Personal opinion and belief? After sitting for 2-3 months all the oil in the engine will have drained down to the pan. The first start come spring is probably gonna be the roughest on the engine of the entire season. The cleaner and newer the oil, the easier it'll start flowing and lubricating?

Thoughts?

 

Thats a good point. I want to say when spring comes around Ill change the oil before I start it up for the first time but who wants another task standing between them and their first ride of the year soooo I doubt i wouldnt do it until after. I was more so wondering if anyone has any reasons for if it would be worse for the engine to sit with the old oil in it versus sitting with fresh oil. Any detrimental effects?

 

that depends on haw bad your OIL is now.
Chances are if your not having issues with the mottor it wont hurt to site with the old oil in it.
You well want to remember to that you well need to run the mottor and bring it to Operating temp before you change the oil in the spring because all the (junk trash) in the oil well settle to the bottom of the pan and make it hard to get out.

 

You guys are really over thinking a bike sitting for a couple months. Especially if it sits inside with no temperature fluctuations, and less "water" for the ethanol to absorb.

Whether the oil is new or old the split second different in getting up to the valvetrain isn't going to make much difference. If you are THAT worried about it, pull the engine apart and soak all the moving parts with oil before you start it in the spring.

I do change the oil in the Boat before the winter but that is mostly because marine engines often have a hard enough time to getting the oil over 212 to burn off condensation.

Again, if you are going to drive it occasionally through December, and begin driving it again in the first part of spring, I would do exactly what I do; change the oil when it is due based on mileage, and put some stabilizer in it if you are REALLY concerned - Some years I have, some years I haven't, but I've never had any problems.

 

Well as I said its my first time, and im sure plenty of others first times as well (hope its as good as they say it is), so i'd just rather over prepare the bike than under prepare it and have problems. The oil wasnt really a big concern though I was just curious to see if anyone ever had problems with it sitting for a few months in non-fresh oil or if there are any other potential problems someone thought it could cause. But if i get a nice mild day i'll change it then, if not, i wont be worried. Thanks for the advice and input.

 

Prolly will not need to do a hardcore winterizing here in coastal Ga although it did snow last year. We do get those persistent nice days like today and most of this week...prolly will just need some sta-bil and i will be fine .. I store her in a shed and run it frequently so tires are not a major concern. battery stays on a trickle charger now lol don't want anymore issues lmao

 

If I'm storing the bike in a heated area for 4-5 months, is it necessary to fill the gas tank and put stabilizer?

 

I don't know if 4-5 months would be long enough for the gas to actually start turning to varnish. If it's in a temperature controlled space there won't be a major problem with condensation either. But, any time gas sits unused for a while it starts to get stale. A little bit of stabilizer would be cheap insurance. I'd definitely recommend putting a trickle charger on the battery though. Make sure the space is ventilated when charging the battery as the fumes coming off the battery can be highly volatile.