so i was just planning on keeping my bike on the back porch for the winter. i start it like every week and move it around a little so the tires dot get spots . im going to replace them next season anyway. i have engine ice in it so i figure ill be ok in the cooling department . is there anything else i should do or watch out for? oh yeah i live in cincinnati ohio so our winters are not very long or cold so you know.

 

watch out for it getting stolen.

 

Give the chain a final lube, especially if you're gonna keep it covered. Condensation will collect under the cover and and spots on the chain / sprockets light on lube can rust pretty damn fast.

When I replaced my chain, fecking arount with the rivet tool left the master link without lube. Didn't think about it till I noticed spots of surface rust less than a week later.

 

ok so its been getting to the single digits and has been in the twentys at themost for over a week now. do you think i should add a fuel stabilizer ? i have heard of fuel systtems freezing and ruining the injectors

 

Gas doesn't freeze. The freezing point of gasoline is somewhere around -150C. Ohio ain't that cold yet

What happens is when sitting for long periods of time, the gas breaks down and forms a hard varnish. That clogs fuel systems, carbed and fuel injected. Putting stabil or seafoam in the tank isn't going to hurt unless its abused (running seafoam every tank might have some negative side effects).

So best thing is to:

1. grab a bottle of Seafoam
2. ride over to the gas station
3. fill the tank
4. add the correct amount of Seafoam to the tank
5. ride home
6. top up the tank

Riding back from the station with the Seafoam in the gas will give it a chance to work through the fuel system. Topping it up once home will reduce the empty space left in the tank, preventing rust in the tank.

Do yourself a favor take the battery out and bring it into the house as well. Motorcycle batteries aren't car batteries and can't take the temp as well. Go out once a week and move the bike a little so its not sitting on the same spot on the tires (can form flat spots). Wait (im)patiently for spring

Optional: cover any intakes and exhaust with plastic bags and rubber bands to prevent nesting critters

 

The battery will not be charged effectively by just starting the bike every couple days. I use a 'battery tender'. It is a trickle-charger. Certain types have a wire harness that you can hook up to the battery on the bike and just plug the charger it whenever needed. It works great for me.

 

I took mine out after I had a hard time getting my bike started. Brought it in the house and the charger swore it had a dead cell. After it warmed up in the house for a few hours, it charged up fine. And has held its charge for weeks with occasional trips out to the bike to test something (mostly my patience).

These things aren't the Diehard battery they freeze in a block of ice and start a car with. A battery tender would be ideal if you can run a line out to it (or have a garage). But if those options aren't open to someone, the best thing they can do is bring it into the house.

And deal with the extra 5 minutes it takes to pop back in on those days (or in my case, hours) the temp climbs.

Edit:
My bad. I didn't mean start the bike once a week, trying to keep the battery charged. I meant go out and physically move the bike (assuming its not up on front & rear stands). The tires can form flat spots from sitting in the same place on a hard surface + cold temps hardening the rubber.

 

You are right, Kuroshio. Trickle charging doesn't work in sub-zero temps. I am lucky enough to have a heated, humidity-controlled garage. It's perfect to store a bike and car over the winter.

 

humidity is the last thing to worry about in winter.

 

crap, I have been trickle charging my battery in my unheated garage (probably gets to - 20 C in there) I guess it may be dead come spring then?