How to maintain in winter???

[RDK09]

3 identical threads??? Really?........ Harley Davidson Forums: Harley motorcycle forums. Where Harley Davidson riders discuss all Harley Davidson motorcycles both new and old, join today! - Search Results for winter storage

[Inmate464]

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.

[RDK09]

Originally Posted by mgosset1

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-----> * Oil and water do mix !

[secoleman57]

Originally Posted by mgosset1

worse thing you can do to any motor is not run it.....Best to do what Alii said; keep riding and don't store it...

I have to agree with mgosset1 providing of course you let it come to a stabilized temperature. However with an air cooled engine that might not be so easy.

Of course my opinions are the product of my early years. I joined the U.S. Navy at seventeen and was dealing with engines 37 years old that ran as well as they ever did on the day they were first fired up.

(according to the specs. at least, they first fired 20 years before I was born)

We ran them for a short time every day (called exercising) whether we intended to put them online or not. Unless it was an emergency we never placed an engine under load until it had reached a stabilized temp at an idle. We also never shut them down after being on line until they once again came back down to a stabilized temp at an idle.

Granted I don't think anyone needs to go to those extremes with a motorcycle (I danged sure don't) but I firmly believe that not running an engine for extended periods of time is not good on them for a variety of reasons.

[mgosset1]

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...

[RDK09]

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.

[secoleman57]

Originally Posted by RDK09

If this is true explain this-----> * Oil and water do mix !

I asked and never did get an answer as to whether or not it was synthetic oil.

While new to the synthetic oils for automotive use, been using them for decades in comfort and process air conditioning and refrigeration applications.

Bust the seal on a gallon of those lubricants and you either use it or discard it. And it's a real pain in the ass to boil the water out of those, takes forever and a day if the system is large enough. Water in the oil those applications does a lot more than cause something to rust, in fact that isn't even an issue, the equipment won't last that long.

Besides in those pics it's obvious the oil was dumped after the engine was run which is going to make it look "milky" if there is any water at all in it. All lubricants will draw moisture from the air around it, who here doesn't change their oil in the spring anyway?.

I dump mine base not only on mileage but time, moisture being the exact reason for the time factor.

Even an engine running 24 hours a day can pick up moisture depending on the dew point and oil temp, seen it in the military which is why on a regular schedule we'd pump it from the sump to a centrifuge to remove water and particulates before sending it back into the sump.

About the only time it was actually changed is when fuel dilution lowered the viscosity. Which was tested at least once during a 4 hour watch whether the engine had been running or not (redundant BS IMHO most of the time, but that's what we did).

I agree starting an engine and not letting it come to operating temp isn't a good idea however not running an engine at all for extended periods of time IMHO would not be desirable either.

I'll risk the moisture to keep everything lubricated if nothing else. I'm going to change the oil anyway.

Besides, now that I'm in this I've got a lot of expensive test equipment on my service truck that will give me an idea on just how long it takes an air-cooled engine sitting at idle to come to temp just for a benchmark now that I'm thinking on it.

I'll guess mgosset1 is right when he says "not long". Seems to me my 2012 FLTRX goes into "parade mode" pretty quick.

Once I find out if it's doing that close to where it's suppose to, I guess I could use that as an indication. Disable it and wait for the cruise light to flash.

[Coaster]

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.

[Zelrick]

Originally Posted by Coaster;662220 [U

insert steel wool into the ends of the exhaust [/U]to prevent any small critters (mice) from nesting.

And that's the best advice in this thread. I would have never thought of it. Though since I keep mine in the garage, I'd probably use a couple of shop towels.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

[mrmetal]

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..