To winterize or not to winterize?

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Franky22Times

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Hi all,

I have a parking spot in an underground condo parking lot and I was wondering: should I winterize it or is it ok for me to just continue riding it around the parking lot to keep it's juices flowing? I'm a new rider and this is my first bike (haven't even taken it out on the road yet), and I wanted to make sure she was in prime shape come spring.

Thanks for the help
 
With all the luck condo dwellers have...might not be worth winterizin it.....j/k
Should have a trickle charger on the battery or remove it. Dump some Seafoam in it and it helps clean deposits and stabilizes the gas.
 
I learnt some thing today, read this...

"Not a good idea. First, your battery will lose about 1% of its charge every day it sits unused. Starting the engine uses additional battery power. The bike would need to run for at least 30 minutes at about 2000 RPM to charge the battery.

I live in Northern Wisconsin. We can get some long, harsh, winters here. Riding a motorcycle on the snow packed roads here in the winter is out of the question. You don't see the pavement on the side streets until spring and many of the intersections will be icy from cars spinning their tires.

I will soon pack my baby away for the winter. Here's what I do. I know it sounds like a lot, but it really only takes me a couple of hours. This should work for just about any bike

First, I wash and wax the bike.
I change the oil and filter. Acids and other contaminants that accumulate normally in used motor oil can damage internal engine bearings. The minute amount of condensation that may accumulate in the motor oil during storage will evaporate and be vented the first time the engine reaches normal operating temperature.
My bike is a shaft drive, but if your bike has a chain, lube the chain
My bike is liquid cooled. I check the coolant level and test the anti-freeze to make sure it is good to the coldest expected temperature. In northern Wisconsin, this is about -35F.
I fill the fuel tank full. With a full tank, you get less condensation and less risk of rust inside the fuel tank.
I add the recommended amount of Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer to the fuel.
I start the engine and ride it around the block to get the Sta-Bil into the carburetors.
I then close the fuel valve, but let the engine run until the fuel is out of the carburetors.
I remove the spark plugs and pour about 1/2 ounce of motor oil down the holes. I re-install the plugs and turn the engine over once.
I remove the battery. I clean the battery. I check the acid level. Only fill with distilled water if needed. It is normal for a motorcycle battery to lose about 1% of its charge per day. I put the battery on an automatic 2 amp battery charger about once a month for about an hour. I store the battery in a warm place (in my basement).
I check the air pressure in the tires.
I have a storage shed where I keep my bike.
I cover with a good motorcycle cover

My bike can stay in this state for about 2 years if needed.

In the spring, usually around mid April, I might bring it out of the storage shed and into my garage a week or so before I expect to ride it if I am planning any additional maintenance.

I wait until all of the snow and ice is off of the roads and the frost has come out of the ground. This is because in the spring we commonly get black ice. You never ever want to hit black ice on a motorcycle. After this, I wait for a good hard rain to wash any remaining salt from the roads.

I get the bike out of storage.
I give it a once over for problems
I put the battery on an automatic 2 amp charger for about an hour
I remove the air filters. If they look bad, I replace them. If they look good, I blow the dirt out of the air filters with compressed air.
My bike is liquid cooled. I check the coolant level in the radiator. Every 3rd year I drain and replace the coolant.
I re-install the battery. When I connect the battery cables, I add a small dab of dielectric grease to the battery terminals. This helps ensure a good connection.
I check the tire pressure
My bike is a shaft drive, but if your bike has a chain, lube the chain. If the bike is shaft drive, change the gear lube.

IMPORTANT: Remember that you put oil down the spark plug holes. Be aware of where the exhaust pipes are pointing. It may spit oil out of the pipes. It will smoke badly for a minute or two. Either start it up outside or make sure the garage door is open.

Start it up and enjoy your first ride of the season

In addition, a service manual will help a lot. I got a Clymer manual for my bike for about $25 however the newer manuals are about $35. The best investment I ever made on my ride. It has more detailed information on what is required to keep my bike healthy. It has detailed step by step instructions on how to do just about any maintenance on my bike. It will pay for itself the first time you use it."

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101022112751AAZrjOa
 
Don't start your bike every few weeks (as others have said) by product of combustion is water, which will then sit in your exhaust system and come back through your fuel lines, will cause rusting in the system since it will sit there unchecked and with no regular flushing like youd have if you rode it everyday.
 
I also park in a nice heated condo garage. I have never winterized anything. If you park it today, your battery will most likely not be able to start your bike in the spring, so take it out and trickle charge it over the winter.
I have 2 bikes. I put them both up on stands, took out the batteries and walked away. In the spring they always start up with a new battery after 3 or 4 hits on the starter. One is carburetted, the other is fuel injected. Maybe I'm just lucky but 4 years in a row this has been my procedure, and it works for me anyway.
 
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