The Storage Myth That Hurts Your Motorcycle | The Shop Manual
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- čas přidán 22. 06. 2024
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We all want to do what’s best for our motorcycles, but when it comes to winter storage, starting your bike regularly is bad news! Find out why idling your bike is more harmful than helpful in this episode of The Shop Manual.
Find out more about preparing your bike for storage at Common Tread! rvz.la/3rF5mUA - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Find out more about preparing your bike for storage at Common Tread! rvz.la/3efdV5v
Can you do a video on engine weep holes.
Does indoor charging (on B-Tender) propose an indoor fire risk?
Riding all throughout the year is definitely the best option. The only time my bike gets parked for any extended period of time is when there is the possibility of encountering snow or ice on the roads. Temperature is never a factor. Clothing is available to keep you comfortable during those cold winter months.
Though it does get under freezing sometimes here I just ride mine anyway takes some getting used too but with all the heated gear available definitely doable!
I just spray contact cleaner in the air box and bump start it in the spring.
I gear up with the warmest clothes I can find and go for a little ride. 😂
In the snow ?
@@joecamel6835 I just ride all year. In the places I have lived there are often bitter cold winter days but not always snow on the ground.
@@joecamel6835 I prefer riding in the snow to the real slippery ice. On the ice, it's tough to get your speed up.
Leather is your friend when it comes to wind breaking during freezing rides.
Same here, lol, thank heavens for heated grips!!
I think the ritual of starting your bike in the winter is more about hearing the sweet sound of it, even if it's just for a few minutes. Reminiscing the biker season gone by. Remembering the good memories collected on the roads. Maybe you're even out there patting the new bike you're eagerly awaiting to finally get to test out as soon as there's even the slightest trace of ice free roads.
In other words, it's just a way for us people in the colder regions to cope with the off season.
The cool thing about living up north is we have a down season which is a rebuild or full inspection season so we have Nov to April to go over our bikes...bringing in a set of carbs to the kitchen table for teardown during the holidays makes things more cheery....especially if the wife has a couple of cans of WD40 under the tree!
Nailed it! in Ny , you are soooo correct!!!
Exactly! And I don’t know about anyone else, but I alway run my bike till I don’t see water at the muffler. If it’s not condensing at the muffler it’s not condensing closer to the motor.
I ride all year
As long as streets are dry and clear BMW R1150Rt heated saddle
and grips 👍🏻
@@cjsousa4250 so...what the hell do you think happens when the bike cools in the cold....water condenses big time.
I live in the Oklahoma City area and my bike is 14 years old and I have put over 100,000 miles on it. I have never prepped it for winter. All you have to do is just find one day per month that the weather gets up to maybe 40 degrees and put on warm clothing and ride it for 20 minutes. Problem solved. It will stay charged and the carb won't go bad. You probably do need a windshield though. Of course, I suppose in Wisconsin it might not get up to 40 degrees all winter long. Personally, I usually find a couple of days each week that it's warm enough to ride even in January. But again, that's Oklahoma.
That's the best possible way to do it. I've ridden down to 11°F. 1 out of 10, wouldn't recommend, but I had to get home and my car was not running.
Mine is 16 years old and I bundle up wearing gloves and ride all winter long except on ice and snow without storing for winter and parked outside.The only problem has been 3 batteries purchased even though I charge on tender. I do add water remover and stablizer every winter and high octane gas. Biden wants to do away with fossil fuels...I hate him.
Lmao who is this advice for your neighbors? Most of the us is north of you
Ummm yeah. I live in Northern Europe and I could easily never see temperatures above 0 C starting from October all the way to April.
Here's another tip I learned about cold weather storage: Do not mess with plastic panels when it's freezing, they'll crack.
Before you park it use some vasoline cell of any side panels so when or if you need to remove then the frozen hard rubber gromet won't be a problem.
@@saywhat951 That might help on some bikes, but not all. Those panels often need to be flexed to get them on or off, and most are just screwed on, no grommets.
No shit
Make sense 😂
Using these methods of storage my bike that was in storage for 12 yrs. fired right up after I put a new battery in it. Has run flawlessly ever since. It's 50 yrs. old this year! Have owned it since new.
Amazing! What bike is that?
I’ve been starting my bike up every few weeks, regularly for 12 years now, no problems to report as yet!!
same here...I think there is a lot of misinformation when it comes to this
I don't start my bike at all during the winter and I also have no problems to report. Just because it has been fine for you doesn't mean it hasn't caused any wear. Unnecessary cold starts aren't good for overhead cam bikes.
Indiana resident here; I just tonight had my '81 Yamaha XJ650 out around town. Anyone that knows these bikes know, that these bikes are carbureted, and run best when fully warmed up. This evening was 36 degrees, and I took it out for 4-5 miles enjoying the cold. I _never_ start the bike unless I can ride it. A stretch of 1-2 weeks is about maximum sitting time without a ride. The thought of *storing* the bike for the winter is just ridiculous.
Those 80's bikes are awesome i have a xs1100 special and still in shape
Here's a tip, unless you get more than 3 foot of snow per year. I have for years rode my Harley throughout the year including winter. I go for an hour ride every two weeks regardless of temperature. I don't ride in freezing rain, sleet or snow. Have a wonderful winter, enjoy the air you breathe and life in general.
Man you only riding twice a month stop trying to give advice plus you ride Harleys
@@yousmuttbuttyou
Plus he rode when he should have ridden. My bike is down for the winter. Sometimes there's 7 months of it here where I live. But when it's clear I ride hard, I ride long and I ride often. I can easily put 6000 km on my Honda in the other 5 months. And that's plenty. An hour every two weeks is for pussies.
Lucky u😁
I don't ride in the winter when there is road salt remnents and residue.
Wait for a good rain to clear the roads.
This is me. I can’t winterize my bike. I’ve tried several times, and always end up taking it out when the weather is nice mid-January or after a few days of rain and all the salt washes away and there’s no ice in sight. I need to chase the dragon cause if I don’t I’m gonna be depressed.
IMO, filling the tank with non-Ethanol gas and running it through the system should get you through a couple years of storage better than parts store additives. And if you didn't do either of those things, and 1 year has turned to 5 years... FFS DON'T slap on the jumper cables and try to crank it up! Drain/re-fill the fuel system, buy a NEW battery, and check the tires. She's worth it.
Just happy to see Ari again. We don’t even experience winter where I live.
Kinda sus
@@DB-sd3cw As a Florida man, nothing sus here at all
@@Carlisho Nevada too! And rarely rain and no Hurricanes.
Rip to you
Must be nice 👍🏻
-N.E. Ohio 😞
We have the opposite problem here in Southern Arizona. I'll start my bikes once a week when it's too hot to ride. Mainly, because I just like starting them up. 🙂
Thanks a lot for making this video--this was one of the critical instructions I learned when I started riding. And as a lifelong Midwest resident with a shed, once the ice arrives, my bike knows it's nap time
For the battery - install a Battery Tender SAE quick-disconnect harness with the end run to a location under the seat - Such an easy, cheap, long-term convenience. It makes charging "plug and play" and can also be used for micro inflators, USB chargers, etc. Battery Tender smart chargers come with one and they can also be purchased separately. Alligator clips like the ones in the video are for the birds (come undone, accidentally short, ...), especially the bigger OEM clips that come with the BT.
I have installed one on my bike, and it has saved me numerous times. Just find a plug and plug it in. Bad bike!
An investment that pays for itself in both battery longevity and convenience.
I haven’t had a bike in the last 12-13 years where I haven’t done this. First thing I do.
Dealer had installed one on my bike when I bought it new. Idiots routed is so that it plugs in right next to the exhaust exit. I have triumph SS 900 and pipes are only on right side. There is all kinds of room on the left side. I wish they had just handed it to me in a bag. It's easy to move but damn, doesn't anyone think about things before they do them anymore.
One note is to make sure the positive and negative are correct any time you plug something new to an sae plug. I've seen them wired wrong, and put on backwards. Especially when buying a non-matching brand, a la ebay or such.
I put my 03 Heritage Softail Classic 100 year Anniversary edition away for the winter due to a total right knee replacement,I’m 2 months into rehab and it’s feelin good,the Doctor said once I’m off the cane,I can go ahead and ride,gonna be a beautiful cold Ohio ride,but that’s what it’s all about,a man and his machine🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
Spot on advice from Ari, as a veteran mechanic myself, this is precisely how I store my motorcycles for winter, proper prep is key!
As i learned US ethanol goes bad pretty quick. In here we have E5 to E10 fuel. Dont know if they go bad that quick. Many people can leave the bike for 2-3 months and start it up no problem short-therm. Curious.
@@esatd34 I live in Canada and just make sure my tank is full of prem gas ( I know it now has ethanol also ) with the higher octane tho my bike starts up right off the bat after sitting 5 months - I don't use stabilizer anymore cause so many different thoughts about it out there but I make sure the tank is full to avoid condensation and leave it on a battery tender on all the time - works for me !
@@arniepries6480 cool! thanks for sharing :)
@@esatd34 I had gas stored in the gas tank for 2 years and it never went bad. Started right up. Granted it's in a garage with no moisture.
@@arniepries6480
Well, I leave the tender on as well. October to March. Fuel is fully topped up, and I put about 2 oz of stabilizer in (the red stuff). In 20 years + have never had a problem come first ride in March. No occasional starting.
I do the same on a 2008 Mazda MX5. They both start and run just fine after this hibernation.
Glad to see you again. I use to love the videos you made at the other place. I kind of had a ruff understanding of most of that but that was a great explanation of why not to start your bike
It's only October i don't want to think about winter yet 😫 I still have a good month of riding
Superb explanation on why not start up the bike during winter storage. So many does that thinking, for some reason, it does the bike well...
Thanks for this great advise.
Down here in Texas, I ride my bikes all winter long.
It may get very cold on occasion, but I’ll ride the bikes at least once a week.
Happy Trails
These are excellent videos. This is certainly my favorite channel. Great content, well laid out and presented.
I tried to tell my buddy not to do that. I have mine on a tender and never had a problem. I also move the bike just a little to prevent the tires from getting flat spots.
Put it on a stand and u won't have to do that
@@jctv-sq4qd Or even just on 2 thick styrofoam pads. Anything softer than the rubber itself.
Rare on belted tires; just put the air pressure up.
@@Ont785 ya, i thought that was just a thing with 1980's steel belted tires.
Hey thanks a lot man this video was very helpful it’s a subject I’ve pondered over for many years with the right thing to do is and everything you said makes perfect sense so thanks for the hot tips brother😊
That’s advice I’ve never heard but still good information.👍🏼 I always winterize the gas, maintain the battery and leave it alone.
All good notes, thanks for sharing. It is also good to mention cold starts run rich and deposit fuel in the oil. If the engine isnt ran hot, like under load, the crankcase will collect that unburnt fuel which will cause unnecessary wear on the internal oil lubricated components and surfaces.
@Peter Alexander What are you talking about? 🤣
Also, sit on the bike every couple of weeks, holding on the front brake and vigorously bounce the forks and shock { I do it about 30 times } to stop the seals from drying out. I don't have enough room past the car in my garage to keep the bike's tyres off the ground, so instead check the pressures regularly and then rotate the wheels, so the tyres aren't standing on the same spot for six months. At 65, I've given riding through winter months a miss.
I do the same thing but I like to make little "Brrraaappp Brrraaappp" noises while I do it for added effect
Never done that in 40 years of wintering bikes. I don’t think 6 months is enough to dry them out. Not saying I don’t sit on them and make the braap braap sounds, and pull some awesome fake wheelies…
People have the weirdest ideas. Oil does not go anywhere. It can't dry out. The seals have constant contact with oil. Never had it happen in 30 years on cold storage.
@@Sunrazor You're wrong. One of the mechanics at a shop that I use for both bike and car had a fork seal fail after six months of inactivity with his Bandit 600. You've just been as lucky as a pal of mine who's never had a puncture in 30 years of motoring.
Thanks! Explained well, I will change my winter habits for sure!
Thank you again for the knowledge! West Texas = all year riding baby!
I do light prep work before storage, but also start it up about once a month. Like you said though, I've always let it run well beyond what the temp gauge says. My dad has 30+ years of riding experience, and its exactly what he used to do. No issues on his bikes or my own.
I do the same, and of Ice is not on the road I will go for a quick ride, setting for long periods do more harm.
Each clip I watch is invaluable and helpful. Even though I have been a rider for nearly twenty years.
I never warm up bikes in winter though. I just ride them. When I lived in the Crimea I rode my Honda Dio all year round. Back in Odessa since 2014 after the Muscovy occupation, I also ride YBR125 most of the year although it is colder by 5 ° on the average. It is YZF600R that I don't like riding in winter too much... Though I met the new 2021 year riding ThunderCat to Primorskiy Boulevard!
Well, I'm a winter rider too and I always leave it running to the desired temp. before riding. However, I didn't know that you should be riding when the engine is too hot to touch.. Learned something new today!
Thanks for the video. I always held the idea that starting a cold engine thats been sitting for a while was more harmful than good because of the wear & tear & stress in the start up before the cold oil circulates. I removed the spark plugs, lubed the cylinders with a squirt of oil & turned it over a couple times with the plugs out before replacing them & removing the battery to a warmer place & trickle charging it.
I figured the less I turned the engine over or started it when it was cold & keeping the same gas in it to do so over the winter, caused more harm than good. I wasn't aware of the excess moisture that accumulated or the temperatures needed to counteract it.
A cold start per month in the winter can't be as bad as one every morning during the riding season. I always pick a not too cold afternoon and take mine out for a mile or 2 when I start it in the winter
The colder weather and my somewhat neglected battery prompted me to think that it would be cool to see a video of how to bump start the bike appropriately. I used to have a carburated bike that would have me sweating through a work shirt before I could get the thing to start...
u don’t need a video’ just turn ur key on’ put the bike in say 3rd gear’ hold clutch in while rolling down a hill then when u get rolling good let out on the clutch. if ur in 2nd gear or 1st it’s compression makes the back wheel harder to turn ur engine over so a higher gear like 3rd makes it start easily when let out on clutch.
Excellent video filled with great information. I am 59 years old and have followed this practice my entire life both with my motorcycles and any other stored vehicles... Also why short trips are bad for cars because of moisture buildup in the mufflers which may not be as much of a problem these days as a lots of exhaust systems have gone to stainless steel.
No, this is bad advice. It is contradictory on may levels.
Thanks Man !!.. This bike i just got will be prep for winter and go dormant
I don't even put them into storage mode accept for making sure ethanol free gas is all that is in the system, and bikes are clean with fresh oil and cleaned/ lubed chain. I just wait till a nice above freezing dry day which happens at least once a month usually and ride the things around my driveway practicing turns for a half hour until the radiator fans clicks on and it goes through a full heat cycle. Last year they were all 45-60F degree days. It gets plenty hot, then I park it for another few weeks or a month and repeat till spring. Those are awesome days too..Riding all my bikes in the middle of winter is pretty fun, even if it's just up and down the driveway. Everything on bike gets exercised. Lucky to have a long enough paved driveway to do that though, it'll dry out any snow and ice pretty fast on a sunny day in the winter. No salt on the driveway. All my bikes work great every spring. I feel like that's better than just letting them sit all winter. 🤷♂ It's actually more work though.
looking forward to one of your adventure ride videos. Hopefully you guys have another coming out soon again.
Next month!
Thanks I was just doubting myself happy new year
Good tips all around, and I commend you for your very excellent production quality.
Damn dude, you made a full recovery! You can barely even see where you got hurt! Really glad to see it!
I was saying the same thing. That was tragic.
What happened
Yep, starting and running it for a few minutes only causes condensation. Best to keep on battery tender and I turn it over occasionally without starting to turn the cams. Good to rotate cams to alternate which valve springs are compressed...
Great advise I must admit that I do use a petrol treatment and an optimizer when storing my bike. But I've always run the engine a couple of times during the winter, i will now stop doing that thanks for the tip.
44 years of winter storage experience, starting with a 77 Suzuki GS 750. Everything you said is right on the money. I would mention, last tank of gas should be ethanol free as ethanol attracts moisture. Using ethanol free gas and stabilizer, I've never run my system dry on f/i bikes and had any issues. Always drain carbs. If you live in very cold climates, be careful about leaving the garage door open in the spring. The moisture you see on the floor and elsewhere is condensation and will also happen inside cold gas tanks. If you have to leave it open, throw a old blanket over it.
Really appreciate these videos. Having a consistent source you can trust is fantastic.
Thanks Ari. Another option is of course what I do, I ride in the winter as long as there is no ice/snow. That may not be an option for those close to the Canadian border.
Revzilla has winter riding gear....just saying.
Even in a cold winter, there's the random 45-55 degree days. Take advantage of them, people!
Studded tyres do be a thing, for those of y'all near frozen lakes 😁
@everyday tenor You must be a lower mainlander. The rest of the country is certainly not riding year round. We have to let the machine hibernate.
Not an option here, even when we get a warm winter day, there is so much salt/sand on the roads it's not only dangerous, but not good for the bike.
Same me.
Great info. I have 3 bikes to store this winter in a cold garage. I will be taking tour advice. Thx.
Stellar advice, as always.....thanks Ari!
For us riders in Canada, this is superb advice. Thanks man.
This was very helpful thanks I will admit I was doing that but then I would just hop on and ride around the block a few times lol temptations 🤦🏾♂️🏍️💨🙏🏾
I have been riding for about 3-4 years now. Living in Arizona I rode 95% of the year and never had to worry about this. I thank you for this knowledge. It makes 100% sense. This is true too if I move my bike to work on a project or something. I usually start it up, move it and the. Shut off for another month. Having heard this I will push the bike when I need it to move.
Disconnecting the battery would be a good idea too I would imagine. Help with a y fantom drain.
Ride safe my frie d
Always find your content valuable.
well in my country India, winter is the time that we all eagerly wait for Motorcycle rides. It is dry n temperatures are between 12 to 18 Degrees Celcius in most parts of the country except for the High altitude areas Like THE HIMALAYAS n LADAKH
Best kind of winter. lol
Pretty solid advice most of which is in the manual of most of my bikes. The only thing I would disagree with is draining the tank, the Yamaha manuals for my bikes specifically state to fill the tank with stabilized fuel (non-ethanol if you can find it) and not drain as the empty tank is more likely to collect moisture inside due to condensation from the various temperature changes which can lead to rust starting inside the tank. So I would avoid draining unless you have a bike with a plastic tank. I have been winterizing my bikes for years very much like you described and have not had issues, including the one that I do ride some during the winter and all of those rides are long enough to ensure that the bike is fully warmed up and getting any condensation out.
Do you add stabilizer on top of ethanol free fuel or only use stabilizer if you can only find fuel with ethanol?
Take the tank off drain it remove petcock etc..use WD and bring inside same with carbs for inspection cleaning etc...I'm amazed the number of guys that don't do a winter teardown to check things out...gives you something to do during snowstorms...
@@saywhat951 So you would say that the manufacturers winterizing instructions are incorrect? 3/4 of my fleet are fuel injected so no petcocks/carbs to worry about. Add in the fact I ride Yamahas so there is far less need to do that since they are statistically the most reliable bikes. I also have other things in my life than just motorcycles. Not saying my motorcycles are not of extreme importance in my life, they are. But I also have a family, hunt and coach in the winter months, so my off season time is limited. If your bikes require more of a tear down each year more power to you.
Agreed. Fill that tank.
@@driftlessbiker
Say What is old school. I haven't cleaned carbs since my first FI bike in the middle 80's. And I ride shaft drives, not chains.
Great advice! Makes perfect sense. I will only start mine during the winter months on days that I can actually take it for a spin
Best advice I've heard in a long time ! Well done !
Thanks for that helpful information. Didn't have any issues where I lived in South Africa, but not in NZ and we have cold wet (and windy) Winters.
Great video. This moisture problem also happens in cars, like say for people that have small 5 to 10 minute commutes to work. The engine never gets fully heated up and moisture builds up in there. The oil can turn orange from the moisture and is 1 sign of it happening for a while. It’s recommended for engines to get a good long ride on the freeway. My commute is so short and my car’s v8 rpm’s barely go above 2500rpm during the short streets commute that a good long thrashing or drive on the freeway at least once a week helps keep some moisture out and the engine healthier.
"Officer, I was just clearing out moisture from the engine." 🙂
my dad was a diagnostician and people were always surprised to hear him tell them to drive like a maniac once a week to work.
That's one of the reasons that manuals suggest changing the oil more frequently on vehicles that take frequent short trips.
My bike has been standing for more than two years because of a back injury. I start it once every second week. Keep the tank full and replace it once every second month. Battery is plugged into a battery saver. I also use the brake and clutch levers and compress the suspension as much as I can. Not one single issue so far. It's a lot to do but I love my bike and refuse to sell it.
I hope you recover soon and will be riding it!
that's adds up, just drain the tank. also keeping the springs under tension isn't necessary, they're already tension with the bike just sitting there--not that springs even wear out in this way.
The fact that it still runs doesn't mean that starting it every 2 weeks is good for it. Properly preparing the bike for storage is better for the bike, and is less work.
Your not alone!!
This video is dumb as shit. Warm out up to operating temperature. Shut it off. It's not just about the fuel system, and 99% of bikes don't change enough at idle for it to be about charging the battery, just a tender for that. It's also about seals and stuff in the engine not getting dried up and hard from sitting.
God I just got to the part where he's recommending emptying the tank. Do that if you want rust. Brim it with non ethanol and put a little 2t oil for stuff without a cat. If it's got a cat use fuel stabilizer.
Good advice Ari. Up here during Canadian winters, I store my 2 bikes with non ethanol fuel and run a tricke charger every two weeks or so for a few hours.
I'm not comfortable with leaving a trickle charger on for months at a time. I have heard of switches failing and boiling the battery out. Correct me if I'm wrong, but also heard natural battery cycling with a (slight) voltage drop after sitting a couple of weeks then put on a charger prolongs battery life, as opposed to being held at full charge for months at a time.
I do start my bikes about once a month and let them run to operating temp. They do live in a 72 degree garage in my house.
I agree not starting a bike all winter for those whose machines live in cold storage with a cold start being less benaficial as opposed to seasonal hybernation.
I love The Shop Manual and look forward to the next episodes, Well done as usual Ari.
My first season . NY . I was going to winterize the bike, but then my insurance company wanted me to return my plate first before dropping my cover. I just decided the whole thing was too much stress. So now I just ride whenever it's up to 45 and no rain. Which hasn't been too often. This had been one WET winter so far!
Thanks! I live in the netherlands so winter never gets too crazy here. Most of the time, only december untill early Februari is a no-go period for motorcycles, but ill definitely add a fuel conditioner.
What I did to winter proof my bike was:
- Wash and clean all dirt
- Dry it with a towel
- Let it idle for 30 minutes minimum to get rid of any remaining moisture on the engine, untill i did not see any steam.
- Cover it with a waterproof tarp
- Fill up the gas tank completely. I only need to add some conditioner to it and will probably just stir it arround slightly since i dont want to start it up for no reason mid winter.
I plug in a charger for the battery about every 3 weeks so that should be good.
Interesting vid. I would personally recommend taking the battery off the bike and keep it in doors, at constant room temp; once charged, keep it out of sunlight.
Just sample of what i do every winter. wash your bike, lube everything that need to be lubeed to preserve it from going into corrosion process, cover Electrical wiring conectors with vaseline (griffon). Later on plug the maintaining device that LL automaticly charge battery when needed and put the bike on paddock stand which will prevent tires from deformation after staying few months in one position. At last check insurance and technical stuf that need to be changed before next season. Befor new season clean bike from dust and grease check tire pressure and go for a ride 😄
Btw: greetings from Poland. We have winter here, -10*C and a lot of snow 😃
Fortunately, I live in the south and we have enough days that are warm enough to ride a fair amount. Our cold snaps usually don't last more than a few days at a time. So, thank you. Now I have another reason to take it out for a ride. :)
Oh quiet!! Signed, Jealous neighbor from the north
I never winterize my bikes. I use them. And if i dont need to, then i just pick a nice day once a week or every two and go for a little ride. You don't need much to keep it thru the winter. Just use it a bit. Get a sturdy cover for the snow
You don't live in a harsh winter region, I presume. There is no chance (or desire) of riding a motorcycle any time between November and March around these parts.
@MOTO 809 i guess maybe so. I don't get much snow sometimes it gets cold. Not too bad
@@lawrenceshraybman621 Cold I can deal with. Snow packed roads are a no go. I guess that's why we ride snowmobiles.
@MOTO 809 yeah for sure. Snow on the road is dangerous for a bike. I would never suggest riding in unsafe conditions, even if I might. Cold is manageable. Bikes underperform in the cold and tires don't grip as well but that's a different story. I ride thru the winter and I ride thru snow sometimes if it isn't terrible. But I would discourage others from that stupid deadly decision.
I bought my GSX-R 750 new in 2012. My winterize routine has been flawless, and I still have the original battery in it. Add fuel stabilizer to the tank. Let it idle for a few minutes, take it for a short ride to not only get it up to temp but make sure the stabilizer is in the entire system. Put it in the basement. Once a month hook up the battery tender for a day. That's it. Don't start it until spring. Less is more for winter storage.
Do you also change the oil before storing? Or only after?
@@willem1442 That was a typo, I didn't mean literally let it idle up to 185* coolant temp. Start it up, get your gear on, and go. A couple minutes idling doesn't hurt anything.
Well, good for you, maybe. But using a 10 year old battery is playing roulette. With a battery that old, it's just a matter of time when it will die while either riding it, which your charging system will then be running the bike, something that stators hate to do. Or, leave you stranded with no options but a tow. I would never leave something like a battery to chance.
@@umarkedreturn8776 Spoiler alert... The charging system *always* supplies the power to run a vehicle. Batteries are for the most part for starting only. Why do you think cars have alternators commonly rated 100-150 or more amps? Only when the load exceeds the alternator's (stator/rectifier for a motorcycle) capacity does the battery start discharging, and this is only for short periods of time.
As long as the battery continues to provide a strong start, the battery is fine. Only when it shows signs of being weak should it be replaced. I know, my previous motorcycle had charging system issues so I'm quite familiar with it. And before you say I caused the issues, it was an extremely common issue on that model.
@@ultimate1576 Did you have an 06 - 07 Suzuki GSXR 600/750 ?
Rectifier and stator issues
Thank you so much for sharing this video it really helped me 👊🏽
Great video! This is the same way l store my snowmobile for the summer. Oil change, grease the rear skid, full tank of stabilized ethanol free fuel, put the battery on a maintainer and not start it until it's time to ride.
Thats why i just ride mine at least once a month even if its freezing out gotta scratch that itch.. And always keep it on a tender..
Absolutely agree with all of this, with the possible exception of the fuel stabiliser, which I am unconvinced is effective, my preference is to fill the tank with ethanol free fuel, if I can or drain the tank if I can’t.
Exactly this. If at all possible run a couple of tanks of ethanol free gas through before storage. No need for fuel stabilizer or draining with a full tank of ethanol free. Infinitely better for injectors.
@@donm9090 that's totally backwards. These ethanol myths are old wives tales. It sequesters moisture in an azeotropic suspension rather than letting it pool in an aqueous layer and rusting out tanks, or moistuee condensing or seeping in when bike are left outdoors. What do you think is in fuel "dryers"? Ethanol and methanol. It's not bad for carbs either. Most issues are caused by bad fuel from the pump or the dozens of additives like toluene that affect rubber, or just letting the fuel evaporate.
@@VeritasEtAequitas It's not but I'm not gonna argue with a stranger on the internet. You do you chief, see ya never.
@@VeritasEtAequitas From what I've read, you're partially correct. Dry gas isn't meant to be put into a vehicle going into storage. You're supposed to put it in and immediately drive the vehicle.
Gasoline and alcohol have different specific gravities. Left undisturbed long enough, and they will separate.
The accepted storage times for pure gasoline is 6 months, 3 months for gasohol mixtures.
Pure gas around here is 87 octane and typically $5.29 per gallon. If your motorcycle, boat, or classic vehicle needs premium then it's not going to be happy come spring. You can siphon out a bike tank and use it in the lawnmower but dealing with 20 gallons can be problematic.
Here's something that will make you go "Hmmm..."...alcohol free gas is also known as RBOB blending stock and the daily price can be found on commodities trading sites.
@@VeritasEtAequitas Ethanol tainted fuel goes bad in 60 days.
Ethanol and gas don't mix and will separate like oil and water.
Ethanol is bad fuel, much less energy than pure gas and corrodes metal.
Ethanol is only there because of politics.
Some good advice there, thanks 👍
Thanks for this. It's been a bone of contention among a couple of my riding friends.
Same here.l!
Not to mention that most wear and tear occurs when the engine is busy reaching operating temp... so you're doing max wear the entire time that you letting the bike warm up... and it'll also warm up slower cause its not under load.
But some serous issues there I didn't know about too.
Thank you very much for the professional video, my man. I have a 2005 fatboy, i always change all three holes before storage. But this year, i did the primary and only the oil in the crankcase, i just did the TRANSMISSION, yesturday. And like you said, I did start the bike after the change, the bike had been stored for 2 months already.....and yes, like an ass i started it. You are exactly correct, when i let the bike idle for 15 mins and then turned it off. I then went to check the oil and BINGO!! MILKY WHITE OIL!! My comment....proves your awesome video is correct, my biker friend, ty again!!!!!
If your oil turns milky in 15 mins you are using bad quality oil . if this were the case then nobody should ever start their bikes in the winter.
They all get moisture from condensation if it sits just from the change in temp it's normal starting it doesn't matter starting it burns some of it out if anything it's in these peoples best interest to cause rust in your cylinders so they can make money from rings pistons oil gaskets tools for honing all that
As much as we can ride all year round here in Australia as always it still was interesting watching this video just the same. That’s for sharing. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Great informative video clip..thankyou..!!!
As long as it is safe for the bike, I plan on doing actual rides during winter. I would think just short rides once per week around town is enough.
This is currently not an issue for me in Texas where you can ride all season, but still some really good advice. I'll probably move out sometime and this is gonna def start applying to me. Thanks for an awesome and informative video!
Very helpful. Thank you.
Fresh fuel and stabil plus batteries on a tender keep my carbureted and FI bikes ready to rock for the 6plus months they sometimes sit between uses.
This video was great!
Yeah, I get it , but it really is heart to heart between man and his machine, or woman and her machine.
Find your keys, and we quietly go to the garage and marvel at the bike, look it over, insert the key, turn the key to see the dash light up, a smile comes over you, press the starter button. There’s no other feeling!
I start my bike every 3 or 4 days in the winter and let het idle for about 15 minutes. I've never had any problems at all.
Lucky u😉
Nobody has lol this video is such BS
Thousands of people do with no problem and people talk like you're winning the lottery because you didn have problems
I just ride year round but good to know for when I do eventually stop my winter rides
Good to see you back Ari
Ari for the next shop manual can you explain and maybe experiment what happens if your tires are mounted with the wrong rotation direction, Cause it happened to me once and i didnt notice until 2 months using it
Yes please this should be featured. Saw some posts that resulted in pretty scary results when people rode their bikes with improperly mounted tires.
ari already did this. the sensor will warn you about ABS issues but not much else
Nothing happens, the only effect is reduced wet grip. I, and lots of people that do frequent track days, flip tires to even out wear: Most tracks wear of the right side first, so flipping the tires before they wear out on the right side makes them last longer.
@@tobiascarlen The major concern is delamitation at the tread splice. The thread rubber is wrapped around the carcass and overlaps at the ends. If a tire is mounted backwards the tread splice is angled the wrong way and the rubber may begin to peal up.
@@AriH211 That does not apply to most modern tires. A lot of car tires are marked "this side out"; i.e rotational direction does not matter; it it's mounted on the left it will be one way, if it's mounted on the right the other. Also, track tires are heated with tire warmers and frequently run so hard that they overheat and run until the cord starts showing; despite this, I have NEVER seen the thread breaking up on a tires running "the wrong way". What can happen is that when the rubber is completely gone, wear starts to eat the thread away and it starts to disintegrate and "bumps" form on the surface; the next stage is tire explosion. But thread separation on a tire with rubber left? Never seen that.
Quick tip: On certain Triumphs if you let the engine idle from cold and until the cooling fans turn on and off this will reset the learned values for the engine ecu. Useful for after installing a performance exhaust or air filter
fake news
Good tips I think always best store motorcycle in garage /shed . Yet I understand over hot and cold water
Thanks for sharing, I didn't realize that.
What if you store your motorcycle in your heated living room?
This is how we know you're single.
I’ve had a 94 900rr and I’ve started it every month in the winter for the last 25+ years and it still runs as good as the day I bought it.
It may not be what is suggested, but I’m going to keep doing what I’ve been doing.
It’s not great on the valve springs leaving the same valves collapsed all winter either.
I am in the position to safely, easily start/run mine thru winter.
Same, I'll run mine for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on ambient temperature, once a month until riding season.
Yeah, gotta run her til she's hot.
This eliminated my spring start up issues altogether.
This is so basic, but yet I never thought of it. Thanks guys 💯🇺🇲👌
You're probably correct. Just going to relay my experience:
2008 Gixxer 1000, bought new.
Northern climate.
Every Nov-Apr, once per week, I start her and let her warm up until radiator fan turns on. I rev the throttle hard for a sec, 4 or 5 times once she's over 180deg.
She still runs perfectly to this day. 29k miles.
I won't change this process since its proven good for so long (no fuel additives).
If I were new to bikes, I'd follow your ideas, and I'm sure it would work out fine as well.
Just putting forth some longer-term research-ish info, love your suggestions. Please keep it up.
You could also do absolutely... nothing! No fuel stabiliser, no battery tender, no starting once in a while! I stored my old 1977 RD400 in a cold shed for most of it's life (37 years) every spring, it would start with a few kicks, did the same with my 650 Versys, and with my current Suzuki Vstrom.
I have seen what can happen with long term storage in a cold environment, but long term means many many years without starting or using, a few months won't do any harm!
I bought a 2008 CBR125R that sat for many years, the only thing wrong was the fuel tank had started to rust because of that blasted ethanol they now put in gas! Ethanol is hygroscopic (absorbs water from the air) and the water will separate if left for a long time making steel gas tanks rust from the inside. For long term storage, drain the tank, take out the battery and make sure fuel is out of the carbs or injector bodies.
I have a dehumidifier in my garage which keeps away the rust inside and out.
The 2 strokes, I find don't gum up as bad and lube really well...
@@nbandpinportugal This wouldn't do anything for any of your internals of your engine/gas tank, as they're sealed off from the outside air.
@@QuincyStick Gas tanks have to breath, that's why they rust and carburettors allow air into the engine, that's their job.
@@nbandpinportugal it appears you're correct on the tank part, however between the throttle body being, the valves most likely being closed, and then the bottom end/cams being petty sealed off, I doubt it makes much of a difference in terms of engine internals. Still not a bad idea however, especially if you live somewhere prone to rusting
This is an excellent video. Most people are not aware of what you have presented here and you 100% nailed it. Thanks for posting.
Makes absolute sense to me, when I park my bike and car for the winter I drive and ride for about fifty miles each, fill the tanks with fresh fuel and add stabilizer to both. Hook up the battery tenders and cover both for the next four to five months, I do go out maybe once a month and depress the clutch on both, that’s about it and never had a problem in ten years of getting them going on a beautiful spring day for a ride or drive.
I've always started mine but I do leave it running for about 20 to 30 min to ensure it gets hot enough to get rid of the water in the system. I guess that's why it's always worked for me. When it's real cold like -20 I will let it run for a half hour or 40 min then top the tank off again with treated fuel. I'm also always on a tender when parked. I tore down an engine one time before starting the bike in the spring and the cylinders were coated with light rust after sitting all winter. The valves had some rust on them also. I live in the North East US and we can go from 20 at night to 60 and humid during the day, I've always thought that builds condensation in the exhaust and possibly the engine. That's my reason but I was taught by an old biker many years ago to let the bike get hot to the touch on the trans cover before shutting it off. Good video because I honestly didn't know why I was suppose to do that, now I do.
My advice has always been the same for winterizing bikes: don't do it unless you know the roads won't be dry for a month. It's easier and better for the bike to just take it on a monthly ride when the roads are dry. Sucking up being cold for fifteen minutes is worth it.
That's true. Winterizing is also for those who partially register their motorcycles for the summer season in countries that allow it (6 month registration). In that case, you're not allowed to ride it on public roads between registrations so it's best to "put it to bed" and leave it alone.
Unless you ride it long enough for the oil to get hot enough to vaporize the water vapor and acidic products of combustion you're not doing your engine internals any favors.
Doesn’t works in Canada. Roads are never dry in the winter. And putting winter tire on a bike is not going to work on ice…
Interesting. My takeaway is that I need snow tires for my motorcycle.
Anakee radials are M+S rated. I have not tried them on any real snow yet though. I have the bike on a battery tender but ride several times a month as long as there is no snow or ice on the roads.
Very well put together.
Been riding for a long time and have a set of actions every six weeks or so and it has never failed me . After a quick check of the tires on my 4 bikes
and check the batteries ,I usually take the weakest off the bike and put it on the bench for a trickle charge . I have a Kwak 1000 chips bike and the
battery on that is indestructible ,the only problem is the clutch tends to stick ,now & then ,I put tape around the lever to fix it to the bars after a day or two it does the trick . Overheating is no problem if idling for to long ,simply place a small fan pointed at the cylinders . A pump fed engine is usually O.K. but carbs like some fuel spurted thru ,even with stabilizer they tend to miss and spit for a minute or two after a long winter spell ,so I warm the motor through and give it a few revs . But owning the bike some time seems to help as you get to know its quirks like a faithful old pet ... happy riding .