Putting my bike away for winter

[Road_Clam]

It's getting really cold here and it's even supposed to snow on Thursday. I've decided to retire my bike for the season. I found a self storage place to keep it in, but is there anything I should know or do before I put it away?

To put your bike to bed properly:

1) fill the tank FULL. A full tank hinders moisture buildup on the inside of the tank above the fuel line. Moisture is BAD, causes the tank to rust. Not good on a GS tank that is no longer available, and if it was would cost you about $800 to replace.

2) I add a good splash of drygas to absorb mositure. I usually do this like 3 times over the winter

3)add Stabil. Especially critical with todays oxygenated $hit fuel. Also becoming an issue is the 10% ethanol additive which is causing needle valves to stick shut, and cause all sorts of gumming problems.

4) I also like to "fog" my engine with 2 stroke engine storage oil. This is an awesome way to coat any bare metal with some oil protection to further prevent rust. Problem is it STINKS and smokes.

[Planecrazy]

Problem is it STINKS and smokes.

What's a little stink and smoke compared to tearing down the carbs next season because they're corroded or gummed up?

I don't go to that extreme, but that's only because I'm too lazy ... If I think about it when it comes time I probably will do the same...

Regards,

[Denny]

Snowing now

Thanks for the thread. It is now snowing out side and I am having mixed feeling as a GSer and a Skier but I now know how to store my baby for a long winters nap.

[bonanzadave]

This is most important "with gas that has no alcohol (oxygenated) in it"

All of our gas in MN is oxygenated. Ethanol I think. It starts to go bad in 2 weeks. I get gas for the Bike & Boat at a fleet and farm store with a pump thats NON-Oxygenated premium. The pump nozzel is too big to fit in a car filler spout. Its for recreational vehicles with no catalytic converters. Much more stabil than Ethanol

[Billyboy]

I've got insurance till friday. Then I'll be doing all this stuf.

Hey, is it a good idea to remove the wheels to a wharmer location? The bike's gonna have to stay in the shed, but I think I'll take in some parts. Seat, Battery, Tires?

Good time to clean my non-o-ring chain.

[Jethro]

I've got insurance till friday. Then I'll be doing all this stuf.

Hey, is it a good idea to remove the wheels to a wharmer location? The bike's gonna have to stay in the shed, but I think I'll take in some parts. Seat, Battery, Tires?

Good time to clean my non-o-ring chain.

I wouldn't worry about the tires. Put it on the center stand which actually takes a lot of weight off the front wheel as well. People talk about flat spots and such, but my bike used to live in the driveway all winter under a cover (and a snowbank ) and never had an issue in the spring.

[cberkeley]

Thank goodness I don't get no snow here! ....or there'd be snowmobile in the garage too ...and that's just what I need, another power hobby!:-D

[ScottMc1100L]

Living in So.Cal, I've never had to store a bike

...Sure, rub it in why dont you !!
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TXIronhead, I like the Marvel Mystery Oil too. I've put it in the fuel and the oil. Good stuff!

[cberkeley]

I just could not resist:-D

[snark]

...Sure, rub it in why dont you !!
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TXIronhead, I like the Marvel Mystery Oil too. I've put it in the fuel and the oil. Good stuff!

In Pittsburgh, we really don't need to store them either...its fun to go out into the yard (NOT IN THE STREET!) and do donuts in the snow!

[tconroy]

It's too cold to ride during a Chicago winter. If it's not nice enough to ride at least 18 days out of a month, I put the bike away. With my bad circulation, I'm liable to lose a finger or two riding in the cold.

Anyway, the only way I know how to drain my tank is by letting the engine run, so that's not an option. So it's OK to just fill the tank and put some Stabil in it? Should I charge the battery periodically?

Also if you want your tires to last get them off the ground! I prop a board under my front fork (custom made board) to get the front wheel just off the ground. With the bike on the center stand both wheels are off the ground,but it never stays that way long cause I ride as long as there is no snow on the road. If you go to www.Z1 enterprizes.com they will tell you what to do also.

[ridgeback]

2t experiment

Modern petrols keep blocking up the jets on my bikes (CBX1000Z, GS1000 Harris Magnum 1, GS1100 Harris Magnum 2, RC30, GPZ600R) even after a few weeks. The one bike that didn't have a problem, even after a few months lying idle through winter here in Scotland, was my old 79 PE250N. So this year on the last run before winter i added a small amount of two stroke to the petrol tanks of the four strokes. My theory/hope is that the two stroke is leaving a film on the jets and stopping the fuel residue forming. I'll find out in spring. Has anyone else tried this or noticed that they don't have a problem with two strokes?

[Tarbash 27]

i dont store my bike, i ride it in the snow

[REDDY]

Move South !!

[Dink]

Alright I am gonna try this one more time
You do what?? to your bikes in winter??
Hard concept to grasp, we just ride em!!!

Dink