| Author | Message | ||
     Wolk625 |
Unfortunately for me it is time to put the Buell away for the winter season... This is the first time i have had to prep a bike for winter storage so i am trying to collect an idea of all the necessary steps needed to correctly store a motorcycle for winter. Any advice welcome. | ||
| Thejosh |
Take it apart! Or just fill the tank and put some sta-bil in it. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I stopped winterizing bikes a few years ago - I don't think it does much and it keeps you from taking it out on a nice winter day. If you must, the idea is to stop corrosion and condensation. Stabil in the tank and change the oil and primary and tuck it in. Maybe stuff something in the tail pipe to keep rodents from living in there. | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
here is what I do with my two buells and kaw -put the bike in its normal spot in garage -if I dont ride it for about a month, fire it up, warm it up fully -continue on with my life I think XL has it right Not knowing where you live, at least here in NC its possible to ride just about anytime of the year. The temp changes are/can be quite wild. it was down around freezing last week, and yesterday it was 70... | ||
| Xl1200r |
I live in upstate NY. I'm not going to try and argue that we have the harshest winters, but a few feet of snow in a sitting and high temps that don't break 0 for a couple days are not unusual. That said, if I get a day where it's above 30 and sunny, I go ride. Cautiously, but I do it. Where you are in NE, your average temps look similar, if not a tad warmer, than where I live. Granted, you may not like to ride when it's below 40... or 50... hell, maybe even 60, and that's okay. In which case, do like said above. | ||
| Thejosh |
Also, if you want, put a little bit of oil in you spark plug holes. I live in New Mexico where we have some pretty moderate winters with the worst of it staying in the 20's for a couple weeks. I agree with the method of letting it warm up every so often. | ||
| Kdstang |
- Stabil or Seafoam in tank, beings its an X1, no need to drain float bowl, but on a carbed bike, be sure to drain. - Disconnect negative battery cable, or better yet, remove battery and store, trickle charge occasionally - If you can't raise bike off ground, air up tires to max pressure and move bike every few weeks or so to prevent flat spotting - Firing up the bike is a no-no if you can't fully warm it up and ride it.\ - Oil change is a good idea - A squirt of oil in cylinders is OK, but I've never had a problem after just a couple months rest. Good luck I'm nearby in North IA, where the jet stream dips down just far enough to give us all the arctic air in the winter. | ||
| Wolk625 |
Yeah the weather can be pretty random here too like one day 65 then suddenly plummet below freezing for the next three days then warm back up for a couple days.. It's lookin like this Thanksgiving will be pretty warm and that'll be a good last ride. After that i think i'm going to open it up and keep working on it so i'll probably throw in the sta-bil put it on jack stands and take out the battery. Thanks | ||
| Mbsween |
I'm with Xl1200R, I live a bit further north (Rochester NY) but I pretty much ride year round. If you aren't going to touch it, then do put the stabil in it and change the oil. If its stored in a shed or outdoors, plug the exhaust and tape up the wires. I've seen a bike were the rodents messed up the wiring pretty good. We seem to get a warm (okay this is relative) day every month, ya know above 35 F  I usually ride one of the bikes whenever that happens. Gonna need 5 days this year minimum!  | ||
| Buellistic |
WINTERIZE Class 101, just PM me for a copy ... | ||
| Ltbuell |
..Mbsween, nice corral of bikes and neighborhood!!!LT | ||
| S1owner |
I am jealous of all of you once it dips to 10 degrees here that's pretty much the high rarely goes above freezing until the end of march plus they use salt on the roads! Minnesota! Will be moving to Arizona or Idaho in three yrs! | ||
| Mbsween |
Lt, Thanks S1, be careful what you wish for I work in Arizona from time to time in Chandler. It was 100 during the day in October in 2010! I used to live in southern Texas (Killeen) , it was nice from a riding point of view, but I had a tough time with the constant heat. I suppose if your riding in vented gear it's all a wash! Good luck on the future move. | ||
| S1owner |
I have lived here my whole life but been many places loved Texas but work has branches in the other areas. If you have spent any time up here and flow MN Buellers will confirm this 20 below winters and 90-100 degree summers but with 90% humidity we set records last yr are humidity was higher then the Amazons! Not to mention I worked in this crap yr round on commercial roofs which push the temps up 15-20 degrees! Just do not like the snow and cold anymore. I am sure other places are bad also! Plus 1 on the seafoam up here we put it in the tank then start and run it while running dump it into the carb till it kills then put a little in the cylinders and done! |
