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How to maintain in winter???

4K views 24 replies 16 participants last post by  secoleman57 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey everybody. I have a 2010 street glide. I live in oregon so unfortunately I won't be able to ride much the next 5 months or so due to the weather. I was wanting to know what I need to do while my bike is resting in the garage for the winter. Do I need to add anything to gas tank, do I need to start it once a week let it run for a few minutes, etc etc..... I've heard different things to do but wanted to get some advice from the experts here���������� any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you to all in advance for your replies. �� Sorry posted same thread a couple times. New to site didn't think my phone was working. Whoops I don't need to here from the thread nazis. Find something better to worry about
 
#3 ·
get a nice Deltran Junior Float Charger and put on the battery....I use Seafoam in gas but live in Texas were there is no such thing as putting one away...lol...or you could use Stabil but its harder on the internals....Just make sure your battery don't sulfate in the cold weather....I guess if I lived where you live I would try and start it at least once a week and let it idle a little while...or put a heat lamp under the bike....or you could bring it over here....lol....
 
#5 ·
Do NOT Idle the bike once a week!!!! If you start your bike, you should at the very least planning on riding it for 30-45 min. Your engine has to get up to normal operating temp. This will ensure the water / condensation gets hot enough to evaporate out of the engine. Just going out and starting the bike once a week will cause you to build up condensation that leads to bad oil, rusting from the inside out, and the list goes on. Try to search "winter storage" - lots of good info! But basically change the fluids, hook up to battery tender, add gas agent , and let her sit


Jared
2012 FXDWG
 
#6 ·
Fill tank put stabile in fuel . Let it run a couple min. Change engine oil and filter. Plug battery in with battery tender. Don't start it unless you let it run long enough to reach operating temp. Letting it run just a couple min will only cause condensation in the motor. I live in Canada so my bike is away for a couple of months.

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#10 ·
You got a bike idling in the garage that has no radiator; how long do you think its going to take to come up to operating temps...lol....the answer is pretty damn quick...have never hurt one yet letting it idle on cold days....only place your collecting any condensation will be in the vented gas tank and carbs if you have them...your not making any water letting it idle....where do ya'll come up with all this...?...worse thing you can do to any motor is not run it.....trust me i got tractors, four wheelers, mowers, dirt bikes, chain saws and you name it....never had moisture issues and i crank them all during the winter months when not in use.....Best to do what Alii said; keep riding and don't store it...
 
#13 ·
You got a bike idling in the garage that has no radiator; how long do you think its going to take to come up to operating temps...lol....the answer is pretty damn quick...have never hurt one yet letting it idle on cold days....only place your collecting any condensation will be in the vented gas tank and carbs if you have them...your not making any water letting it idle....where do ya'll come up with all this...?...worse thing you can do to any motor is not run it.....trust me i got tractors, four wheelers, mowers, dirt bikes, chain saws and you name it....never had moisture issues and i crank them all during the winter months when not in use
If this is true explain this-----> http://www.harley-davidsonforums.com/forums/engine/38798-oil-water-do-mix.html
 
#12 ·
I did a year long deployment and had to take the bike off the road. I filled the tank, added a fuel stabilizer, covered it, put the battery on a tender, and jacked it off the ground. That was about it. Lifting the bike off the ground ensured that I didn't have flat spots when I did get back on it. About 6 months into the deployment I had a friend start it up and run it for a while. Had no issues with it at all when I got back.
 
#15 ·
It don't take long for a air cooled engine to come up to temp if it don't have wind cooling it..lol...RDK I got a 1952 Case Tractor that would disagree with your logic....it runs like a new one...never had an issue with moisture....and maybe we don't want to look up past threads to the same subject...i think that is what the forum is for....to get everyones NEW ideas at the present time...hell i don't want to do a search to talk about a topic....
I am older and been thru numerous bikes and other machinery all my life....your moisture problems occur in points and misc. ignition components, carbs and gas tanks...THATS it......only way your going to get enough water inside any engine block to cause any damage is a radiator water jacket cooled engine is with a crack in the block...I don't believe a bike has to have brand new oil in it for storage either....I do believe in changing the oil and filter when i start using it after winter....in fact i change the oil in everything in the spring come running time....Where does everyone come up with all this scientific crap about moisture from storage....truth is your battery is your biggest problem, the rest is just junk science...
 
#16 ·
Its not "my logic", far from it, just general logic. U live in texas, where ur winters are alot warmer(most of the time)than most so thats something else to take into consideration also. I believe in advice in numbers, if more people tell me to let the bike sit, plugged into a tender, with stabil in the tank, until i can actually get the bike out for a 30-40 mile ride i think i would do exactly this, especially if by starting my bike up weekly i risk damage to a 20k bike. I didn't do a specific search for this subject, i see this come up every year and there is alot of uninformed people who i feel should have all of the info that is here before makin a decision, especially when they ask.
 
#18 ·
clean bike, add Stabil to gas, change oil and filter, connect battery tender, insert steel wool into the ends of the exhaust to prevent any small critters (mice) from nesting, cover and shop for chrome during the winter months. It is snowing in Toronto toight.
 
#20 ·
If you keep it in the garage you don't really need to start it at all for a few months. The only way moisture could get inside is through the breathers that are connected to the air cleaner. If you can put non-ethanol gas in it would be better with some stable.
The battery would not need to be on the charger all the time. Charge it once a month if it's below 60°. Batteries hold up better when they're cold than they do when their hot..
A battery sitting where the temperature is 105° will lose 50% of its charge in about 4 months. A battery sitting at about 75° would lose about 50% charge in a little over 15 months if it is taken out of the vehicle and stored in a cool dry place.
As far as changing the oil would depend on how many miles are on it. They recommend changing the oil before storage because the additives in the oil get used up as the engine is being run and it's the additives that protect the engine against rust and corrosion and acids. So they get used as they do their job. If you don't have many miles don't change it. if you're getting anywhere close to your next oil change go ahead and change it.
I have worked on antique tractors and cars that have sat for years outside and have not seen any moisture in the oil. The only thing I have seen has been gas going bad or drying up in the carburetors and fuel lines and turning to varnish..
 
#21 ·
RDK...we do have some mild winter here...but dew point levels are very high so close to the coast...I like coasters idea on the steel wool.....hell you can buy car and motorcycle bags that zip up nowdays....I have a Masarati that i have thought about buying a bag for....it sits in the garage and hardly ever gets driven...i keep one side of the battery disconnected for it....
 
#22 ·
I have seen first hand the effects of starting the engine in winter and not riding it. Just do am oil change and you can see it for yourself after the winter months and just going out and letting the bike idle for a few min. Yes you are right about the engine warming up, but if the fluids just sit there and dont circulate along with the warming process, the end product when you change the oil will be a big slug of white messy crap inside every compartment the fluids get in. Search "oil and water do mix" in the forums. There are some great pics of what its like, the pics are from a guy that rode 10 or so miles to work and back daily, not allowing proper warming to happen...... But like it was said.... To everyman his own. It's ur bike in the end, do whatever makes you happy....


Jared
2012 FXDWG
 
#23 ·
Your right is a mans own bike; but me myself have only owned about 25 bikes since 1968 and I have never ever seen what your talking about....and i have stored a many of them and bought them out of barns where they had not been run in years....hell i have even bought them sitting outside for no telling how long.....have never seen water in the oil on a air cooled bike....have seen a lot of air causing foaming oil.....you can throw a bike in the garage heated or non heated, put it on a battery tender and let the bike sit for years, change the oil and filter and your good to go.....worse thing you will find is moisture in tank or carb or break down in gas.....possible corroded connection, cracked hoses, tire crack, etc....all easy fixes....
 
#24 ·
How many of you change all 3 oils every time it's time for hibernation? I believe the manual calls for tranny oil to be changed every 20k, the primary every 10k and the engine oil every 5k. If you ride 5000 miles/year it seems a waste to change all fluids yet I bet most do.
 
#25 ·
Well I change the oil in my truck every 3K or six months which ever comes first. Generally it's the six months. I just bought this bike in September so only have the break in where I changed to SYN3 so far.

I'm at 4680 +/- now so will change it soon only a couple good days to 5K. At that time I've already got a container from Blackstone to get an oil analysis done. That will tell me if there is anything in it that shouldn't be like "water", and if it's really necessary to change synthetic oil that often.

Oil analysis is not that expensive (under 20 bucks per sample) and will answer any questions you may have. Truth be known the only reason I went to synthetic oil was to increase the time between changes.

If it turns out I still have to change it at 4-5K intervals, I'd have stayed with a high quality petroleum based lubricant.
 
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