What do i need to do for winterizing?

[Gunner75]

Ok so i got a feeling I will be putting the 650 up soon, so im thinking about everything I should do for winterizing. So far I have the place to store, my cousins heated garage. I need to get a battery tender, (whats a good one for the money?) My plan is to fill the tank up and in the spring throw in a bottle of fuel stabilizer. Should i put it up on stands and take the pressure of the front and rear wheels so i dont get flat spots? The rear isnt to much concern as I will have to change it in the spring.

[Tigerpaw]

I store bikes in my garage during the long Ohio winter months, and ride/maintain for the owners as necessary/convenient. There is of course a small neglilgible fee for this service. PM me anytime.

[Helmutt]

I hook our bikes on Deltran's small battery tenders, I bought waterproof models since my garage isnt finished or heated.

If you cant get the tires off the ground, stack up a few layers of cardboard under them to keep them from wanting to flatspot. Fill your tank, add stabilizer to the fuel, and run the bike for a bit to get it through the fuel system, THEN shut it down for the winter. Coolant wont be a worry since yours will be stored in a heated garage.

[TSB67]

I never used stabilizers, just filled the tank to the brim to keep moisture out. I don't really trust the stabilizers, and I don't think pump gas is going to get too bad in six months with minimal exposed surface area. I would siphon the gas, dump it in my truck and give the bikes a fresh fill in the spring, mostly just to be safe going straight to the track.

[Gump]

Ehhhh... Fuel stabilizer is all I do. I don't even charge the battery. Most of the time my bikes kinda outside with a bike cover. No issues

[natedogg624]

If any of you have bought the lightweight lithium batteries please know that you do not put them on a tender, simply remove them and keep them in a closet in your home until it comes time to ride again.

[J_Copeland]

No stabilizer here.

Only time I ever used it was in my wife's Ninja 250 and I didn't like what I found in the spring !

I bring my batteries inside and give them a 2amp slow charge in the spring.

[serpentracer]

don't bother using a tender. they never stop charging and that will ruin it faster than leaving it sit. just charge it up once a month if kept below 60 degrees 2 times a month kept above 60.

(yuasa recommendation)

if it's an AGM battery you don't need to charge it at all. they have the ability to sit 12-15 months without a need for a charge. my battery is still the stock battery. and it's never been externally charged.

highly recommend these GS brand AGM batteries. (yuasa usa).

I do use stabilizer... always. gas is only good for a few weeks (6-8) I was reading. fine for a lawnmower not so fine for a high performance FI engine in modern vehicles.

Edited October 15, 2012 by serpentracer

[Gunner75]

I thought a tender didnt stay on that it just monitored the battery until it dropped below a certain level then it turned on

[Gump]

I'm too lazy to look that up, but who ever manufactures battery tenders did an excellant job of marketing fear.

[Helmutt]

I thought a tender didnt stay on that it just monitored the battery until it dropped below a certain level then it turned on

If you spend money on the bigger better units, some will load/draw/charge batteries off and on, but I should have mentioned you wont need to leave it on the tender ALL winter. I will hook them up once in a while throughout but I have the cheaper models.

Cold doesn't phase a battery like heat does. We leave our agm and lead acid batteries in an unheated storage trailer at work all winter long, but in the summer months we will bring them inside where its cooler.

Up to you on fuel stabilizer, its not for everyone I guess. Another thing I failed to mention is its a good idea to do and oil change just before ( or at least late in the season ) before storage. Helps keep acidic levels lower for the internals. I've always done it, and then once warmer weather breaks you just check the tire pressure, fire it up, and ride!

[Gunner75]

the guy whos storing it, has had quads his whole life and recommends the same as papa says. Ill throw in a full tank and leave it. My dad says hes never used a tender on his valkyrie and has never had an issue other then the battery not taking a charge after 3 years.

[imprez55]

I have literally done nothing before and have not seen any negatives from it. I do prefer to bring the battery inside (with a heated garage then I would just disconnect it) and fill the tank all the way up.

[2talltim]

I have a couple of these I use http://www.walmart.com/msharbor/ip/13005742?adid=1500000000000012981640&veh=mweb

And my TL(now a buddies) is going on its 5th year with a walmart battery that everyone thinks are junk

[TSB67]

I bring batteries inside and put them on a tender because I have one. They'd probably be fine just sitting but I would at least disconnect them and clean the outside so a parasitic load or leak doesn't completely discharge them.

Forgot about the pre-storage oil change. What Hellmutt said is true. Do the oil change now, and that oil will be just fine to run in the spring.

[Bad324]

My usual is give a full detail to the bike. Throw in fresh gas with Stabil, plug the tender in and throw the cover on it after I put it up on the center stand and usually park the front tire on carpet.

I've done it with the tender and I've done it where I removed the battery and put it in the house on no tender. Both ways have worked just fine

[serpentracer]

Yes. This is what a quality tender will do. Hence the name' date=' "tender". There are tons of do/don't do running rampant online. From my experience, a full tank of fuel and a battery tender are all that's necessary. Even then, that's probably overkill. I don't use stabilizer. Never have and have never had an issue with a bike that wouldn't start in the spring. You're not storing it for years. You're storing it for months. The bike will be fine, even if you shove it in the corner while having done zero "winterization".

It's a motorcycle.. not a space shuttle.[/quote']

not sure which brand you call quality. the deltran charger is still putting out a constant "float" charge at all times.

go throw a multi-meter on one when it's not on charge.

[jdonn]

What about greasing the chain?

[Gump]

If it has a grease fitting, go for it.

[Cheech]

If it has a grease fitting, go for it.

chains have a grease fitting? Since when?

I would clean and re-oil the chain, couldn't hurt to get all that shit off that might start to corrode the chain through the winter months.

[magley64]

I fill up the tank, drop in some stabilizer, ride the bike for my last ride of the year, top off the tank and add stabilizer, prop up on center stand, cover, and then replace all the stuff I want to replace in the spring.

[TheBrown57]

Winterizing???

[TSB67]

What about greasing the chain?

If it has a grease fitting, go for it.

:lol:

chains have a grease fitting? Since when?

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[motozachl]

Does anyone else not really do anything??? I remember last year riding atleast once a month...but then again last year was exceptionally warm.

[Pokey]

Does anyone else not really do anything??? I remember last year riding atleast once a month...but then again last year was exceptionally warm.

I never Winterize, that is just a dirty word in my opinion. I do make sure my tanks are kept full and I do add Stabil, gas these days is total crap guys.......not putting in something isnt wise IMHO. Battery Tender is the way to go for maintaining a good charge, been using them for years. Bike is best to never start unless you are going for a ride, so just leave it be otherwise.