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winter bike ritual


meadeam
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I was away from motorcycles for several years, so this is my first winter to consider how to put away my bike in a while.    I'm wondering if I should put my bike up for the winter as if I'm not going to ride again until spring, or if I should plan on taking it out when we get an odd warm day.   I lived in Seattle when I last rode.  Out there you pretty much ride year round because winters are more wet than cold (as long as you stay out of the mountains)  and they don't put any chemicals on the road.

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When its time, I change the oil, switch back to antifreeze (would flush and refill I didnt have water in it), throw her up on stands, take my wheels and tires inside (I have slicks), take the battery out and put it inside on a tender, don't touch it til spring because road salt gets everywhere if you decide to ride "on a nice day in dec-feb". I also brim the fuel tank completely full so theres no chance of rust.

I used to do stabil but it's not like my bike is going to sit for more than a few months. Havent had an issue in the past handful of years not putting stabil in the tank.

If you do decided to start the bike when its fucking cold outside, let it get up to full operating temp or you run the risk of building condensation inside the motor.

Edited by TimTheAzn
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Clean it well.

Remove battery and bring inside on a tender.

Full gas tank with stabilizer.

Change oil now or first thing in spring. Which is debatable.

Park it and cover it.

Do not start it in the winter for the hell of it. You will just create condensation inside the engine.

 

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9 minutes ago, Tonik said:

Clean it well.

Remove battery and bring inside on a tender.

Full gas tank with stabilizer.

Change oil now or first thing in spring. Which is debatable.

Park it and cover it.

Do not start it in the winter for the hell of it. You will just create condensation inside the engine.

 

I change the oil before strictly because of the abuse I put it through. Should be fine either way like Jim says. 

Also because I can just roll it out of the garage in the spring, switch to water and go! 

Edited by TimTheAzn
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These are all good ideas, and about what I had in mind.  I've never really like riding when it is too cold out, even if it is possible.   Now the question is when to give it up for the year.  

I might do some work on my bike over the winter, but nothing in the engine.  I'll be warming up my shop periodically to work, but it will be outside air temp whenever I'm not in it.

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Buy a warm, windproof jacket and gloves and keep riding.  My work commute is about 20 mins and I can handle it with unheated gear down to freezing temperature.

I'm not a die-hard year-rounder but we have nice enough days to ride at least once every couple of weeks all winter.  After a couple of rides in the mid 30s, 50o feels pretty nice!

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Just now, MSerfozo said:

Buy a warm, windproof jacket and gloves and keep riding.  My work commute is about 20 mins and I can handle it with unheated gear down to freezing temperature.

I'm not a die-hard year-rounder but we have nice enough days to ride at least once every couple of weeks all winter.  After a couple of rides in the mid 30s, 50o feels pretty nice!

I was a year-round bicycle commuter years ago when I lived in Minneapolis.  I didn't even own a car.  Couldn't feel my feet and hands when I got to work at the bike parts distributor I worked for.  I'd stand in the hot shower until I felt somewhat human again, work all day, then ride home and get straight into the shower again.  I'm not that tough anymore!

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Wash it. Put on center stand. Plug into tender. Make sure tank is atleast half full.

That's it, it's always ready to ride. 

I'm not changing oil unless it's due. I'm not flushing fluids unless its due.  I'm not removing the battery, that's what the tender is for. I'm not putting tires on wood blocks,  that's silly. I'm not covering it up because that just invites critters to call it a home. We are parking them for maybe 4 months. Not like its a very long period of time. People way over think this.

Only other thing ill do is put some fresh decon out in the garage.

 

Edited by 2talltim
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2 hours ago, meadeam said:

I was a year-round bicycle commuter years ago when I lived in Minneapolis.  I didn't even own a car.  Couldn't feel my feet and hands when I got to work at the bike parts distributor I worked for.  I'd stand in the hot shower until I felt somewhat human again, work all day, then ride home and get straight into the shower again.  I'm not that tough anymore!

All that eco-friendly commuting destroyed by your water-heated digits. Shameful. 

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If it carborated I'd use the stabilizer in the gas. FI bikes your fine. Only because the small amount of gas in float bowl can turn and evaporate quicker. In a sealed system its good for many many months. 

If a FI bike will be stored for maybe 6 months or more, yeah use it there too.

But no, it won't hurt either if you need piece of mind.

Edited by 2talltim
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Put the bike on the center stand, leave the battery in the bike and plug the tender in, cover the bike. In November begin trips to Florida, unplug the battery tenders and ride the FZ10 or FZ1 in nice weather during the winter.  

Edited by ricer1
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Most carbs have a drain. Use it. 

if You leave battery in bike on tender leave the seat off to let that little bit of heat out. Critters like the warmth and chew the shit out of wiring. Damn I hate mice. 

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14 hours ago, ricer1 said:

Put the bike on the center stand, leave the battery in the bike and plug the tender in, cover the bike. In November begin trips to Florida, unplug the battery tenders and ride the FZ10 or FZ1 in nice weather during the winter.  

Wanna down vote this so bad. Only because I'm jelly.

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When the brine or road salt is distributed on the road, just forget it till springtime after a couple of hard rains wash it away.

That stuff gets in everywhere and everything on a bike. It's bad enough to want to get a beater bike for riding in the winter.

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2 hours ago, ReconRat said:

When the brine or road salt is distributed on the road, just forget it till springtime after a couple of hard rains wash it away.

That stuff gets in everywhere and everything on a bike. It's bad enough to want to get a beater bike for riding in the winter.

Agreed. I rode my vfr through an Ohio winter as my only vehicle and the snow and salt wasn't kind to it. Constant battle to keep it clean and free of rust. 

Also.... Even with a tender, my battery won't survive winter storage. If it sits for more than a couple months it needs a new battery. Maybe it's my bikes weak electrical system, but I think removing and taking inside is probably good advice. Doesn't hurt at least. 

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4 hours ago, ReconRat said:

When the brine or road salt is distributed on the road, just forget it till springtime after a couple of hard rains wash it away.

That stuff gets in everywhere and everything on a bike. It's bad enough to want to get a beater bike for riding in the winter.

100% agree. Once the snow flies, it's over until spring. Sometimes the roads have been clear of salt long enough to make a February-quickie happen, but I have a Japanese bike for slumming. 

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2 hours ago, Steve Butters said:

Agreed. I rode my vfr through an Ohio winter as my only vehicle and the snow and salt wasn't kind to it. Constant battle to keep it clean and free of rust. 

Also.... Even with a tender, my battery won't survive winter storage. If it sits for more than a couple months it needs a new battery. Maybe it's my bikes weak electrical system, but I think removing and taking inside is probably good advice. Doesn't hurt at least. 

My vfr routine is stabil in the tank and then bring the LiFePo4 battery in the house and sit it on my desk. 

Edited by mello dude
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2 minutes ago, mello dude said:

My vfr routine is stabil in the tank and then bring the LiPo4 battery in the house and sit it on my desk. 

Educate me.... What is Lipo4? I use cheap batteries from O'reilly because it's all that's available local and I'm usually changing it in a parking lot lol

Id love to find a battery that doesn't suck. Even Yuasa don't last. Gotta be the heat out here. 

Edited by Steve Butters
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1 minute ago, Steve Butters said:

Educate me.... What is Lipo4? I use cheap batteries from O'reilly because it's all that's available local and I'm usually changing it in a parking lot lol

Id love to find a battery that doesn't suck. Even Yuasa don't last. Gotta be the heat out here. 

I corrected my note -- its LiFePo4 - Lithium Iron Phosphate... I'm on my 2nd, the 1st lasted 4 1/2 years, running the new one now.. 

I have had good luck with it. Stuff about it... if you let it sit in bike for around 8 weeks, parasitic losses will be a concern... a quick ride will keep it up. 

For the season, I am never that long between rides, so it doesnt matter. 

The only maintenance concern is it doesnt like to sit cold, so the recommended thing is to bring it in the house. 

The static charged voltage is 13.3v so to start in November its 13.3 and when I check it in spring... its 13.3, no discharge with no load... 

Some here say you need a charger... I debate that, its not my experience.... ---maybe if you leave it on bike, that may be true... 

> For you, being in Arizona, you may be hosed no matter what with the hot climate, and typical Honda charging systems just suck anyway... 

 

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