Periodic Riding During Winter | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Periodic Riding During Winter

The OP asked a simple question. Is it better to prep your bike and store it for the winter season or would it be better to just start it up once a month or so? I didn't understand him to be saying he wanted to ride during the winter.

Clearly if you want to ride as much as possible and to have your bike ready for these increasingly mild days we now have over the winter season then don't "winterize" it at all. However, IMHO the riding over the winter is so marginal why bother other than to have bragging rights that you ride all year long. Roads are covered with salt or brine solution and roads in the Kawarthas near cottage would be half covered with a sand and small gravel mix they like to use and it isn't washed away until April rains.

If you are content to just store it late November or early December and wait until better day-to-day weather in the spring then winterizing it properly is better than starting it up every month and then running it for 15 - 20 minutes to bring it up to proper operating temperature and far less hassle.
 
The OP asked a simple question. Is it better to prep your bike and store it for the winter season or would it be better to just start it up once a month or so? I didn't understand him to be saying he wanted to ride during the winter.

Clearly if you want to ride as much as possible and to have your bike ready for these increasingly mild days we now have over the winter season then don't "winterize" it at all. However, IMHO the riding over the winter is so marginal why bother other than to have bragging rights that you ride all year long. Roads are covered with salt or brine solution and roads in the Kawarthas near cottage would be half covered with a sand and small gravel mix they like to use and it isn't washed away until April rains.

If you are content to just store it late November or early December and wait until better day-to-day weather in the spring then winterizing it properly is better than starting it up every month and then running it for 15 - 20 minutes to bring it up to proper operating temperature and far less hassle.

well he did say this:

I was thinking of taking the bike out for a 30-min ride every 3-4 weeks
 
well he did say this:

I was thinking of taking the bike out for a 30-min ride every 3-4 weeks

He says this in the context that the bike needs to be warmed up and rode vs. being winterized. He doesn't really sound like someone who wants to ride over the winter months.
 
For the upcoming winter, I was thinking of taking the bike out for a 30-min ride every 3-4 weeks to recharge the battery and keep everything in running shape. Living in downtown Toronto, I find that the main roads are clear of snow/ice at least once a month (albeit with some dry salt).

Has anybody tried this instead of a full winterization/storage? I figure it'll save money/time on winter maintenance and is better for the bike in the long run.
Yes I have done this for many years. Since you mention you will go for a 30min ride every 3-4 weeks, that will be long enough to get your bike up to operating temperature. If you plan on doing this, then no need for fuel stabilizer, but it still might be a good idea to keep the battery trickle charged, because we do get stretches of continuous ice/snow on the roads every few years, where you might not be able to ride your bike every 3-4 weeks. It won't really save you time/money on winter maintenance, because you will be spending time washing the bike and maybe other maintenance. The costs of winterizing a bike are negligible.

You may also find that you end up riding much more than once every 3-4 weeks for only 30 minute stretches. I lived near the CNE for 10 years and since the Lakeshore was one of the best roads to ride on due to the lake effect (in terms of accumulated snow), sometimes I would ride it between Humber Bay and Ashbridges Bay just to get outside on the bike. Some of us have even been known to ride up to Algonquin on Christmas Eve!

It would be helpful to have good cold weather gear, since you can get pretty cold in 30 minutes and also recognize the traction loss that cold tires/pavement brings. Since winterizing my bike during my first year of riding, I have never winterized a bike - too many nice days to go out riding, even when the army had to be called in!
 
Thread hijack -- worrying about that issue now with my commute (also wone reason why I no longer ride to work) as it is only 10 mins. I have been careful to always change oil at 5k and I do auto start the vehicle for 10 mins on the cold/ colder mornings? Other tips? The only real issue I've ever encountered with years of my wife's similar short commute is frequent replacement of the exhaust system. (due to the aforementioned condensation + she parks in the garage)
2 issues I see with OP's plan
some bikes are not easy to start when cold
don't think they are really built for that

and a 30 minute ride may not be long enough
coolant will be up to temp, engine oil maybe not completey
and certainly not long enough to burn off any condensation
when you shut the engine off and it takes a breath of that cold, damp air
moisture will condensate inside....then the next 30 minute run will not be enough
to get rid of it...same problem with cars and people with short commutes
take the oil cap off and you can see that light brown sludge inside the valve cover

Sent from my purple G4 using Tapatalk
 
That is good to know. Will go to my parents in Brampton almost weekly or to the MILs.
Thanks
GP = 401 = I try to avoid like the plague. In the Pilot if I can, but definitely wouldn't bother on the bike.
I dread the drive to my sister's in Courtice (too cheap for the 407 for that distance), and also rarely why I haven't been to my other sister's in Ottawa since she got her condo a few years back.
one longer drive on the weekend should do it Joe
like say, down to GP bikes and back 8)

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Bloomington Rd east to Goodwood
then Cnty Rd 21 to Port Perry
7A east to 57, then south to Bowmanville
usually very little traffic, and a nice ride/drive
zero 400 series driving
 
Bloomington Rd east to Goodwood
then Cnty Rd 21 to Port Perry
7A east to 57, then south to Bowmanville
usually very little traffic, and a nice ride/drive
zero 400 series driving

That is good to know. Will go to my parents in Brampton almost weekly or to the MILs.
Thanks
GP = 401 = I try to avoid like the plague. In the Pilot if I can, but definitely wouldn't bother on the bike.
I dread the drive to my sister's in Courtice (too cheap for the 407 for that distance), and also rarely why I haven't been to my other sister's in Ottawa since she got her condo a few years back.

Sent from my purple G4 using Tapatalk

I was going to say something similar. From Aurora, staying high (roughly the first part of your route) on the way to Ottawa has been faster, more enjoyable and uses less fuel than dropping down to the 401.
 
I would avoid Bloomington, as the trucks (dumps) use this road all the time. A road North or south of it would be better.
 
I often wonder if you crash your bike in the winter months riding on snow and ice, will the insurance company pay out or cancel your policy and assume you are mentally challenged (politicly correct) riding a two wheel vehicle in the snow? I've asked the question before and only insurance specialists will know the true answer.

Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
 
I would avoid Bloomington, as the trucks (dumps) use this road all the time. A road North or south of it would be better.

on a bike, you may be correct
I lived in the Scugog area and worked in GTA for 15 years
Bloomingtom was escape route if it was after 3PM
King City all the way to Port Perry with very few stops
but it wasn't my windshield back in the day, always had a company ride
the aggregate trucks dropping product would be a concern on 2 wheels
but it's straight as ruler, plenty of passing opportunities
maybe I'm still immature, but I go for the noisy, dangerous pass
whenever a truck puts down crap on the road in front of me
the FJ09 needed very little space for this, the cruiser a bit more
 
That is good to know. Will go to my parents in Brampton almost weekly or to the MILs.
Thanks
GP = 401 = I try to avoid like the plague. In the Pilot if I can, but definitely wouldn't bother on the bike.
I dread the drive to my sister's in Courtice (too cheap for the 407 for that distance), and also rarely why I haven't been to my other sister's in Ottawa since she got her condo a few years back.

Sent from my purple G4 using Tapatalk

To me crossing the GTA is like a root canal so most trip are north west.

Re the OP When it starts to get cooler I put stabilizer in the gas and hook up to a battery tender. It doesn't matter if the bike sits a day, month or rest of the winter. In the garage tires off the ground.
 
As far as winterizing goes, it's not that big of a deal. The average temp in Jan is zero C, hardly tough on a motorcycle, to keep your bike happy and in shape for spring riding all you really need to do is periodically start it up and let it run till it hits operating temp. If that include a road run - great!

I always suggest your last fill-up be with ethanol free fuel, otherwise its a good idea to add stabil.

Some bikes are susceptible to corrosion from salt and brine. My year old Vstrom was ravaged by a couple of salty rides. Spokes, brake line fittings, and all plated couplings and fasteners took a beating from corrosion. Same happened to a friend's FZ1 - she trailered it to Accelerated for lowering in December - they forgot to wash the salt spray off the bike. When she got her 0 mile bike back every plated part (fasteners, brake line fittings, cable connections) were corroded in powder white or rusty red.
 

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