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/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> How to winterize a motorcycle? /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1383843310 Message started by Afan on 11/07/13 at 08:55:10 |
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Title: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by Afan on 11/07/13 at 08:55:10 It's the wintertime and I heard several times from other guys it's time to winterize the bike. I still plan to ride my bike as long as it's dry outside. At least to do some errands. :) Anyway, since this is my first winter having bike, I would like to hear some suggestions, tips and tricks. Thanks. |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by doctorpc on 11/07/13 at 09:24:47 I am a novice rider and what i did was make sure the gas tank is full added stabil in the proper amount put the battery on a tender and removed the sadlebags to keep indoors anything else? oh i intend the change the oil next spring already have what i need for it |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by Afan on 11/07/13 at 09:27:48 575C50475C414350330 wrote:
"indoor" means in the garage or inside the house? My bike is in garage all the time. |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by ZAR on 11/07/13 at 10:06:58 I winterize the lawn mower but never the scooter. As long as you're riding every two or three weeks it's a waste of time. Keep up your regular maintenence schedule and as doc says put the battery on a tender(best to have leads mounted to the battery so you can plug in the tender instead of taking the battery out of the bike) and add some fuel treatment to null the ethanol in the fuel. I'll put 10-15000 miles a year on a bike and a fair amount of that is in our Kentucky winters. I try to ride at least once every week during the winter but that does depend on temps and snowfall. As for the question on saddlebags coming off and going inside......"inside" means somewhere that mice can't get into them and make a home or lunch out of the bags! ;) |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by Afan on 11/07/13 at 10:51:52 475C4F1D0 wrote:
475C4F1D0 wrote:
475C4F1D0 wrote:
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by ZAR on 11/07/13 at 18:01:59 Afan to clarify about the fuel treatment, I use a product called StarTron. Most cycle shops,mower shops and auto parts stores should carry it. There may be other brands too but StarTron is wht I sell and use in my own equipment. What a product like StarTron does is to help prevent the long term(over 30 days)storage issues that come with the ethanol in our gas. I've been using it for three years now for my bikes,mowers,generators,any gas engine that sees long stretches without use. I also treat my "emergency" stash of gas for the generator. I can say I've seen a big improvement is starting and running since I started using this type of treatment. |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by wambr on 11/08/13 at 07:12:34 you guys live on the other side of the ball... it's so far away. and winter for us and me are so different. but I usually do so- I give decent portion of whisky my little Savage :) (add a little alcohol stabilizer to the fuel tank), unplugged the battery terminals and remove out off(leave the battery in a cold-so it is less destroys itself), close the intake and exhaust pipe, in the cylinder add a few milliliters of motor oil(although it can and excessive) and several times I turn the engine (without the spark plug, then set it in its place). well and in General all... |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by thumperclone on 11/08/13 at 22:58:36 every couple weeks take couple o beers out and idle the bike till the oil comes up to temp great cabin fever relief 7 winters on my scoot in Colorado still runs like a champ, and NO raptor! |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by DavidOfMA on 11/09/13 at 07:03:31 I polished the bike with "once a year" car polish, only rode when the roads were dry, and added a little Stabil with each fillup. Other than that, I just took it out for a ride for an hour or so every two to three weeks and changed the oil when the winter ended. And checked the tires more frequently than I might otherwise; pressure goes down about 1lb for every 10 F drop. Bicycle pump took care of these minor pressure variations. I did have a problem with the battery when the air temp got into the single digits for an extended period, and although I've got a better battery in it now, I'll put a battery tender on it every month or so when it gets really cold, so the battery won't freeze. |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by wambr on 11/09/13 at 08:09:49 I still think that in the U.S. in the winter climatic conditions a little softer. can there be any sense to periodically start the engine and warm it. but when outside temperature is -30 degrees, each launch will be stressful for the engine. and battery nothing hurt, if the density of the electrolyte is normal... so let your small animal Savage asleep until spring, like the Grizzly bear in his lair :) |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by paulchristi on 11/12/13 at 12:55:21 Don't forget to change out the summer air for winter air in the tires! ::) |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by WD on 11/13/13 at 08:01:23 44K miles in 18 months of year round riding, temps as low as 10F. Go to the GI Surplus store, buy some military motorcycle mittens, polypropylene underwear and sock liners. Put a face shield on your 3/4 shell helmet and ride the thing. It's an aircooled engine, it likes cold weather. You'll be amazed how much more power the bike seems to have with cold, dense air versus hot humid air in the summer. That's why you need at least 2 motorcycles. Aircooled for late fall, winter and early spring. Liquid cooled for late spring, summer and early fall. Drop your tire pressures to Suzuki recommendations for inclement weather use. |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by Afan on 11/13/13 at 08:30:17 4053170 wrote:
You're saying I don't need to winterize my bike if I ride it (time-to-time)? What about low temps over night? It's in my garage but it's still cold? |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by old_rider on 11/13/13 at 08:53:29 Afan, when I lived in Quincy, Illinois I would go out once a week (usually on sat.) and start up the bike in the garage and run it for about 20 min, with the garage door open! If it was nice (40ish degrees) I would ride it around the neighborhood if the snow was clear of the driving path. I never had a problem, I did however put a gas treatment in it like stabil or some such just incase I missed a sat. |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by WD on 11/13/13 at 09:01:15 46616669070 wrote:
You're saying I don't need to winterize my bike if I ride it (time-to-time)? What about low temps over night? It's in my garage but it's still cold? [/quote] Winterizing to me means switch from dirty 15W40 to clean 15W40, new oil filter, and more aggressive tire tread patterns. And breaking out my leathers and 3/4 shell helmet instead of just jeans and a t-shirt with a half helmet. I've had 1930s motorcycles with add on outriggers and a ski in place of the front tire for snow use, so I may be a mite "odd" compared to your average Savage/S40 owner... |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by Afan on 11/13/13 at 09:01:23 7271796F7479786F1D0 wrote:
That's what I was thinking too. That's what I was doing with my car. Thanks. |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by old_rider on 11/13/13 at 10:20:47 You should have seen the faces of my fellow workers when I rode my bike to work one morning the second week of January. I made a pissy comment about some worker parking his truck in the motorcycle only parking space...there was about 4" of snow on the ground, but the roads were clear and it was about 38 degrees, so no ice was present. |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by DavidOfMA on 11/13/13 at 10:26:51 7D5A5D523C0 wrote:
That's what I was thinking too. That's what I was doing with my car. Thanks. [/quote] I don't know why idling it in the garage is a good idea. I'd think it will run down the battery and probably not get things hot enough to burn off any moisture. It seems to me it's better either to ride it through the winter or to put stabil in the tank, drain the carb, remove the battery, and park it for the winter. Or am I missing something? |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by wambr on 11/13/13 at 10:33:52 here you are lucky! if this temperature was outside my window, I have not finished the bike-season at all... but -30 C...-not for motorcyclists |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by old_rider on 11/13/13 at 11:01:54 Not saying it was a "good" idea, just saying that is what I did, if I couldn't get it out to ride it. Most of the time I would have a smoke (don't now tho) and start it up to make sure the battery was still up to snuff. I always ran it for 20 minutes, now mind you it was a Honda and not a savage and it was water cooled. So a savage? I plan to ride it all thru the winter here even if the missus doesn't ride it, after all it's her bike. Hell if you want to throw oil around the engine, why not run it for 20 min? In cold weather i'm sure it won't over heat and you can keep it on a trickle charger during the off days. Sit on it, wobble it from side to side to stir up the gas, start it up to make sure battery is ok, run it for about 15 to 20 minutes rev the throttle on occasion (makes me happy) drove the wife nutz and if the drive is clear, back it down the drive throw it in gear and drive back in the garage/ rinse/ repeat, keep the axle lube from sitting still and oil on the clutch. Update: Did I miss something in Dave's post? Does the savage not charge while sitting still? do you have to have the bike in motion for the gen/alt to kick in a charge? Gadzukes..... i'm gonna have to study this bike a little bit more. |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by Afan on 11/13/13 at 11:38:34 3C3A3737333A31363C3D2A580 wrote:
I'm not sure it's correct statement. Once the engine's running the battery's charging. The same as in cars. |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by BobR on 11/13/13 at 12:43:05 I read somewhere bike doesn't charge til it hits 3,000 rpm. Also change the oil before storage. The acids in used oil are corrosive. |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by verslagen1 on 11/13/13 at 13:47:13 674A4777250 wrote:
the generator doesn't magically come on at 3k, just not charging at full potential. Good tip on acids/moisture/etc... there's a oil change interval based on time that should be followed. For those that run'm during the winter, put a hole in the wall (all garages are vented aren't they?) slip a stove pipe over the muf and put a fan on the engine... should be a nice little garage heater 8-) and I would consider unplugging the headlight... less drain on the bat. |
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Title: Re: How to winterize a motorcycle? Post by Badass94Cad on 11/13/13 at 16:08:31 352631302F2224262D72430 wrote:
Now that's an idea I might have to try! ;D |
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