SuzukiSavage.com - Putting your bike up for the winter

Roadrunner17

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Putting your bike up for the winter
09/15/06 at 07:54:39

Thanks all of you for helping out a newbie. Now another newbie question; with winter approaching what do you do to put your bike up for the winter?

I plan on riding as much as possible through the season, but here (in Virginia) the weather is clearly not suitable for riding from roughly between the middle of Dec. to the early part of March.

I live in a townhouse so I don't have any inside storage, so it'll have to be outside, under a cover, of course. But do any of you think its worth getting a rack or something to get the tires & suspension off the ground? Is something like that available anywhere? What else would you do?

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SAMM Serious Thumper Offline No lay down crotch rocket for me Posts: 576 Portland Oregon Gender:	Re: Putting your bike up for the winter Reply #1 - 09/15/06 at 09:24:11 Be sure to put a heavy coat of wax on it !! just before you put it to bed... My Savage seems to rust easily...
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steelwolf Serious Thumper Offline "I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride." Posts: 847 Trinity, NC Gender:	Re: Putting your bike up for the winter Reply #2 - 09/15/06 at 14:52:49 Maybe rent a small 5X10 storage unit. Maybe even climate controled. Also change the oil and drain the fuel from the tank and the carb. getting the tire off the ground isn't a bad idea but make sure it won't fall over. It could be a long winter.
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DangMan

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Re: Putting your bike up for the winter
Reply #3 - 09/16/06 at 01:25:43

Bevare if you chose to let a stealership take care of it over the winter !
Last year I chose to let a local stealership take care of my baby... I handed it over to them with a full tank and when i came to pick it up in the spring there was a bill for 5L fuel ?! no matter what i told them they would not reimburse me..... last time i sat my foot in that stalership !

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DangMan Senior Member 2005 No Login Offline Thump thump thump Posts: 327 Denmark Gender:	Re: Putting your bike up for the winter Reply #4 - 09/16/06 at 01:50:22 They said that they did not drain it ! The lame exlanation was that it must have dripped out of a leak.... right, 10,5L fuel on the floor in 4 months !
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Dynobob

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Re: Putting your bike up for the winter
Reply #5 - 09/16/06 at 02:46:22

steelwolf wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:09:

and drain the fuel from the tank and the carb.

Draining the float bowl is a good idea but I wouldn't drain the gas tank. With big swings in temperature, you'll get condensation and major rust in the tank. It is much better to fill the tank to the brim and add some Stabil. Coat the insides of an empty tank with motor oil if you must but you'll work hard come spring cleaning it out. Don't use WD40. It holds moisture and will promote rust.

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PerrydaSavage

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Re: Putting your bike up for the winter
Reply #6 - 09/16/06 at 02:59:08

Fuel stabilizer run thru the fuel system for long term storage, is better than draining the tank and carb ... at least that's what I've been told by a few mechanics ... I've used it now for 3 winters in a row and have had zero trouble.

I keep my LS in an unheated shed in the backyard year round, but don't Ride from mid-Oct. to mid-April ... here's my storage routine;

- req'd amt. of fuel stabizer in the tank. Ride to gas station & fill up & Ride home. Now stabilizer has been run thru carb.

- put 1/2 of a small bottle of gas line anti-freeze in tank (prevents condensation)

- change oil & filter

- remove spark plug and spray a bit of fogging oil into the cylinder. Replace plug (but not the lead yet ...) crank over Bike for a few seconds. Replace spark plug lead.

- remove battery

- lube cables & moveable parts. Wax Bike all over, but don't buff in (helps keep condensation from temp changes in the shed from rusting stuff ...)

- spray some WD40 into muffler & tape a plastic bag over the open end (keeps mice from gettin' in there and condensation out)

- tuck Bike into corner of shed and sadly kiss good-nite ...

- charge battery every 4 - 6 weeks

This has worked very well for me for the past few years ... picked up most of those tips from cmgonline, a Canadian Internet motorcycle magazine.

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Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by arseholes!

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Robb Ex Member	Re: Putting your bike up for the winter Reply #7 - 09/16/06 at 05:06:19 I have an old battery charger with a few different settings on it. Which one should I use for a motorcycle battery? Thanks. Robb
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PerrydaSavage

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Re: Putting your bike up for the winter
Reply #8 - 09/16/06 at 11:23:40

1 or 1.5 Amps is OK for charging Bike batteries ... if your charger does not have an automatic feature (i.e. shut off or float after battery is fully charged) then you'll want to keep an eye on it so that you don't overcharge ... a 1 Amp charger can fully charge a completely drained m/c battery in 8 to 10 hours ... don't quote me on the time though and refer to your chargers manual ...

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Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by arseholes!

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bentwheel Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Ride free, citizen Posts: 658 Sarnia, Ontario, Canada Gender:	Re: Putting your bike up for the winter Reply #9 - 09/16/06 at 11:25:34 Select the lowest setting you have. 1 or 2 amps is the most you should use. Modern chargers that maintain a dormant battery charge anywhere from 1/10 of an amp to 7/10 maximum.
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911radioman Ex Member	Re: Putting your bike up for the winter Reply #10 - 09/16/06 at 11:59:57 Unless ya live in Alaska, I wouldn't put it up for the winter! As long as there is no snow or ice on the roads, I ride!
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DianeS.

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Re: Putting your bike up for the winter
Reply #11 - 09/16/06 at 19:18:03

Don't really want to think of winter yet, but living in Ontario, Canada - the snow will fly in a few months.

Last year I rode quite late into the season, and since my garage stays above freezing, I rode the bike locally when the roads were dry. Not sure if I'll be that crazy this winter, or not - because I've also heard that it is easier on the bike to be properly winterized instead of ridden off and on in the winter months???? Last year, I put Stabil in the fuel tank, but never pulled the battery because I rode it every few weeks.

I do find that I get a bit chilled though, if the temps. are just above freezing - even in my leathers. Guess I have to try and fit more layers underneath.

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Green 2000 Savage purchased in Nov. 2005. Memphis fat windshield, Willie and Max Saddlebags, jardine slash cut muffler, engine case guard, Metzler 880 ME tires, fork brace, and carb re-jetted.

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PerrydaSavage

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Re: Putting your bike up for the winter
Reply #12 - 09/17/06 at 02:25:03

Quote:

I do find that I get a bit chilled though, if the temps. are just above freezing - even in my leathers

You might consider tryin' one of those electric vests Diane ... should be able to get 'em at any Bike Shop. Couple of pls Ride with 'em here late in the season and swear by 'em!

Where abouts in Ontario are you? Wife's family live in Barrie, Burlington and Caledonia ...

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Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by arseholes!

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sluggo Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline big singles lead, twins follow the pack Posts: 4744 moses lake washington Gender:	Re: Putting your bike up for the winter Reply #13 - 09/17/06 at 03:01:32 the machine doesn't know what temp it is outside. start it up every now and then, ride it when possible, winterize yourself. i use a snowmobile suit i bought at the end of a season at wally world for 50 bucks, a week later they were 35.
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Trippah

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Re: Putting your bike up for the winter
Reply #14 - 09/17/06 at 17:29:23

Roadrunner17 - In Virginia, I think youwould only have to ut in some stabilizer. There are usually 1 or 2 days every other week around 30-45 degrees you can ride the bike for 1/2 hour, get some coffee/hot choc. anothe 1/2 hour and your all set for the bettter part of a month.
I am in Mass, and was able to get a ride at least 1 hr every onth, kept the battery charged enough and the fuel changing. Cheesy

But lets play this Autumn first.

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