Who's King?


Bingo.

Stabilizer is NOT REQUIRED for Winter storage. This is some form of extreme bull-**** that fuel storage companies use to get you to buy their product. Gasoline will not destablize over 6mo (typical Winter Storage duration), i friggin' guarantee it. I've never used Stay-Bil in any of my equipment (lawn mowers / tractors, cars, ATV's, Motorcycles, etc) and i've never had a fuel related problem EVER. It's overrated and isn't required.

Has anyone had this happen EVER? It doesn't happen. If this is the soul reason you bought the stands, you wasted your money unless, of course, you run racing slicks.

All overkill.

yup.

Meh, i've never used one...

it's not the gasoline, it's the byproduct of the burned gasoline that is super acidic. If that gets into the oil (and it does) it changes the total base number of the oil. Acidic oil is what causes problems. That's why you change your oil before you store it. the oil you have in the bike before you winterize is very acidic. changing it out prevents internal corrosion.

Then what was the purpose of the stabilizer?



Look, Winter storage isn't rocket science, and it shouldn't be. The only MUST DO item is the oil and filter change; everything else won't make a pinch

 

its 30 here and i still ride all year long =] under armor baby best thing ever made since bike, ****, camera

 

Perhaps its a little bit of overkill, but for a $4.00 bottle of stabilizer, I think I'll do it anyways. I've seen bikes that have been stored for prolonged periods of time have carbs completely gummed up... granted, those examples were much longer than 6 months, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Quote:

get some stands and suspend the bike off the ground as well. If the tires are on cold ground for too long they can lose pressure, and develop hard flat spots.

Has anyone had this happen EVER? It doesn't happen. If this is the soul reason you bought the stands, you wasted your money unless, of course, you run racing slicks.
the hard spots are not visible, the rubber just gets harder due to being on bare pavement for 6 months... last I checked bike tires are alot softer than car tires... Plus they crack over time, or due to weather. I would rather take the load off the tires and put it up on stands. I picked up the stands for oil and tire changes, so if you've got them, might as well use them.

Quote:

plug the exhaust with an oily rag to prevent mice from making a home in your pipe
if you can, plug the airbox snorkels too for the same reason (not so bad in a garage, but a must if you are storing it outside)

Clean your chain and give it a heavy coating of chain lube/chain wax.

Clean and wax the whole bike, but don't take the waxy buildup off, just rub it in and don't buff it. It will keep a protective layer on teh paintwork until you are ready to bring it out in the spring.

cover the bike with a soft sheet to keep a barrier between teh bike and the outside temperature. (in teh garage, changes in temperature can cause moisture to build up on the surface of the bike... and moisture causes rust.

All overkill.
Cleaning the bike also helps to identify potential problems that you can get corrected in the off season. If your chain is worn, or your bearings need to be replaced, wouldn't you want the repairs to be done when the bike is useless anyways? I've had cars that have sit for a season... mice had decided to shelter themselves in the airbox, and had eaten the filter... Granted that was outside, but it is simple to plug it just in case.

yup.

Quote:

pull the battery and put it in a cool dry place (a workbench in the house or something) and put it on a trickle charger a couple times during the winter to keep the charge up. If the battery goes flat over the winter it will kill the longevity of the battery.

Meh, i've never used one...
enjoy spending $100 bucks a pop on new batteries... I'm still running the origional battery on a 6 year old bike because it is always kept on a battery tender in the winter.

Quote:

The number one thing you can do is LEAVE THE BIKE ALONE! Starting it every couple of weeks is a bad idea. Gasoline contains acids that eat away at the engine over time. When the bike sits these acids creep past the piston rings and into the engine oil where they make quite an acidic cocktail that just gets pushed through your engine when you start it up during the winter months. Leave the bike alone, in the spring change the oil and filter before ever starting the bike, and then this will be no problem.

it's not the gasoline, it's the byproduct of the burned gasoline that is super acidic. If that gets into the oil (and it does) it changes the total base number of the oil. Acidic oil is what causes problems. That's why you change your oil before you store it. the oil you have in the bike before you winterize is very acidic. changing it out prevents internal corrosion.

Agreed. Changing the oil and filter before you store the bike is just fine. I just prefer to do mine in the spring while I'm giving hte bike a good once over before

 

bring it in the house!

 

+1, Mine has her own room.

 

Mine sleeps in the garage next to the car, but I don't winterize. I'm a winter rider. Makes you appreciate the warmer months MUCH more. lol. (But here in NM, the "winter" is usually mild.)

 

For all you winter riders, come to michigan and ride in the winter. You guys dont know what winter is all about.

 

its the winter here in egypt now .. and the coldest it gets here is 70 degree . .. i love riding here ..

p.s sorry for being off topic.

 

i have started all my bikes up in the winter to charge the battery...i have had no problems...it makes sense not to start them, but i don't want to take the battery out.