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Message started by rl153 on 05/28/09 at 12:14:59

Title: winter
Post by rl153 on 05/28/09 at 12:14:59

I have a 2005 s40.If you start your bike a couple times a week ,and let it run for 5 minutes in the winter ( sometimes it's o to 20 degrees in CT),in the garage,will that be sufficient,to keep the battery charged,or should you winterize the bike ,and remove the battery,or whats the simplest way to get through the winter?

Title: Re: winter
Post by bill67 on 05/28/09 at 12:33:21

Remove the battery is better,Most wear is on startup,plus you get condensation in everything.

Title: Re: winter
Post by PTRider on 05/28/09 at 14:49:21

--Put a connector on the battery for a trickle charger. That would be an automatic charger in the .75 to 1.33 amp range. The connector is simply two wires, one to each battery terminal, ending in a special plug to mate with the charger cable. Check the electrolyte level in the battery at least once a year (probably in the spring) and bring up to the max level with distilled or deionized water. Note that charging will raise the level, so if it needs a charge, just fill to the minimum, charge, then top off if needed.

--Change the engine oil before putting the cycle to bed for the winter.

--Either put stabilizer in the gas and run a bit to get it into the carburetor, or drain the tank and run the carb dry (my preference).

--Air up the tires.

Title: Re: winter
Post by Mr. Hyde on 05/28/09 at 15:25:14

You should never use that 6 letter word when we're only going into June.

Title: Re: winter
Post by Pabst 2006 on 05/28/09 at 17:21:23

Winter? Do you live in the southern hemisphere? Maybe for the southern tip of Argentina it's winter now, I suppose.

Periodic 5 minute idle runs aren't guaranteed to keep that battery fully charged. My advice is to get a smart charger and keep the battery plugged in.

Getting at the battery isn't too hard, remove the seat, remove the left and right side covers, toolbag, and toolbag bracket cover, and remove battery. Refill with distilled H2O and put it on a Battery Tender Jr for the winter. 25-40 bucks for one of those is a good investment on something you can use for many winters to guarantee a fresh clean start when spring arrives and you can use the bike full-time.

The freezing temperature of a battery depends on the battery's charge level. Of course that information is from a battery charger marketing/product information sheet, so take it with a grain of salt.

I won't get into the other winterizing steps, that information is posted elsewhere and is easy to find, and everyone has their own winterizing philosophy and methods.

-Pabst

Title: Re: winter
Post by alcoa on 05/28/09 at 18:07:14

I did that last winter, but this year I am putting a charger on it, it will come on when the battery gets below 13v brings it back up to 14v.

Title: Re: winter
Post by thumperclone on 05/28/09 at 18:08:01

where are you ?
here at zone 6 i do what you state and never had a prob. w/ my 06..
save your $ and have a reason to go comune w/ your scoot during the cold months..

Title: Re: winter
Post by rl153 on 05/28/09 at 18:26:13

Thanks for your answers. By the way ,I thought that combination lock idea for a gas gauge/tripmeter was great and I bought one and put it on my bike.

Title: Re: winter
Post by marshall13 on 05/29/09 at 08:26:21

if you go to harbor feight's website, the sell a float charger for about 5 bucks... if you check a few times and wait, you can find it on sale for 2 about once a month...

Title: Re: winter
Post by bill67 on 05/29/09 at 09:26:32

If your temperate isn't lower than 32 you only need to charge it with a 2 amp charger over night it will be good for a least 3 months,I have always did it that way.I think thats a lot better than have a small charger going all the time or off and on,My batteries last about 5 years.

Title: Re: winter
Post by SV og LS on 05/29/09 at 09:35:46

33383D3D6766510 wrote:

If your temperate isn't lower than 32 you only need to charge it with a 2 amp charger over night it will be good for a least 3 months,I have always did it that way.

Batteries discharge less the colder it is so below freezing won't hurt them. I agree the worst way of winterizing is starting the bike once in a while for 5 minutes. Come spring there's half discharged battery, empty tank, float bowls full of stale gas and crankcase full of moisture.

Title: Re: winter
Post by Skid Mark on 05/29/09 at 14:03:53

Wintter??? It's 75f and sunny up here. It's California weather and winter doesn't exist here for at least 2 weeks. I'm goin' ridin' ;D ;D ;D

Title: Re: winter
Post by Rustbucket on 05/29/09 at 18:31:39

I wouldn't Start the bike for only 5 minutes a couple times a week like that. (i suspect a PO did that to mine and caused condensation in the muffler making it to rust thru after 3 years, With only 2700 miles on it.

The way i did mine last winter (bike sat outside covered all winter) is, Oil change then put stabil and sea foam into a full tank of gas and ran it around the block to get the mix into the carb. Shut it down and hooked up a battery tender to the battery.
My bike sat for 2 months or so and fired right up for a ride when we had a nice day. Then i put her back in sleep mode.. Basically, I kept the carb from gumming up and kept the battery maintained at a full charge.
Tenders start at $20.00