winter storage: fuel

[00ninja]

Seafoam. 😉


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ikan]

Is the optimate 3 a tender or charger? I assume I can leave plugged in all winter?

It is both and way better than any Battery Tender. I have one.
Honda dealerships tell me that Honda demands that they put a battery on an Optimate before Honda will warranty a battery. You can get them for around $50, blue in colour and red in colour from a Honda dealer (same Optimate3). I have found Royal Distributing to be the most expensive place to get one!
Optimate4 is the next newist model for approx. $10 - $20 more.

It will also rejuvenate (desulphate) dead batteries in most cases.
It can be left on indefinitely. Well, until we invent something other than electricity.

[CruisnGrrl]

Seafoam. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

this, i've found stabil to give me issues come spring time with starting

[Charles Darwin]

what if the bike takes 87 octane during the season. Still put premium in it?

I have been told (and I'm no expert myself), that chemical reactions in stagnant gas reduces octane. So, putting a higher one in your tank will end up lower when you fire it up in the spring anyway. This may be total BS, but food for thought nonetheless.

this, i've found stabil to give me issues come spring time with starting

I was told that the marine stabil (the blue one) is superior. I ended up putting a combination of the rest of my can of Seafoam and the recommended doss of marine stabil in my tank this year. I guess I'll find out how effective that was in a few months.

[Boom King]

I was told that the marine stabil (the blue one) is superior. I ended up putting a combination of the rest of my can of Seafoam and the recommended doss of marine stabil in my tank this year. I guess I'll find out how effective that was in a few months.

The marine Sta-Bil is a good one to go with. I used it last year with 87 octane gas on a carbed bike and had no issues come spring. I just made sure to run the bike long enough so that it mixed into the carbs. As for mixing Seafoam and Sta-Bil, I would just go with either one by itself and not mix. Could be harmless, who knows, but most likely also unnecessary.

[Charles Darwin]

The marine Sta-Bil is a good one to go with. I used it last year with 87 octane gas on a carbed bike and had no issues come spring. I just made sure to run the bike long enough so that it mixed into the carbs. As for mixing Seafoam and Sta-Bil, I would just go with either one by itself and not mix. Could be harmless, who knows, but most likely also unnecessary.

My bike's carbed, too. I brought my bottle of Sta-Bil with me on my last ride, and put it in at the gas station before filling my last tank of gas of the season (Shell V-Power - 91 octane and no ethanol). When I got home, I topped it up with Seafoam so that as much of the tank was full as possible.

One guy I know puts in Seafoam, marine Sta-Bil, and this stuff called Marvel Mysetery Oil (apparently can only get it in the states - going to have to look for some on my next trip). He claims that they all do slightly different things for the sitting gas. Probably overkill, but from what I can see: no harm done.

[architect]

2007 Ex500.

I bought the red regular STA-BIL, plan ride the bike around the block (or even just turn it on for 5 minutes) few times a month, and top off 87 gas throughout while dribbling more STA-BIL. I hear most winterizing is overkill.

[coyo]

2007 Ex500.

I bought the red regular STA-BIL, plan ride the bike around the block (or even just turn it on for 5 minutes) few times a month, and top off 87 gas throughout while dribbling more STA-BIL. I hear most winterizing is overkill.

True about the winterizing being overkill sometimes... but starting the bike up and not letting it get up to operating temp is just introducing condensation (water) to the internals of your engine and contaminates into your oil. Once mine gets its winter oil change it doesn't start again until it's time to ride.

[architect]

Yeah true, best to ride it. That's my plan. As long as the road looks dry enough it will go out around the block/area. For me it's less headache to just ride it periodically then to go through all that 4-month storage trouble.

[00ninja]

Yeah true, best to ride it. That's my plan. As long as the road looks dry enough it will go out around the block/area. For me it's less headache to just ride it periodically then to go through all that 4-month storage trouble.

It's better to just properly store the bike than to ride it around the block. With the cold temps in T.O. your bike will never reach proper operating temps with the short ride.

Store it and forget it till spring.

True about the winterizing being overkill sometimes... but starting the bike up and not letting it get up to operating temp is just introducing condensation (water) to the internals of your engine and contaminates into your oil. Once mine gets its winter oil change it doesn't start again until it's time to ride.

Agreed.

[architect]

[QUOTE=00ninja;1694109]It's better to just properly store the bike than to ride it around the block. With the cold temps in T.O. your bike will never reach proper operating temps with the short ride.

Store it and forget it till spring.


I guess my definition of riding it around the block would be 30min-1h of riding. But I'm someone that enjoys cold and dislikes summer. I don't own a single winter jacket. That's how much I love the cold.

[00ninja]

[QUOTE=architect;1694198]

It's better to just properly store the bike than to ride it around the block. With the cold temps in T.O. your bike will never reach proper operating temps with the short ride.

Store it and forget it till spring.


I guess my definition of riding it around the block would be 30min-1h of riding. But I'm someone that enjoys cold and dislikes summer. I don't own a single winter jacket. That's how much I love the cold.

LOL! I hate winter. Once it hits 3c I pretty much start wearing a toque. I'm pretty a summer person. I love the heat and humidity. Grats on being a cold weather person. 😄

If you still want to ride just place a piece of cardboard over the rad grill with some zip ties. This will help keep the heat in the engine.

My 500R's temp gauge will only reach slightly higher than 1/4 on the needle sweep when the temp is around 10c and riding on the highway. The 1/2L liquid cooled engine cools quickly on a highway ride. Which is generally a good thing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[joonuge]

off topic...but where do you guys usually store your bikes??? does it have to be a heated place im guessing a garage wont do the trick?

[architect]

I don't even own a toque lol. The down side of all this is obviously my sensitivity to heat. I'm buying the lightest mesh jacket possible and my helmet is going to get SOAKED from all my sweat.

No heated garage needed.

Btw, if anyone needs free Sta-Bil let me know if you are willing to ride to me by Scarborough Bluffs. I bought a bottle of it and realize it makes enough for 300L of gas. The shelf life will expire way before I make a dent in it. So come on down to see me before you store if anyone needs some.

[ride2rideagain]

I've heard multiple people say Stabil has given them issues. Its better to stay away. Seafoam is great and it cleans out ur carbs/fuel delivery system along with stabilizing it.
As for the gas, I was under the impression that only V-power is ethanol free. I just spoke to someone who is in the gas station repairs business and did the ethanol conversions for a lot of gas stations. He said that all companies premium gas are ethanol free. So V-Power, premium at Esso, Ultramar, CanTire, Petro etc....all ethanol free. I know V-power has a separate nozzle though so I prefer it. If its the same nozzle and someone had filled regular before you, you'll get about 650mL of regular that is in the pipe for the price of super before you actually get the good stuff.
It's advised to put in premium as it breaks down slower and will not gunk up during storage as easy as the ethanol containing regular. Mix in the seafoam/stabilizer and run it for abt 15 mins and you'll be fine.
Oil Change recommended before the winter. Remove battery and connect to tender/charge every now and then. Raise on stands/roll it on to wooden panels to avoid flat spots. That should about do it.