Ok i know this has prolly been brought up a billion times, but i wanted to see some of the various ways to winterize the f4i for optimal performance next season. It's my first winter with my beloved f4i and what im doing right now is just going outside each week and starting it up and letting it get to about 140 degrees and shutting off... so i was wondering in some other methods.

 

This is also my first winter with mine. I'm not sure if I did wat needed to be done, but I put the rear on a stand . i ordered a fork stand last night. i filled up my tank and put stabilzer on it. its hooked on a yuasa battery tender and a cover

 

That guy, that is all I ever do too. Your bike will be fine. I actually let it run for about 10 minutes or so, shut it off, and do it again next week. Thats it. No stabilizer in the fuel, nothing. All of this crap people tell you to do is worthless and will not help your bike.

 

Before parking it, I give it an oil change and make sure all normal maintenance is done. Give it a full tank of gas.

Then it goes in the garage up on stands.

I'll typically run it every few weeks (doing it every week isn't really necessary - unless you have a crappy battery, it'll hold the charge). If I feel like I won't run it for longer than that, I'll put a battery tender on it. I also keep it covered.

That's about it.

 

...just and FYI, at the shop I work at we do alot of carb cleanings(we do mostly dirt) and the fuel stabilzer tends to create this green build-up, kind of like lime deposits on your faucet...it also makes things like the plastic screens in the petcocks VERY VERY brittle....I don't use it, and we tell people not to use it at the bike shop.... All I do is start it up every two, three or four weeks....let it warm up to one full temp cycle...IE temp all the way up, fan on, fan off, then I shut off the bike....

 

I generally tear mine down every winter and do new modifications so about all I do is throw the battery on the tender.

 

this is a list of what i did for mine when i had it.

-i changed the oil. oil that is broken down and mixed with other chemicals becomes corrosive so its good to change,.

- lubed the chain good. a good coat of lube will keep it from rusting while it sits.

- fill the tank. the f4i tanks are known for corroding and killing the fuel pump. filling the tank keeps water from building up in the tank from condensation.

- a good fuel stabilizer. fuel breaks down and loses its octane over long periods of storage. this could cause predetination and could cause engine damage.

- battery charger to keep the battery good

-stands to put it up on.

 

I have yet to see fuel break down over the winter in any of my bikes, HELL, my buddie bought a 2004 600rr that had not started in over 2 years....we started and ran it on the fuel it had....it didn't run too bad....Again I wouldn't put fuel stabilzer in...I know it causes a build up in the 2 and 4 stroke off road machines carbs....

 

I have had my bike for 4 years now, and I think so people put too much thought into this. Everyone has their views of whats best and why they should do what they do. And there isn't a perfect answer, so I will tell you what I do. And if you use any of my advice thats great if you don't thats fine too.

Put the bike on stands, front and rear.

Change the oil next spring before you ride it.

Don't put the battery tender on it until about a few days before your ride next spring.

Don't put stabil in the fuel tank, I believe its more for your lawn mower and snow blower. How bad can 93 octane fuel get in a garage in 4 months?

Put a bike cover over the bike.

Start it up every once in awhile to hear that mean pipe of yours and to run the fluids through the engine. Someday this winter your gonna get a 65 degree day and want to take that bike out and your all winterized.

I keep my bike ready to roll if I want to. Besides, Hondas are the best built bikes ever and they are designed for the worst and best winterizing someone does to them.

 

well more than likely im not going to get stands cause money is zero right now lol fuel stabalizer well prolly not gonna get ... and i think i learned her that i should just keep the tank full...unfortunately i have regular in it soo im gonna want to run that to reserve and fill up the tank completely with high octane fuel ... i do need to change the oil and haven't done it yet ... anyone have suggestions on oil brands they throw in their bike... and does anyone know how to soften up there shifts without doing major work on the tranny... just curious lol thanks a ton guys...i really appreciate this stuff.