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Winterizing


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The manual calls for a little spoonful of oil in the cylinders, but is that necessary?  It seems to me like getting in there would be a huge hassle, not that I'm against tinkering, but wondering if the manual is just doing the typical CYA.

 

 

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Ride the bike and get it good and hot and change the oil and filter and put the bike on a tender. She will be fine also, resist the temptation of starting the bike up and idling it for a few minutes.  

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I also recommend that you fill the tank with ethanol-free gas for the long storage. A full tank prevents corrosion on the inside, and ethanol-free fuel is less likely to absorb water from ambient humidity. 

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What......you are in Indiana, there is no bike winterizing in Indiana!!!!! :) Just fill tank to the brim and add some Stabil Marine, keep on tender and DO NOT start unless you are going for a ride.

Here in central Ohio I ride all year, if it's above or near 40F and the roads are dry and clean.......oh bet your ass I'm riding.

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2 hours ago, roadrash83 said:

resist the temptation of starting the bike up and idling it for a few minutes.  

 

1 hour ago, Ride365 said:

DO NOT start unless you are going for a ride.

Even through winter I will ride every few weeks but what is the reasoning for not starting the bike and letting it idle?

***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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12 minutes ago, betoney said:

 

Even through winter I will ride every few weeks but what is the reasoning for not starting the bike and letting it idle?

It puts moisture in your crankcase, doesn't boil off in the oil due to not getting up to temp. Always best to let the engine sit unless gonna ride or drive it, just keep that nasty ass ethanol at bay. Also takes alot of CCA's to start an engine and not allow the stator to charge the battery back up, but regardless moisture is never good in a crankcase.

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6 hours ago, Ride365 said:

What......you are in Indiana, there is no bike winterizing in Indiana!!!!! :) Just fill tank to the brim and add some Stabil Marine, keep on tender and DO NOT start unless you are going for a ride.

Here in central Ohio I ride all year, if it's above or near 40F and the roads are dry and clean.......oh bet your ass I'm riding.

We will see...I’m a mile from the Michigan border and in the lake effect snow area.  I’ll brave a few days in the 50s but not sure how much lower I’ll go.

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As @Ride365 says,  pushing your bike outside and warming to temp is not good. The condensation from inside casings mixes with the oil. Getting water temp up at idle will not get the oil temp up enough to burn off moisture.  Imo,  it's a 20 mile ride minimum. 

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9 hours ago, betoney said:

 

Even through winter I will ride every few weeks but what is the reasoning for not starting the bike and letting it idle?

 

You don't get the engine hot enough and it just adds moisturee to the in side of the engine. Think about being told that it's better to run a car for 20mi trip than driving it around the block. long rides get the engine and gear box up to full operating temp and remove any moisture, same thing for an exhaust system. There is no problem if you ride your bike and get it up to full operating temp.

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Fill the tank with fuel that has stabilizer added, change the oil, put the bike on a lift or stands to get the tires off the ground, connect battery to a tender.  Don't start the bike until your first ride after winter.

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9 hours ago, Yamajank said:

We will see...I’m a mile from the Michigan border and in the lake effect snow area.  I’ll brave a few days in the 50s but not sure how much lower I’ll go.

Ah that makes sense, sometimes I forget that IN runs all the way North like that. :)

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23 hours ago, johnmark101 said:

Fill the tank with fuel that has stabilizer added, change the oil, put the bike on a lift or stands to get the tires off the ground, connect battery to a tender.  Don't start the bike until your first ride after winter.

Interesting recent opinion on fuel stabilizers from FortNine

 

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