SJC1000rr Posted October 22, 2011 Report Share Posted October 22, 2011 Just wanted to give everyone a reminder to winterize your trackday/race bikes soon. Next weekends forecast is down into the 30s so change out the water/water wetter into coolant before it costs you! Planning on doing mine this weekend if all goes well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacchus Posted October 22, 2011 Report Share Posted October 22, 2011 Thanks for the heads up! I don't have to worry about it, though:cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh1234 Posted October 22, 2011 Report Share Posted October 22, 2011 All I really did last year to winterize my bike is fill up the gas tank & put in some fuel stabilizer. Then I take the battery inside and leave it hooked up to the tender.That enough? Last year I had to turn off petcock and run the bike until it was out of gas, but I don't even think YZF600Rs have the same set up... Someone educate a newb if I'm forgetting something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serpentracer Posted October 22, 2011 Report Share Posted October 22, 2011 All I really did last year to winterize my bike is fill up the gas tank & put in some fuel stabilizer. Then I take the battery inside and leave it hooked up to the tender.That enough? Last year I had to turn off petcock and run the bike until it was out of gas, but I don't even think YZF600Rs have the same set up... Someone educate a newb if I'm forgetting something.actually the cold preserves a battery's charge. if you put it indoors yuasa says to charge it up 2 times a month. if left out below 60 temps charge only once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 All I really did last year to winterize my bike is fill up the gas tank & put in some fuel stabilizer. Then I take the battery inside and leave it hooked up to the tender.That enough? Last year I had to turn off petcock and run the bike until it was out of gas, but I don't even think YZF600Rs have the same set up... Someone educate a newb if I'm forgetting something.I had the YZF1000R before my Ninja and think the YZF6R is the same design so you have to pull the front tank mounting bolt, swing the tank up on the rear hinge mount (carefully, you dont want to yank out the fuel level sensor harness) and the petcock is under the tank (real bright idea there Yamaha!) So its kind of a PITA every winter to cut the fuel off and run the carbs dry, if I'd kept mine I would've added another petcock in a more user-friendly location.As far as coolant, these fella's are talking about track-approved coolant which has far less freeze protection but way better heat dissipation - so if you leave water & wetter in your bike below freezing, it could possibly split a radiator tank from the core or worse - for street use, you probably have ethylene glycol & water mix ( standard antifreeze ) so it should be fine through the winter - BUT, if you're not sure then it would be a good idea to drain the system and refill with proper 50/50 mix so you wont have any expensive surprises this spring......other than that, always change your oil & filter before the last ride of the year so its parked with clean lube all winter.......then when spring hits, unhook the battery tender, turn the fuel back on, check your tire pressure, fire it up an ride! Any condensation in the engine oil will boil right off so you wont have to worry about an oil change until later in the year. Some guys like to fog the upper cylinders before storage, but I dose mine with Lucas Fuel Treatment the last couple tanks late in the season.....good stuff, its a stabilizer, cleaner, and top cyl lube all in one! Hope this helps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 I've never done anything to my old Honda, park it in the garage and wait till spring. Usually takes a few extra kicks to start and blows some nasty shit out of the pipes but after that no problem. This will be my first winter with a water cooled bike so maybe I should take some precautions, also I hear the mik cv carbs are not as forgiving as the old kei hin round slides when it comes to gas sitting in them for a long time...maybe I will invest in a bottle of sta-bil this winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 Winterize? What's that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJC1000rr Posted November 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 Winterize? What's that?Me changing coolant praying I don't get a cracked block over the winter! It would be expensive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisknight Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 What's everyone's opinion on filling the case all the way up with oil? Never done it, just curious. I always use Stable and fill the tank all the way up. Put up on stands. I don't take the battery out though... (shrug) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJC1000rr Posted November 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 I never filled the case up with oil, but there is debate about doing an oil change when you go to put it up for the winter. This was due to possible higher acid content in the oil with it being used and then stored for a longer period of time.Personally, I put the bike tires on cardboard so that its off the freezing concrete. Then I just top off the gas and mix in stability and let it run for a while to get it the stability to the injectors. Then take the battery out and bring it inside for the junior tender. The race bike I put antifreeze back in and much the same process unless its out at Reuben for work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JStump Posted November 1, 2011 Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 So should I change the oil before it gets super cold or not? At the moment I just put some stabile in the tank and rode it for about 5 miles and was gonna let it sit over winter hooked to a battery tender and start it once in a while but now I am thinking I should change the oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJC1000rr Posted November 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2011 Unless the oil is already on the back-end of its life I would let it stay there. I also don't run my bike as when you run it for a bit and turn it off you can build condensation inside the engine and exhaust, which can lead to corrosion. I also coverup the exhaust pipe and air intake to prevent any unwanted critters from getting inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisknight Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 I don't (mostly) see the difference in changing the oil in the spring, or fall. In fact, sometimes I change it in the fall. Does it go bad in the case? What's the difference in the oil sitting in the case, or on the shelf? Maybe moisture content... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JStump Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 Well looks like I'm gonna wait till spring because it needs the front brake pads replaced as well so might as well do it all at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natedogg624 Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 plug intake and exhaust, engine ice, empty the tank and uninstall fuel pump to store on the shelf, put on the scrub tires and wheel set, bring the good tires inside, park it in a corner, buy vintage bike for winter project. done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoblick Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 ride it!?!?if the roads are clear and you can bare the weather get on the thing and go for a ride Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 I don't (mostly) see the difference in changing the oil in the spring, or fall. In fact, sometimes I change it in the fall. Does it go bad in the case? What's the difference in the oil sitting in the case, or on the shelf? Maybe moisture content...The oil builds levels of acidity as it breaks down in your engine, so if you leave used oil it in over a period of time it will eventually eat at the internals -- I'm not talking about 1k mile used oil, I'm saying USED where the oils black and virtually non-viscous since it's not something that happens quickly, it's just a good habit to circulate fresh oil through the engine before storing it.......and any condensation will boil off with your 1st long ride of the spring.I usually change mine at the end of the season WITH a fresh filter - then drop-n-swap just the oil about mid-season ( oil maybe every 3k miles and filter every 5-6k miles ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisknight Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 The oil builds levels of acidity as it breaks down in your engine, so if you leave used oil it in over a period of time it will eventually eat at the internals -- I'm not talking about 1k mile used oil, I'm saying USED where the oils black and virtually non-viscous since it's not something that happens quickly, it's just a good habit to circulate fresh oil through the engine before storing it.......and any condensation will boil off with your 1st long ride of the spring.I usually change mine at the end of the season WITH a fresh filter - then drop-n-swap just the oil about mid-season ( oil maybe every 3k miles and filter every 5-6k miles )Good info... I'll subscribe to that opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravedigger Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NinjaDoc Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 rather than just let it sit, is it a real stupid move to just run the bike idle for quite some time like once a week during winter time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh1234 Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 I wouldn't call it 'stupid'' date=' but it is unnecessary. Fill the tank, put the battery on a trickle charge and toss a sheet over it. It's going to be sitting for a few months.. not a few years. People go to extremes to winterize a bike that will sit for a short time.[/quote']Woo, sounds to me like I don't need to find my petcock and turn it off & drain the carbs I'll tank=full, use stabilizer, and trickle charger the battery and be DONE with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 Don't you run the risk of little rubber bits in the carbs drying.out and going bad with the bowls empty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad324 Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 Fill the tank' date=' put the battery on a trickle charge and toss a sheet over it.[/quote']this is what I've done, but normally I'm not too worried since I was previously going through bikes pretty quick. The VFR however will probably get an oil change before being put up for winter if I'm not too lazy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beegreenstrings Posted November 4, 2011 Report Share Posted November 4, 2011 I started pulling batterys last night. Threw them all on the charger and took them inside. Put them in a Tupperware container in the corner of the mud room. Seemed to work well last year. I will clip a battery tender on them for 24 hours each about January.Drain most of the gas and put a little stabil in last night. Left the VTX might take it out Sunday. They are saying 62? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh1234 Posted November 4, 2011 Report Share Posted November 4, 2011 (edited) I started pulling batterys last night. Threw them all on the charger and took them inside. Put them in a Tupperware container in the corner of the mud room. Seemed to work well last year. I will clip a battery tender on them for 24 hours each about January.Drain most of the gas and put a little stabil in last night. Left the VTX might take it out Sunday. They are saying 62?I'm sure this will start a huge war, but draining the gas is bad... It allows moisture to enter the tank, and moisture causes rust. Better to fill it all the way with gas to displace moisture, and use fuel stabilizer. Edited November 4, 2011 by Josh1234 typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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