Hey everyone,
Unfortunately that time of year is creeping up on us, and this being my first year with a bike, I have no experience winterizing it. I know that I should buy some fuel stabilizer but that's about it. I was wondering if anyone could throw out some suggestions or tips. Any help would be appreciated!

PS: Is it better to have the gas tank full or empty?

Thanks.

 

Fill the tank up and put stable in it. depending on where it is parked (heated garage or not) I would pull that battery out of it as well. Also make sure you have the proper mix of coolant so the water in your radiator doesn't freeze. Then you should be good I would think.

 

Im' pretty much on the same boat as u

wat i've heard around is conflicting
I had one person tell me to add a fuel stabilizer, fill the tank, oil change, and tend the battery.

but i've heard of ppl doing nothing but charging the battery and they were fine.
I also have heard that fuel stabilizer is not good and gums up some things.

I personally will be charging the battery, topping off the tank, and putting it on stands.

 

Hmm I have never heard of stabilizer gumming anything up. I use it in my bike, my Dad uses it in the Corvette and boat and my brother uses it in his Camaro and neither of us has had any issues. We use the brand STA-BIL. http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/stabil/default.aspx

 

Thanks for the input so far, to be more specific, it will be stored in an unheated garage (unfortunately) this year. Also, when the fuel stabilizer is added, should I run my bike for quite a while to disperse it throughout the system or simply put it in the tank and close it up?

 

just put it in. If you want (let face it we all do) take it out for one last quick joy ride then its good.

 

No one has mentioned changing the oil, cleaning the bike, elevating the tires off the ground, or lubricating the chain. Alternatively, Sea-Foam states it stabilizes fuel up to two years and that it controls moisture.

 

+1.

Here is what I do. In no particular order, but I do the oil change last after the last ride as I want it to be fresh oil sitting.

Around the last few days I ride, I:

-Clean the bike
-Clean/lube the chain
-Make sure my tires are properly inflated
-Fill the gas tank and use fuel stabilizer
-Make sure all fluids are at level
-Polish the bike after being washed and after the last ride (if time permits)
-Change the oil after last ride
-Remove battery immediately and bring inside the house; place on tender after about 2 weeks and only charge it for about a week at a time off/on throughout the winter
-Keep my bike on wood in the garage to prevent absorbing ground moisture (I have a non-climate controlled garage) or use my stands, but because I sometimes have to move the bike, I usually just keep my tires on wood.
-Cover my bike
-adjust my chain if needed
-Stare at my bike for a good 15 minutes missing it already!

About the oil change:

One good thing you can do (as I've found on the web) is use cheap motor oil (10W40) to use while the bike is sitting and change the oil again before you ride to motorcycle grade oil or the Shell Rotella T Synthetic or whatever you normally use. Most people will argue a lot about whether changing the oil, not changing the oil, changing the oil to only change it again before you ride, etc. etc. is worth it, but I believe changing the oil is good idea since you don't want broken down oil sitting breaking down even further for 3-4 more months.

 

i would think that if you just changed the oil in the spring you should be fine. I just changed my oil a few hundred miles ago and I think I am gonna leave that oil in there over the winter, then just change it before I take it out in the spring. I always use sta-bil for my turbo Del Sol, and I used it for my old Bandit as well, and have never had a problem. I need to order my front and rear stands off eBay before winter too. I think I am just gonna use sta-bil, lube the chain, clean the bike, put it on stands and cover it... I think that should cover all bases well enough. BTW Mine will be in a heated garage...if that makes any difference.

 

if you want to go all out http://www.clarity.net/~adam/winter-storage.html
however i store mine at most four months, i put sta-bil in the tank run it for a few minutes and use a float charger to charge the battery every few weeks.