Winter storage

4650 Views 34 Replies 21 Participants Last post by chasarms, Nov 30, 2014

Coach J

Discussion Starter · Nov 24, 2014

I live in oklahoma so wont b a lot of chances to ride during winter, my bike will b kept n garage but it's not climate controlled what should I do to insure good storage? Is there any maintainence I need to perform or things to do during winter months?

1 - 20 of 35 Posts

Colt.45

· #2 · Nov 24, 2014

Coach
I live in Missouri so I am in the same boat as you. My Rocker is in the garage [also unheated] I put 2oz of Seafoam in the gas tank and filled it [but rode yesterday so it's not full now] but the idea was to have the tank completely full with the Seafoam in it and ridden just enough to ensure it was thru the system. Bike is all wiped down and next few days I will wipe it down with Pledge furniture spray. I have a battery maintainer hooked up to it. I plan to fire it up every couple weeks and toss an old sheet over it to keep some of the dust off. I did roll it up on some thin plywood to keep it off the concrete also.
Other than that..........just wait till time to get it out again.
Colt.45

Dan89flstc

· #3 · Nov 24, 2014

Here`s what I do:

Fill the tanks, drive it home.

Turn the engine off, and take the key out.

tlg1100

· #4 · Nov 24, 2014

I have lived all over mid-west states and I have went to extremes winterizin a bike, but now keep bike in attached garage and somewhat heated but not really and I do ride if a nice day breaks out in the middle of winter so I put in seafoam or something like it in tank.. fill it..battery tender and I also put a small light under it and put cover over it and sometimes a few nice soft covers over that.

The whole reason for the small light is one time a friend had his old harley in his newly made garage and condensation got on his chrome and he said it pitted his chrome?? so he started heating his garage and I think I read in some tip page about the small light helps aid in preventing build up of condensation?

Only once in the spring did on a humid day when I had garage door open have I noticed condensation on my chrome

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avidarchers

· #5 · Nov 24, 2014

Check the dryer vent

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webco2

· #6 · Nov 24, 2014

avidarchers said:
Check the dryer vent

Sent from Motorcycle.com App

Only if it's a dino vent, syn is fine.!

ClassichHarley

· #7 · Nov 24, 2014

Oh boy...

opcorn

webco2

· #8 · Nov 24, 2014

Share ...

opcorn ..

chasarms

· #9 · Nov 24, 2014

Colt.45 said:
. . . I plan to fire it up every couple weeks . . .

If you can't ride it to get it up to operating temp and let it stay there for a few minutes, you are better off to just let it sit without starting it. As long as there is fuel stabilizer in the tank and the battery tender is plugged up, there is no point in starting it. It's not helping anything.

Boblo Escobar

· #10 · Nov 24, 2014

chasarms said:
If you can't ride it to get it up to operating temp and let it stay there for a few minutes, you are better off to just let it sit without starting it. As long as there is fuel stabilizer in the tank and the battery tender is plugged up, there is no point in starting it. It's not helping anything.

Not helping anything except your SOUL! Sometimes you just need the sound to remind you of how good life will be again.

rosconey

· #11 · Nov 24, 2014

guy across the street has the right idea- just parks it next to his boat- but its also a horrrid sounding pos honda sporty clone so i make no tears for its comfort-

Kainam

· #12 · Nov 24, 2014

Softail: Check
Winter Storage: Check

Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Automotive tire Tire

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Gravel Gretzky

· #13 · Nov 24, 2014

Kainam said:
Softail: Check
Winter Storage: Check

View attachment 287154

:thumbsup

Colt.45

· #14 · Nov 24, 2014

chasarms
Ok, I thought it might help to keep the oil moved around........
Thanks......Colt

Cali_Bob
Guess that might be the best reason to fire it up............just to hear it talk a little

Colt.45

Kainam

· #15 · Nov 24, 2014

What it will do is warm up the air inside your motor enough that condensation will accumulate on the internals of the motor. Unless you are going to be running that motor for a good 30 minutes or so, that water wont have a chance to burn off. The air inside the motor is going to heat up faster than the metal of the motor.

Warm air + cold metal = condensation..... Just like a glass of iced tea during the summer.

I'd just leave it sit till the first ride of the spring.

When spring comes around:
Pull the plugs,
Pull the oil dipstick,
Look inside the oil tank,
You'll notice that it appears the oil level is low, but DO NOT add oil at this time.
Oil level appears to be low due to the check ball has let some oil seep into the crank case.

Softails are noted for this when they sit for extended periods due to the oil tank being higher than the crank case.

Crank the motor over without the spark plugs installed while watching in the oil tank rise to its proper level.
Re install spark plugs and go for your first spring ride.

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chasarms

· #16 · Nov 24, 2014

Kainam said:
What it will do is warm up the air inside your motor enough that condensation will accumulate on the internals of the motor. Unless you are going to be running that motor for a good 30 minutes or so, that water wont have a chance to burn off. The air inside the motor is going to heat up faster than the metal of the motor.

Warm air + cold metal = condensation..... Just like a glass of iced tea during the summer.

. . .

+1

Ever notice the water dripping out of the exhaust on a cool day?

It's the same reason a car that only gets driven a mile or two at a time all the time will have the exhaust rusted out in a few years.

SLJ

· #17 · Nov 24, 2014

I fill them up with no-ethanol premium and let them sit in the garage until spring with a battery minder on them for a day every week or so to keep the batteries charged.

tbrince

· #18 · Nov 25, 2014

Fill tank add stabil plug in tender. I don't start it unless I'm going for ride. I do throw a sheet over it and in the past I have used spray detailed and wiped it down.

tlg1100

· #19 · Nov 25, 2014

On friends F.B page

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67Duce

· #20 · Nov 25, 2014

I lock my ignition switch and keep the keys in the house , that way if I am tempted to turn her over to hear my favorite song I come to my senses by the time I get in the house ....... or I forget what I came in the house for .

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