Tucker8541
XS400 Enthusiast
As a newbee, what is the best way to winterize your bike during the winter? This is for Chicago weather, not San Diago winter. Bike will be in the garage...
Thanks Guys...
Thanks Guys...
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Winter is coming! Best way to Winterize your bike?
- Thread starter Tucker8541
- Start date
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- Tags
- maintenance
pump up tyres
empty gas from tank and carbs or use an inhibitor
renew the oil
spray with ACF50/vasaline/wd40/stp whatnots
keep tyres off floor if you can
there is a rust inhibitor you can buy which goes in the engine evapo-rust or something
empty gas from tank and carbs or use an inhibitor
renew the oil
spray with ACF50/vasaline/wd40/stp whatnots
keep tyres off floor if you can
there is a rust inhibitor you can buy which goes in the engine evapo-rust or something
leedutcher
xsive to the bone!!!
store bike inside if u can...lol... just kidding
here is a nice litle bit of info
http://www.maxim-x.com/winterization.html
here is a nice litle bit of info
http://www.maxim-x.com/winterization.html
dburrows6735
XS400 Enthusiast
Great link! THANKS!
happy61
XS400 Addict
They don't hold as much Prestone as you'd think. Seriously, I rode mine to work 17 miles each way one whole winter as long as there was no snow on the ground. Got caught a few times when there was. Not fun to try to ride in the tracks of the car ahead. As Drewpy said, make sure you have some Seafoam or the equivalent in the gas as this ethanol laced gas is crap. I've never wanted to go to the trouble of trying to drain everything. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to start it once in a while.
ThePsuedoMonkey
XS400 Addict
Antifreeze? I thought these were air cooled...
I'm worried about draining my carbs for the winter, as I've heard that this may cause the gaskets to dry up. I've also heard that this allows for oxidation to set in, though I thought the carbs were mostly aluminum. Maybe I'll buy the aerosol Seafoam can and spray that around when I drain the bowls...
I'm worried about draining my carbs for the winter, as I've heard that this may cause the gaskets to dry up. I've also heard that this allows for oxidation to set in, though I thought the carbs were mostly aluminum. Maybe I'll buy the aerosol Seafoam can and spray that around when I drain the bowls...
happy61
XS400 Addict
Just my weird sense of humor again. I think you're right though, I read on another site that you should keep the gas tank as full as possible to keep exposed areas of the tank to a minimum. Parts that are supposed to be in gasoline should be kept in gasoline as long as it's stabilized to minimize drying out seals, etc. My bike sat in my garage for 20+ years with a half tank of gas, no sta-bil and had no issues with rust in the tank, gum in the carbs, etc. I must have really dodged a bullet and can only guess it may have had to do with the gas being pre-ethanol and just dumb luck.
Tucker8541
XS400 Enthusiast
Well I have an insulated garage that I am in during the winter, temperture never really gets below 30degree's. So I am feeling a full tank with a stabilizer, start it once a week with a trickle charger? Sound good???
starting it once a week isn't going to do it any good. beleive it or not there is a fair amount of water in fuel and condensed in the engine. The engine needs to really hot and run for a while to evaporate it all!
Tucker8541
XS400 Enthusiast
How many times a week do I need too?
63-Coupe
XS400 Addict
I store mine in an unheated garage in Southern Ontario which is a similar climate to Chicago. I add gas stabilizer, run the bike long enough to get stabilized gas into the carbs., change the oil, pull the battery and sit it on the bench in the garage, make sure the gas tank is full to avoid condensation, put on a lightweight dust cover and walk away.
Do basically the same with my Corvette when it goes into the barn for 5 months. About once over the course of the winter I will put the battery on a charger to top it up. A good battery that is charged when you start out should hold its charge over the winter. If it doesn't then it's time for a new one anyway.
Avoid starrting it over the winter and running it for a short period. If you can't get it out for at least a 30 minute ride then leave it alone.
Have been doing this with cars and bikes for 30+ years and have never had a problem come spring.
Do basically the same with my Corvette when it goes into the barn for 5 months. About once over the course of the winter I will put the battery on a charger to top it up. A good battery that is charged when you start out should hold its charge over the winter. If it doesn't then it's time for a new one anyway.
Avoid starrting it over the winter and running it for a short period. If you can't get it out for at least a 30 minute ride then leave it alone.
Have been doing this with cars and bikes for 30+ years and have never had a problem come spring.
Tucker8541
XS400 Enthusiast
Cool, do you leave a trickle charger on the battery all winter? Or only during the night before when your about to start the bike?
63-Coupe
XS400 Addict
I just sit my bike battery on the bench in the unheated garage and leave it alone other than maybe topping it up once in February, more for my peace of mind than anything. I do top it up once more the day of the first spring startup but if the battery is good it comes right back up in under an hour.
The battery in the Corvette stays in the car as it is a %#&% to get out. The negative cable is disconnected but other than that it is untouched for the entire winter.
The battery in the Corvette stays in the car as it is a %#&% to get out. The negative cable is disconnected but other than that it is untouched for the entire winter.
