For the 4 cycle bikes. One of you 2 stroke guys please add 2 stroke specific stuff. I'll keep adding as everyone reminds me of crap I left out

*Find a storage spot for your bike. Think dry and above freezing temps. Away from ozone producing motors such as freezers/fridges/furnaces...

*Take the bike out for your last spin and have a can of gas handy.

*Change the oil and filter. You can either change the filter now or in spring. Some like to use **** oil to sit over winter and change it again in spring. I don't, personally its just a waste. Change it now and it'll be ready come spring. Run the bike for a minute or so after the change.

*Top off the tank, add gasoline stabilizer

*Either drain the carbs, lube them and bag them or run the bike for another minute to get stabilized gas in there. You don't want the seals going dry but you don't want the gasoline gumming up either. Turn the fuel petcock to "off"

*Wash the bike as well as you can. Good time to get a fresh layer of wax on the body. For exposed metal that will oxidize you can either wax it, oil it or whatever.

*Clean the chain and lube it liberally.

*Disconnect the battery from the bike. Either hook it up to an automated battery charger or trickle it once a month or so. Leave it in the garage. It will discharge slower in the cold. If you have a glassmat dry cell you can pretty much just charge it up and leave it outside for 3 months or so safely. If you don't know what I just said you don't have one.

*Pull the spark plugs and squirt a little(think teaspoon) of engine oil into each cylinder. Plug it back up w/ either new plugs or the same ones.

*Put a little fork oil on the front for seals(think drops). Give them a couple bounces to ensure they don't dry out. Light engine oil will work as well.

*Drain, flush w/ water and refill with 50/50 ethyl glycol/distilled water. DO NOT LEAVE EMPTY. You can fill it up w/ water wetter or other race sanctioned coolant additives if you want but I wouldn't, they don't have the same corrosion inhibiting capability

*Spray some wd-40, GM superlube, Honda prolube or the like into the cables from top and bottom. Work them all to get it spread around.

*If you have stands, great! If not, get a piece of carpet or plywood to insulate the tires from the cold, concrete floor if possible. Not a huge deal but tires cost money. Remember to roll the bike onto different sections of the tire every other week or so if you don't have stands. At least every month. Be sure the tires are set at the manufacturers pressure. It should be relatively high. This is for storage, you can go back to your favorite pressure for riding.

*Put a sock on your exhaust and plug up any crevices that a friendly woodland creature would consider comfortable. Think airbox.

*Lock it up, if you have a disc lock use it. I may sounds stupid but you'd be suprised. Besides, who looks stupid when your bike is stolen w/ the disc lock on the seat bar

**DO NOT START THE BIKE UNTIL SPRING** -if you believe in starting the bike every couple of weeks then don't bother winterizing.

 

Man winter sucks, I'm so glad we can ride year round down here in South Florida

 

Bump, falcon, hit the sticky button!

You might not want to leave the battery directly on the ground, put it on a piece of wood or something.


Modified by Kris at 6:04 PM 12/9/2003

 

 

I'd like to hear what the 2 stroke guys do, specifically of course since alot of what you said applies to 2 strokes too.

 

What a bunch of lightweights Just keep on riding throughout the year. THe only thing that stopped me was when it snowed and iced up the streets.


Good info though

 

lol, I still be riding my bike over the winter... Wooot Wooooot

 

Tony, the reason you DO want to use a '****' oil as you say (and the reason he says that is because it is not your premium oil of choice, ie., usually mineral and not synthetic) is to gaurd against condinsation and because it will be drained once you come out of hibernation. You will not waste any extra cash and it 'fills the void'!

Fill to the top of the filler neck with mineral oil and store. Ready to ride? Drain oil and replace with your favorite salad oil.

The consensus seems to be as long as you adhere to the maintenance schedule, or close to it, it doesn't matter what oil you use.

 

It is not necessary to use any engine oil as "filler" merely to reduce the volume available to the condensation of vapors. Now corrosion has its arguments but engine oil is designed to cling to surfaces and as such, you don't really have much to worry about. Especially since the new oil isn't acidic due to combustion byproducts like the used oil and it has been circulated through the entire system. Operating an engine will properly evaporate any liquid that has managed to condense. I can't think of any way this is not a waste of money to yourself and natural resources as a whole.

 

I like the way you thimk!

 

This is why i live in the south.......where we ride year round!

 

great post! it's pretty much a copy of the checklist i use. yes i have a checklist and yes i am an engineer, now leave me alone so i can stare at my shoes.

-Scary

 

i've been able to start and ride the bike a couple of times so far. and i start the bike and let it come to compete warmup atleast once a week.

 

I don't understand why people put their motorcycles away for the winter, I mean, It's just cold, wear heavy equipment and a full face helmet, cold doesn't hurt you, snow does, don't ride when it snows...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slammed EG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't understand why people put their motorcycles away for the winter, I mean, It's just cold, wear heavy equipment and a full face helmet, cold doesn't hurt you, snow does, don't ride when it snows...</TD></TR></TABLE>

good point.

but thats all good info. (just got my bike this past summer, and i had no idea about winterizing) some arent fortunate enough to have nice "riding" weather year round. i would sure have that as a checklist if i lived up north somewhere,

but here in Tx, i've been lucky, i get to ride at least once or twice a week... i could ride more cause it doesnt snow, but i simply dont like the cold... ehhehe

 

cold tires aren't safe to ride around with And being unstable on 2 wheels instead of 4 doesn't make things better just wait til "riding" season

 

Ok i am new to bikes and i start my bike every week and let it warm up to about 170 and then shut it off. I only start it in 40 or above degree weather. Should i be ok?

 

Yes

 

thanks for the useful tips

 

i just start and run mine every friday for about 15 minutes. If its not snowy Ill run it down to the corner store real quick.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slammed EG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't understand why people put their motorcycles away for the winter, I mean, It's just cold, wear heavy equipment and a full face helmet, cold doesn't hurt you, snow does, don't ride when it snows...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Cold can hurt you, your tires have to be able to warm up. It's a lot more important than in a car.

 

My bike has a lot of magnesium on it...most do now a days. Road salt + Mag = corrosion up the wazoo. Not to mention even if its not snowing that road salt is SUPER slick.

-Jake

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slammed EG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't understand why people put their motorcycles away for the winter, I mean, It's just cold, wear heavy equipment and a full face helmet, cold doesn't hurt you, snow does, don't ride when it snows...</TD></TR></TABLE>
...which there is here for about 4-5 months of the year =p



Modified by Mazdillac at 1:15 AM 2/24/2004

 

Good info

 

Is all of that stuff really necessary? Seems like overkill. Some people I know just put some stuff in the gas to keep it from going bad, otherwise I think that's it.