I just got my first bike 6 months ago ('06 s40) and had a great summer with it, but now I've taken the insurance off and moved it into the  if I garage for the winter. I'm planning on turning it over and running it for a bit periodically (say once a month or so) and I'm wondering if I really need to worry about using stabilizer, new oil and pulling the battery.

Also, is their anything I'm forgetting about? I'm in Vancouver so the weather is wet all winter but not very cold if that makes a difference to winter care.

any advice would be appreciated

I personally plan on riding all year round, but then I live New Mexico where it is mostly desert and dry.

lorenz wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:


Take your lay-up time to do some maintenance.
Remove the battery, adjust the "water"level and put it on a trickle charger.
Where I live, Netherland, we have a similar climat as in Vancouver.
My bike is in an unheated shed  and starts right up after 5 or 6 months.

All of this is just my opinion.

If you are not planning to ride your MC, most likely you won't run it enough to do any good over the winter (maybe even do harm - nothing like dumping a lot of moisture in the exhaust and then not running the MC long enough to get it out). Even if you are willing to just sit for several minutes with the throttle open to get the rpms up you probably won't do much more than charge the battery.

Couple of things I would do (and do for my vehicles that don't run during the winter) if I were going to leave a MC in storage.

Put the battery on trickle charge.
Fill the tank with good fuel including a good stabilizer.
Depending on how long I was planning to leave it (four months sound like a reasonable dividing point) I would drain the carbs.
Get the weight off the suspension and tires while keeping the suspension at normal height.
Change the oil.
Cover the MC.
Cover the air box with tape and put a ball of steel wool to block the exhaust and put some moth balls around the MC on the floor under the cover to keep the mice out. They seem to love to nest in inactive exhaust and engines.
Wax it if I don't want the surface to oxidize.
I'm not in a bad environment as far as corrosion just from exposure but if I were, I'd fog the cylinders and probably coat anything that would corrode.

Golly it's no wonder I ride through the winter. I gotta move somewhere warmer.

Winters in Vancouver are positively "tropical" compared to Newfoundland! Bikes usually go to sleep here at the end of Oct. and so not wake 'til following April. I used to do all of the things mornhm suggests in his Post above when I stored the LS in my un-heated backyard shed ... last year and this, I've been able to avail of a heated warehouse in an Industrial Park only a few kms from my house (for free!) ... so now it's stabilize a full tank of gas before I Ride 'er over to get it thru the entire fuel system and once she's there, pull the battery, cover the Bike, take battery home & charge once a month ... go back in April, re-install battery and Ride 'er home!

Polar_Pilot wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:


Stabilizer?  Clue me in here, i'm assuming this is something that won't hurt the engine if we get lucky enough to have another mild winter & get to ride more?  I'll probably end up renting an unheated storage building for the m/c & a few other things to make room in the garage / workshop this winter.

I brought a few little rust spots here from the SE (those chrome plated nuts and bolts), but they stopped growing once here.

I don't know exactly why, but the humidity seems much lower here in the NW compared to the SE.  It may rain more here but things don't rust nearly as fast.  The cooler temps and various breezes may make the difference.  That's also why there seems to be alot more vintage bikes running around...

Anyway, if I had to store a bike back east, I would run the bike until hot, and use that time spent to drain the carb either by disconnecting the vacuum hose or turning off the petc0ck (then open the drain for the remaining amount).  Then I'd change the oil, remove the plug and add a small amount to the top of the piston (turn it over a couple times and put the plug back).

Now, the gas tank varies per mission.  You can use Stabil to treat the gas, but if winter tinkering was planned the tank can be drained and used in a cage.  That makes the tank easier to handle and prevent spills and fumes.

Also, depending on plans, I would wax it, fog it with WD40, and throw it under a cover just to keep the dust off.

A mentioned above, I also have filled tires and elevated bike to keep the suspension free.  And usually removed the battery to a warmer place with a trickle charger.

With all that, let's just say that you should do some or all of the things mentioned here.  Never just park it and forget it.  You are just asking to buy a new battery or damage a good one.  Plus condensation will develop in the tank and you'll never see the few little drops that are rusting your tank down in the bottom.  As well, clogged varnished carbs are the one single item that I repair the most in the shop.  Take the extra time to get that gas out.  That saves even more when you're ready to ride again...