This may be a stupid question to some of y'all, but....winterizing?

[MadMadame]

K, this isn't my first go-round in the cold, but it's the first time that I've had a bike to worry about. Don't have a garage, nor could I get it inside (even if I had the room, which I don't)-it's just under the stairs at the covered lot. What, if anything, do I need to do to make sure it still runs once it gets to be nice enough to ride again? Being able to use a battery tender would be nice, but I don't think the management would look too kindly upon the 500+ feet of extension cord I'd have to run to make that possible. Just start it once a week or so and let it run for a bit? It's got antifreeze in it, and I've got plans to get a cover-not that it would really do any good, but it would make me feel better.

Any tips/ideas? TIA.

[SAMBUSA]

Fill the tank full, pull the battery out. Keep your psi where it should be.

[SAMBUSA]

And dont go out and start it unless you're gonna take it out for a ride. No good comes of doing that

[Disclaimer]

Lay it over on it's side and cover it up with a nice warm blanket and kiss it goodnight.

[chevysoldier]

Bring the battery inside and put it on a tender. Fill the tank' date=' WD-40 the chain and put a cover on the bike. Don't start it unless you plan on riding it.

(I hate these threads, btw. It's gonna' get opinionated in here)[/quote']

I thought wd-40 is bad for O-ring chains? Doesn't the aerosol ruin the o-rings? I just cleaned my chain with some kerosene and a soft brush and lubed it up as normal.

[Disclaimer]

No, it's fine. But, I prefer this stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/DuPont-Performance-Lubricants-Multi-Use-Fluoropolymer/dp/B000GL19TY

It's like WD-40 with teflon in it. Great stuff.

[MadMadame]

Lay it over on it's side and cover it up with a nice warm blanket and kiss it goodnight.

You're just a helpful kinda guy, aren't ya? lol....Thanks, guys, that will help greatly. Y'all rock. (Well, most of you. lol)

[Bad324]

everything these guys said is exactly what I did with mine. First winter owning a bike and had many many people suggest the same thing to do with it

[Tonik]

To add to what the others are saying.

Fuel stabilizer in the tank, rock the bike around to mix it in and run it for awhile to get it through the rest of the fuel system. Cover the exhaust openings with a baggie or something like that and tape it on, just keep the tape off the chrome...just wrap it around the baggie to keep it tight. Put some wood under the tires, even if it is just some 3/4 inch plywood to get them off the ground. And last, I would pull the plugs and squirt some engine oil in the cylinders and crank it with the plugs back in but the plug wires off for a few seconds.

I am old school, that is how we do it.

Edit: Do the oil in the cylinders before the baggies.

[SAMBUSA]

^

[SWing'R]

K, this isn't my first go-round in the cold, but it's the first time that I've had a bike to worry about. ...

There aren't really stupid questions, but consider "searching" the board before posting questions that some may consider stupid or redundant.

Using the term "winterizing" and the SEARCH box turned up several other threads on the same topic.

Just sayin

[MadMadame]

Thanks

[Disclaimer]

I'll let you park it in my shed, but I get one trackday with it.

[Radio Flyer]

Pull the battery,fill the tank up and add the required amount of Sta-Bil.

Chain cleaning and oil changes can wait til spring if you want.

[chevysoldier]

The "aerosol" in WD-40 is CO2. WD-40 is pretty much the greatest invention in the history of mankind.

http://www.wd40.com/faqs/#a100

Right, thats what I was kind of referring to. I remember another thread about the CO2, or propellant in the WD-40 being harmful to the O-rings. Hence why I brought it up. Like I said, I just used some kerosene to clean it real well, and reapplied my chain lube generously.

I would imagine a finger operated spray bottle of WD-40 would be a better way to use it rather than a spray can.

[Disclaimer]

'Ozone' or O3 is usually bad for o-rings (or any other nitrile rubber-based products), but I've never heard of CO2 being an issue over common degradation with age.

[hue jass]

Hey MadMadame, everything here looks good just PLEASE don't get WD-40 anywhere near your chain.

[hue jass]

[hue jass]

Ah, good times.

[jhaag]

CO2 is an inert gas.

nevermind the fact that its killing our planet!

[SAMBUSA]

nevermind the fact that its killing our planet!

Thanks Al Gore:rolleyes:

[ReconRat]

It's all good, skip the WD-40, use generous amounts of engine oil on the chain for winter. Remove the oil in the Springtime, clean and lube as normal. I'm the aerospace engineer, everyone else's opinion sux, lol. WD-40 was never meant to be used as a lubricant, and is not a good lubricant. It can clean, displace water, and loosen rusted bolts and nuts, and that's about it. (Oh, and it makes a pretty flame when you set it on fire.)

But I do use that DuPont Teflon spray now too, for the chain. I like it.

O3 (ozone) rots the chains o-rings, not CO2. Carbon Dioxide is an acidic gas, and forms carbonic acid (soft drinks) when mixed with water, but causes no harm in the concentrations found in the Earth's atmosphere. I'd rather worry about acid rain (sulphuric acid) instead.

I have to park outside too. I fill the tank and pull the battery and cover the bike. Sometimes I add Stabil to the fuel, and sometimes I don't. Plugging or covering the exhaust is a good idea, I should do that more often. I have cats in the neighborhood, so sometimes I put a blanket or something over the seat, under the cover, to keep it from getting torn up. Or take the seat off, that works too.

[MidgetTodd]

Pack that chain full of grease, it'll fling off on its own on the first ride. Problem solved!

[AOW]

I've always put steel wool inside a zip lock baggie, then insert that into the exhaust openings. Rodents won't chew through steel wool and the baggie keeps it from getting lost.

And of course whatever eles the other peoples said.

[jporter12]

I've always put steel wool inside a zip lock baggie, then insert that into the exhaust openings. Rodents won't chew through steel wool and the baggie keeps it from getting lost.

And of course whatever eles the other peoples said.

YOUR opinion is not needed, Mr. Cali....

You'll hear varying opinions on using sta-bil. From what I've researched, the fuel will be fine for the few months that the bike will be sitting. Where the problems arise is when the bike sits longer than a few months.

I didn't do much with mine. I never did even get the Ninja's tank filled

The Honda, I just filled the tank, pulled it into the shop and ripped the valve covers off. Now I just need to get that timing chain tensioner switched and the bike back together, with new o-rings on the coolant tubes. The Ninja is in the shop also, just sitting there waiting for me to tear into it for the starter clutch issue.