Winterization

What do you guys do to winterize your bikes? If never winterized my bikes before, but I want to start right on this one. I know the obvious things are to drain the gas, oil, antifreeze, and etc. What are all the steps that you go through?
 
What do you guys do to winterize your bikes? If never winterized my bikes before, but I want to start right on this one. I know the obvious things are to drain the gas, oil, antifreeze, and etc. What are all the steps that you go through?
Where I live (CA), we get down to near zero on the coldest nights. I never have winterized. Then again we get to ride all winter:D:D, and the bike never sits for too long. Do you stop riding for the winter?
 
Where I live (CA), we get down to near zero on the coldest nights. I never have winterized. Then again we get to ride all winter:D:D, and the bike never sits for too long. Do you stop riding for the winter?

Figured californians don't need to winterize :cry: umm usually if I do it's putting around on trails which I don't think I'm going to do this year. I figure hen spring comes rolling around fresh everything will be pretty nice :thumb:
 
While I live down the hill from Wgeek where it rarely get much below freezing, the reality is the issue is primarily one of the bike sitting. Beyond the issues of just sitting are mainly water condensation. If you can't get the bike inside you are almost guaranteed to have problems. Getting the bike inside an unheated garage will help a lot.

One thing that really will go bad without some help is the battery. It needs to be charged about one a month or it needs to be put on a battery tender.

Draining all the gas completely from the carb and tank is a good idea.

If you want to go all the way get some of the engine fogging oil and follow the directions. This gets oil in the cylinder and protects from condensation. The problem here is if an intake or exhaust valve is open water can condense inside.
 
While I live down the hill from Wgeek where it rarely get much below freezing, the reality is the issue is primarily one of the bike sitting. Beyond the issues of just sitting are mainly water condensation. If you can't get the bike inside you are almost guaranteed to have problems. Getting the bike inside an unheated garage will help a lot.

One thing that really will go bad without some help is the battery. It needs to be charged about one a month or it needs to be put on a battery tender.

Draining all the gas completely from the carb and tank is a good idea.

If you want to go all the way get some of the engine fogging oil and follow the directions. This gets oil in the cylinder and protects from condensation. The problem here is if an intake or exhaust valve is open water can condense inside.

Yeah its always in a shed so no outside sitting :thumb: so drain the gas from the tank and carb, should I leave the engine oil in? I don't have a battery, should I maybe do something to the CDI box? What about the antifreeze keep it in the rads?
 
Yeah its always in a shed so no outside sitting :thumb: so drain the gas from the tank and carb, should I leave the engine oil in? I don't have a battery, should I maybe do something to the CDI box? What about the antifreeze keep it in the rads?

if you take the oil out your seals can dry up, bad idea
 
Wait fellers. If you drain your gas, it can cause dry-rot and excess fuel gumming. Put in the right amount of fuel stabilizer and run it through the engine for a minute just to get it through the carburetor. This should prevent any fuel degradation and all that gummy stuff that you don't want in your fuel lines, float bowl, jets, etc. Then again, it all depends on the amount of time you intend to leave it sitting, but hey, why not!
 

James

Staff member
Wait fellers. If you drain your gas, it can cause dry-rot and excess fuel gumming. Put in the right amount of fuel stabilizer and run it through the engine for a minute just to get it through the carburetor. This should prevent any fuel degradation and all that gummy stuff that you don't want in your fuel lines, float bowl, jets, etc. Then again, it all depends on the amount of time you intend to leave it sitting, but hey, why not!
I've experienced this "gummy" stuff you speak of. :foul: Had to replace most of the parts in the float bowl. So yeah I also recommend what 757 said. :thumb:
 
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