Winter Questions

[scion0]

"Winter Suggestion: If in the winter, you find yourself not riding your bike as often as you would like, keep your battery and engine in good running order by starting up your bike once every two weeks in the wintertime. Long periods of time sitting in the garage can make a battery weak and possibly gunk up the carbs. Just start up your bike once every two weeks and let it run for about 15 minutes or until the cooling fan comes on."

Now I know many of you do not have to worry about this topic but I will ask the question of those who have and who do...

Since my bike is in an attached (somewhat) insulated garage, shouldn't I be able to just start it up (maybe add some stabilizer, etc.) a couple of times a week throughout the winter?

Granted there may be one or two days that are "ridable" in between the Illinois blizzards and such...


Any opinions would be nice.

[trip]

Well, I can only give you my opinion...but realize that I live in Texas. What do I know about winters?....LOL.

I have never "winterized" my bike. I just start it up during the winter every two weeks and let ir run until the fan comes on. Then, the rest of the time, I keep the battery on a battery tender.

But, being from IL, you may need to do more.

[dank]

I live in Michigan, so I get a solid dose of winter each year. I add Stabil to the gas, change the oil, and put a battery tender on. I store it in an unheated, attached garage. I'll ride a bit up through December if the snow holds off, then won't head out again until rain washes the salt off the highway. The bike waits through the intervening two months just fine, much more patiently than I do.

[unwind2]

Same as Trip....I live in TN ....we though actually get out and ride the bikes for about 15-20 mins. every 2-3 weeks.....never used the battery charger/tender or stabilizer.

[Todd]

Same here in NC......usually a day or three in Jan/Feb that I will ride. March has several days and I ride through December. Under 45 degrees or so gets a little tough with no sunshine but I try.

[dank]

[quote
Under 45 degrees or so gets a little tough with no sunshine but I try. [/quote]

We call that summer in Michigan!!! http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

I do the same as trip. We get can get a harsh winter in northern utah. A lot of what you can do to winterize it depends on if you are are going to ride it every couple weeks or weather you are going to put it in storage for 6 months.

[Todd]

[quote:ijamzs5h]
Under 45 degrees or so gets a little tough with no sunshine but I try.

We call that summer in Michigan!!! http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif[/quote:ijamzs5h]

That's why I live down here!!!! BRRRRRRRRRR!!!! I can get hot and walk into the A/C and be cool in a second.......but when you get cold...you can stand by a fire for hours and still be cold!!

[unwind2]

Todd

You're riding season sounds pretty much like ours...almost year around just have a few months there that you need to really wrap up and only take short jaunts.

[blowndodge]

Putting a bike away for winter? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. What's that? California revenge!!!!!

[Idaho]

That's okay BD. You might be able to ride all winter but you still live in California; not a good trade off. :0

I put premium fuel in the tank, usually run mid grade, and a shot of StaBil. I try to ride it when I can in the winter but I live up the side of a mountain and the roads to and from my house are covered with patches of ice and snow. That said, as long as the roads are dry and the temp is somewhere north of 17 degrees I will get the bike out for a spin.

[blowndodge]

That's okay BD. You might be able to ride all winter but you still live in California; not a good trade off. :0



I know. 10 minutes from the beach. One hour from snow skiing. 3 hours from the river. Dancing and night life everywhere. very boring actually if all you do is fish......

[socwkbiker]

Hey BD
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1438/1443524960_7e01ba4f42_o.jpg

[Todd]

Hey BD
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1438/1443524960_7e01ba4f42_o.jpg



<marquee>YEAH..WHAT HE SAID!!! IT JUST ISN"T FAIR...</marquee>

But then again....we dont have it too bad in NC.. for me 3 hrs to the beach....1.5 to snow ski....pretty nice weather.....a flight across country for nightlife http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif

[scion0]

That's okay BD. You might be able to ride all winter but you still live in California; not a good trade off. :0

Ditto... EARTHQUAKE!!! haha (I know, TORNADO)

[jeffm]

full tank of gas stabil, battery tender, & ride it every time the weather clears.

[scion0]

full tank of gas stabil, battery tender, & ride it every time the weather clears.

Thanks....

[Idaho]

Hey BD, actually, Fly Fishing is great in Idaho year round. Best in the dead of winter with snow coming down. Glad to know that someone likes California. That's what makes the world go round, we all like something different.
IDaho

[ponch]

I live in Iowa and never winterize. I just find a way to ride it at least a couple times a month.

[flightdoc]

In New Hampshire.....winter lives!! Hate it but have to deal. My bike is winterized in the following ways: oil/filter change, rear diff oil change, fill tank to top and add the appropriate amount of stabilifuel, let it run for at least ten minutes so the stabilifuel gets thoroughly throughout the fuel system. Wash , polish and wax. Jack it up so the tires are off the floor and reduce the tire pressure to about twenty pounds. Put it on a battery tender ( which is hard wired onto the battery and cover the muffler ends with plastic wrap ( so little critters don't have a chance to move in)

[flightdoc]

I meant to add that I've read in several places that it's not good to idle the bike once or twice a week to charge the battery. It supposedly is bad for it and the hot and cold change can cause condensation in the mufflers which will lead to rusting issues. If you live in a place like NH where you can't ride the bike on a regular basis for those few months then it is better not to run it at all until it's time to break it out for the season. Also......be VERY careful when putting the transmission in gear that first couple of times after sitting all winter!! The first year I had mine and put it in first gear that first time it almost shot across the garage!!

[ponch]

You probably get more snow than Iowa does. It gets cold here, at least for a couple weeks we usually get -10 to -15, otherwise it's not a lot different than Long Island in terms of weather, may be 10 degrees colder. If it's 25 or higher and no snow or ice on the roads, I will try to get out and ride it a bit, at least that worked for my 800 Classic. My GPz and KZ had to be run more than once a month. The charging systems on them were not very good. The KZ had a kick start though...


I meant to add that I've read in several places that it's not good to idle the bike once or twice a week to charge the battery. It supposedly is bad for it and the hot and cold change can cause condensation in the mufflers which will lead to rusting issues. If you live in a place like NH where you can't ride the bike on a regular basis for those few months then it is better not to run it at all until it's time to break it out for the season. Also......be VERY careful when putting the transmission in gear that first couple of times after sitting all winter!! The first year I had mine and put it in first gear that first time it almost shot across the garage!!

[flightdoc]

I think riding for awhile is considered ok, just not letting it idle.

[ponch]

Idling is a waste. So what part of New Hampshire do you live? I own property in Maine, Jackman. It's pretty up there.



I think riding for awhile is considered ok, just not letting it idle.

Hey BD, actually, Fly Fishing is great in Idaho year round. Best in the dead of winter with snow coming down. Glad to know that someone likes California. That's what makes the world go round, we all like something different.
IDaho



Nico & I like California!!!

[dui546]

Everybody talked about the obvious but flightdoc mentioned something very important...covering the pipes to keep the critters out. Use a rag or old shirt and a rubber band and that will work well. I had mice get into my yamaha (stored in a attached garage) and they also got into my bird seed. I was in the military then and deployed so the motorcycle sat without any actvity. In the end, I bought a new battery and did all my required maintenance. When I started the bike I had lots of sunflower seeds flying out the backof the motorcycle!

Since then...when I believe I will have periods of inactivity I cover the pipes.

[flightdoc]

what a sight it must have been....bird seed flying out your pipes......POUNCH, we live in the seacoast area near Portsmouth which is right on I95 and the border of Maine and NH. Jacjman is way up there. lot of moose.

[ponch]

Yes there is a lot of moose, and not a lot of people. If I could get a decent job with security, I would move there, but the economy sucks there and the people don't help it. They are afraid of any progress, so they would rather see it wither.


what a sight it must have been....bird seed flying out your pipes......POUNCH, we live in the seacoast area near Portsmouth which is right on I95 and the border of Maine and NH. Jacjman is way up there. lot of moose.

[flightdoc]

yeh. I know what you mean about the folks up there but if they start wanting "progress" it won't be the place you want it to be. The moose and wildlife will be only pictures and memories. You'll be saying "I remember when"............

[nsmorgan]

I live in Texas, a little Northwest from Trip. My winterizing consists of putting on long underwear and using the choke when needed.

I put the long underwear on me, not the Nomad.

[ponch]

I didn't realize that Texas had winter...



I live in Texas, a little Northwest from Trip. My winterizing consists of putting on long underwear and using the choke when needed.

I put the long underwear on me, not the Nomad.

[nsmorgan]

We have winter, but most years it comes for a few days at a time with echoes of Fall and a preview of Spring thrown in between the cold spells. I live close to the OK border, so we have a bit more winter than parts south, but only a few days of ice or snow some years. It would be rare that I would go ten days without riding the bike to work. So, would stabil be worth it you think?

I put the long underwear on me, not the Nomad.

http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif

[ponch]

No, if you ride every 7-10 days as long as you topped it off each time it would be fine. I don't think I would want gas to get much more than a month old though.


We have winter, but most years it comes for a few days at a time with echoes of Fall and a preview of Spring thrown in between the cold spells. I live close to the OK border, so we have a bit more winter than parts south, but only a few days of ice or snow some years. It would be rare that I would go ten days without riding the bike to work. So, would stabil be worth it you think?

[oldmanriver]

I live long island new york,cold enough in the winter,never use stabilizer,or charger.But i start it every week till the fan comeson,and take it for a short ride when the weather permits.I never have any problem.

[ponch]

I grew up in North Bellmore, and lived in Lynbrook and Oakdale. My brother lives in Holbrook. I moved to Iowa 5 years ago. I probably got in a couple more days a month in the winter time on LI.



I live long island new york,cold enough in the winter,never use stabilizer,or charger.But i start it every week till the fan comeson,and take it for a short ride when the weather permits.I never have any problem.

[joesnomad]

I live in South Central Pa. I use stabil in the tank and start it every week or two until the fan comes on. I personaly believe in stabil, I have beaten to many weed wackers and leaf blowers to death because of gummed up fuel, I wont take any chances.

[dogdoc]

Love Stabil too, but never gets that cold in TX to need it. i ride about every day year around unless a freak ice/snow storm.