Winterizing your motorcycle

[Triple]

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Wash, wax, oil chain, change motor oil (if not fresh), fill up tank, add fuel stabilizer (though not really necessary for under 6 months), and cover with something that "breaths".

Trickle charge every 4-5 weeks, or keep battery hooked up to a tender. Keep tires off of direct concrete.

While I don't do it anymore, those with carbs may want to drain them.

Done. Everything else is just "good feeling" effort IMO.

Just bringing my response "TTT", for those that haven't read page 1, or don't feel the need to read page 1.

Only thing to add, if you're really anal or have super soft compound tires, it doesn't hurt to chalk and rotate your tires every few weeks. I used to do this, but stopped years ago and never had a problem.

 

[SRADguy]

Is there a certain type of fuel stabilizer that is recommended over others? How much of it should be used?

Also, which battery tender is best? Can I just pick one up from crappy tire?

Thanks for the input.

 

[unL33T]

Wash, wax, oil chain, change motor oil (if not fresh), fill up tank, add fuel stabilizer (though not really necessary for under 6 months), and cover with something that "breaths".

Trickle charge every 4-5 weeks, or keep battery hooked up to a tender. Keep tires off of direct concrete.

While I don't do it anymore, those with carbs may want to drain them.

Done. Everything else is just "good feeling" effort IMO.

Tires on concrete had no affect on mine for 3 years and you should probably replace them before that, anyway.

My underground parking is sort of heated and is warmer than outside. Would that be okay just to ride it every other day on the parking lot? It is 2 level, so enough length to ride around inside.

Don't do this. If you're going to ride it, actually go for a ride. Otherwise just leave it.

My experience is that you don't really need stabilizer for under 6 months. I've been riding since 1987, and this is just my personal experience. By all means, for a few bucks, it doesn't hurt to add stabilizer!

My 650R got unhappy with gas that was just a few weeks old. Still started up every time but would always idle kind of strange on old fuel until it warmed up.

I find it mildly ironic to see it advised to use Shell 91 (ethanol free) in tandem with an alcohol based "fuel stabilizer". I don't see the point.

Seafoam is not alcohol based.

 

[EC2010]

Just wondering if I am doing something wrong here:

Last winter, I didn't hook up my battery to a tender. All I did was disconnected it from the bike and left it in a ventilated area within my home away from the sun. After 4 months, connected it back onto the bike and no issues starting up first go. Battery was fine all season.

Is this bad for the battery at all?

 

[unL33T]

It'll be fine. Mine was still working strong in the 650R after 3 years of leaving it in the bike out side all winter. Ideally you'd put a tender on it but stored inside with a full charge is probably the next best thing.

 

[Benny!]

I change oil in the spring. whether it's used or new oil it'll get acidic sitting. No point in wasting money in multiple changes. And for the people going by the manual, my manual tells me to shift to 6th at 50km/h.

 

[-Maverick-]

Trickle charge battery. Start it up every four weeks. Done.

 

[yammyr6]

My bike is outside right now with water wetter in it. Will it be ok until tomorrow? It's supped to hit 0 tonight :S

 

[油井緋色]

My bike is outside right now with water wetter in it. Will it be ok until tomorrow? It's supped to hit 0 tonight :S

You'll find out

 

[yammyr6]

You'll find out

I was about to reply and say the same thing lol

 

[Boots]

I've got my bike parked on this Styrofoam-like material that I believe is used for cars. My dad brought it home from work, do you guys this should be fine since.I won't be raising the bike off the concrete



Sent from my HTC-X710a using Tapatalk

 

[Sunspark]

Still riding mine even this AM which wasn't so bad. You can ride it in zero degrees. Just layer your clothes.

Mine is air cooled, so I don't have coolant issues to worry about and you shouldn't either because if my car didn't freeze solid then your bike shouldn't either.

They're not made out of cupcakes, just ride them.

 

[crankcall]

There are some good, and some very wrong points in this thread. Simply because there are some differences in motorcycles and some folks like to generalize, and some are just misinformed.
Ethanol is bad for most small engine machines, but those with plastic tanks and fiberglass tanks have been proven to be extremely detrimental. You can get an additive to minimize the effect of ethanol or put ethanol free gas in you last tankup.
Stabilizer may not be required for your bike and your bike might sit for only 4 months, but old old was that last load of gas you bought? They dont freshen it at the pump. Its very cheap insurance and its not just carbs that gum, so do injector systems.
Yes, isolate your bike from the concrete if you can, there is a chemical reaction that takes place between the high lime content of cement and related metals and rubbers, it can take years, or not. Its an aging process.
yes lube your chain, it wont hurt it and it can also rust.
Change the oil in the fall. And thats it. Modern lubricants are very stable. The corrosive particles that accumulate from regular engine use should be removed with the oil. It wont eat an engine casing, but it could put a rust pit on a critical bearing that causes enough friction to cause early wear. Why risk it if you need to change it in the spring anyway.

Didnt your dads (or maybe your mom) teach you this stuff? Damn city kids.

 

[kruzuki]

Cover your bike with a breathable cover, even if you're taking it out once in a while. Saves a lot of dust, etc from getting into nooks and crannies, saves a lot of detailing work come spring.

And it keeps prying eyes away from your bike, expecially if you're in a vulnerable place like an underground parking lot.

 

[CafeRay]

Still riding mine even this AM which wasn't so bad. You can ride it in zero degrees. Just layer your clothes.

I used to do that, until one evening I went down a hill on Forest hill road and while it was 4C, black ice formed on the asphalt half way down the hill. I did a lovely 360 pirouette at 40 km/hr and nearly shat myself. I still have no idea how I didn't crash without steering or brakes.

 

[Gsus]

Is there any point in filling a non metal tank. My wife's scoot has a plastic one.

 

[fastar1]

Change the oil in the fall. And thats it. Modern lubricants are very stable. The corrosive particles that accumulate from regular engine use should be removed with the oil. It wont eat an engine casing, but it could put a rust pit on a critical bearing that causes enough friction to cause early wear. Why risk it if you need to change it in the spring anyway.

Good post, but just to add that the engine should be run for a quick stint after the oil change so that it "flushes out" the old stuff internally.

 

[fastar1]

Is there any point in filling a non metal tank. My wife's scoot has a plastic one.

The only case where a tank needs to be filled for storage is if it's steel and the bike is stored somewhere where there will be daily temperature fluctuations. That's where the condensation builds inside the tank and causes rust. in every other case, leave it as empty as possible.

 

[Serb]

park the bike and leave it for the winter. ridng around your underground everyday doesn't bring your bike up to operating temperature.

Going back to this - I am thinking of parking my '06 GSXR downstairs in the condo's underground parking too over the winter, as it's quite warmer than outside (hell, I can walk around in a t-shirt and I wouldn't know what the weather is like outside from the garage).

Would I be ok with just leaving it be as is, maybe put it up on a back stand? Or both front/back?

Should I bother changing the oil now, filling up the tank with gas/fuel stabilizer to avoid that corrosion and whatnot, etc?

Is there a point?

Just curious...

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