If you can run the bike every 3 or 4 weeks long enough for it to get completely warmed up that's far better than any storage plan. Nothing like a rip around the block mid-January when the roads are clear.

 

Personally, if you are not planning on starting the bike and just letting it sit till it's time to ride full time again.... I suggest not worrying about an oil change before storage. Change the oil and filter at the beginning of the season prior to starting the bike the first time. Clean oil is not going to do anything for storage if the bike isn't going to be started and ran up to temp for a good 10+ minutes multiple times through the winter.

 

I just had my oil changed about 500 kilometers ago with fully synthetic so I'm fine for an oil change but I like the idea of starting it up and running the bike every week or two throughout the winter. That seems like a fairly smart idea.

 

Personally, i will just ride it... Same as I did last year! The longest it sat was 2-3 weeks in the end of December- middle of January
I very very rarely see another sport bike out that time of year, its great!

 

Yes you will be the only one out and that is the same reason you have the blue ***** maybe? LOLNothing better then the ice cold fresh air deflat the chest a bit and give the old nervous system a good shock to let you know your alive. I will be riding mine throu the winter on the sunny and no possible chance of rain. We don't get snow just some random frost because like ireland we have 2 season. Wet and dry.
One ? for all what about a battery tender? Is it worth the money or is it worth just starting and letting it run till temps come up every 3 or 4 week?

 

I'm going to have to disagree with a couple of things here. For one, occasionally starting up an engine, letting it reach temperature then shutting it down for the mere sake of letting the juices flow, is only going to produce condensation. Specially during the winter. You ever notice water coming out of an exhaust? It doesn't just develop in the pipes, but also in the fuel tank, and inside the crankcase & combustion chambers. Just continually starting a (very) cold engine is damaging in itself, due to the revolutions (although brief) the engine runs without oil circulating through it, which becomes very thick in the cold.
As for not changing the oil prior to storage, I'll side with Snake. I'd rather spend $10 and know there's clean stuff in there, than letting old contaminated oil allow to sit in the engine for prolonged periods. 500 Km is not too bad, but if your beyond the half-way mark on your oil change interval, I'd say change it.
With the battery, if it's going to be outside, definitely remove it. Batteries don't like the cold. If you leave it in the bike, you should use a maintainer/tender. The alternator does not produce sufficient power to re-charge the battery while at idle speed. The bike has to run continuously for extended periods in order to accomplish this at 4K RPM minimum (if I'm not mistaken).

 

Sounds like i am spending some money for a tender then.

 

Alternatively, I suggest moving south Winter? What winter?!

 

what is a good trickle/tender charger? I found the Deltran Tender Jr (trickle charge with a brain) on eBay for $28. Does anyone use this charger or know anyone who does? Good or Bad?

 

It might not be the best, but Walmart has the Schumacher Battery Maintainer, 1.5A with automatic trickle charge & quick connect for $20. The same one is sold as "Diehard" at Sears (different stickers). I've had mine since last year with no problems.