo. Now that we've had a few cold nights the road is going to freeze and that means black ice around here. I'm done unless we get a really warm spell for several days.
 
Ya not looking good. I was hopping Friday might be ok but doesn't look like it now. I have not been out on the bike for a week now, going to put the tender on later today.


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rode into work today! -9 isnt too bad. should warm up a bit in the early evening. tried layering a pair of medical gloves underneath a pair of liner gloves which in turn are underneath a pair of winter gloves. didnt help. gonna try and find some cheap wind handguards.
 
"I agree Robbo. Now that we've had a few cold nights the road is going to freeze and that means black ice around here. I'm done unless we get a really warm spell for several days."



I'm with you Lindsay, waiting for warm spell...
 
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Horrible weather up north. Commute in to work in my cage was terrible, with wet snow everywhere. Missing my bike already . Going to be a looong winter
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

5-10cm snow in the forecast for tomorrow. Crazy for November.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

It took me way to long to fix my charging problem. Took a few weeks to get the stator. Then I had to diagnose a blinker issue.
Finally got it all done and went for a spin Monday night.
Man it was so nice out.
Front wheel got lofted may times.
Was surprised at the amount of traction I was getting.
 
Re: Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2018 Edition)

roadrash said:
5-10cm snow in the forecast for tomorrow. Crazy for November.
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How so? We have just become use to warmer winters.

I use to have winter tires on around the 16 or 20th of Nov, now I wait and see in early Jan.



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