winter storage: fuel

R

redlinerush

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quick question,

i know i'm gonna add fuel stabilizer in my bike for winter storage, the question is should i keep the bike filled up on gas or close to empty?

my bike's got a battery plug that can go directly into wall outlet. so i don't plan to use a tender, just start a recharge a month before the next riding season starts. any problem with that?

thanks
 
Keep it full. Empty gas tanks have air with water vapor that can get the tank rusty. The gas protects the tank from rust. If you really care, fill up the tank now, dump it into your car in the spring and start the bike with fresh gas. Normally I just ride off the storage tank though.
 
Same here I fill with premium (non ethanol) and add stab, and keep my tender on all year round.
Throw the cover on her and tuck her in.
Still lots of riding to get done this year tho.
 
Battery life drains if it isn't constantly charged. Some people have been fine by just charging the battery before riding season but most that I know have had dead batteries if they didn't put it on a tender or constantly charged it over the winter. Battery Tender Jrs. are like $35 at most places on average, not a bad investment.
 
ride2rideagain said:
Battery life drains if it isn't constantly charged. Some people have been fine by just charging the battery before riding season but most that I know have had dead batteries if they didn't put it on a tender or constantly charged it over the winter. Battery Tender Jrs. are like $35 at most places on average, not a bad investment.
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Only question is do you throw it on the tender once a month or leave it attached ALL winter! I've heard both?! Which one do most people do?
 
matt491 said:
Only question is do you throw it on the tender once a month or leave it attached ALL winter! I've heard both?! Which one do most people do?
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If it's an automatic charger, leave it on all winter - if you're leaving the battery connected to the bike. If you're disconnecting the battery, charge it and remove the charger. Leave the battery someplace cold and check it with a meter, once every month or so - if it drops below 12.5 V - hook the charger up again.
G.P. in Whitby, has the Battery Tender Jr. on sale right now for $29.95 (normally, $39.95). You can leave the battery connected to it for as long as you like, without worrying about over-charging - in or out of the bike.
 
Like previous post said, a charger will provide constant charge to the battery so you wanna use that till it is fully charged then disconnect. recharge as voltage drops. A tender has maintenance mode, so once fully charged, it'll maintain the charge by charging only when necessary automatically.

If you buy the charger, charge when necessary and DO NOT leave it hooked all the time.
If you buy the tender, leave it on all winter and wait for spring.

+1 for the GP price, great deal, I use the same one....I think the sale ends Nov 6th and the weather is still good, ride out there and grab one if you don't have it.
 
+ 2. Battery tender junior on all winter.

As another poster mentioned fill up with premium as it contains no ethanol and degrades much slower than other gasoline grades. That way there is less chance for rust to occur in the tank and an easier start in the spring.


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00ninja said:
+ 2. Battery tender junior on all winter.

As another poster mentioned fill up with premium as it contains no ethanol and degrades much slower than other gasoline grades. That way there is less chance for rust to occur in the tank and an easier start in the spring.


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It has to be Shell V Power premium as most (if not all) others have ethanol in their premium gas. If you have a plastic tank; run it dry.
 
coyo said:
It has to be Shell V Power premium as most (if not all) others have ethanol in their premium gas. If you have a plastic tank; run it dry.
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Yes. Good point. I do use Shell V power for that reason.
 
coyo said:
It has to be Shell V Power premium as most (if not all) others have ethanol in their premium gas. If you have a plastic tank; run it dry.
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Although in another thread it has been revealed that apparently Ultramar also has no ethanol in their premium fuel.
 
key3thermal said:
what if the bike takes 87 octane during the season. Still put premium in it?
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That's totally ok.. ride it with 87 until it's time to fuel up.. then fill up with Shell V Power.

Octane levels only affect the heat required to detonate the fuel. Higher compression engines sometimes require higher octane because the compression causes the fuel to detonate before the spark plug which causes "knock". Higher octane fuel has a higher detonate temperature so you won't get knock/pre-detonation.

Putting higher octane will still detonate with the spark plug.
 
jay-d said:
ride it with 87 until it's time to fuel up.. then fill up with Shell V Power.
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I'm guessing you would have to drain the little bit of the 87 that would still be in the tank, right? Otherwise you'd still end up with ethanol. How would you drain it?
 
Is the optimate 3 a tender or charger? I assume I can leave plugged in all winter?
 
Also ESSO Premium fuel has no Ethenol in it either. A friend runs a couple in the Ottawa area and stated only their 87 and 89 do but there 91 does not.

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Since on topic,

What kind of fuel stabilizer is recommended? Im not sure if the generic stuff found at canadian tire is good. I've read a few bad reviews so I'm wondering what is good that I can find locally around town? If not if there is something that is recommended with good reviews I would be okay with ordering it.
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