Topic: Winter Storage and Prep......

[BenelliSEI]

My son and I did a super Trail Ride yesterday, on two lovely Honda CRF250’s. 6-8 degrees Celsius and today was even cooler. I have four cb70K’s we ride together and in the next few weeks, slowly packing them away for the Winter. Realistically, they won’t be back out for 5-6 months...... Aarrgh!

I do leave my ‘09 Kawasaki KLR650 closest to the shop door, for those rare, sunny days. In the dead of winter, I just open the door and run it once in a while. The other Hondas get the same winter prep.. I started today, with the ‘75 750F. Drained the gas completely and refilled with fresh “super” and Seafoam. I leave the gas line off, and attach a long length of clear line to the petcock. The other end is plugged, but it allows me to see if the petcock is holding. Bowl and screen get cleaned out. Next, I drain and remove all the float bowls, floats, fuel valves, pilot and main jets. Everything gets cleaned and blown dry. The jets go in carb clean for and hour first. Blow out the fuel lines and put it all back together. Battery goes in a rack, charged a few times over winter.

My shop never freezes (I keep it around 12-15 degrees Celsius and wear quilted overalls), but I wrap the tank with a heavy towel as insulation. Bike gets a good cleaning, then a lightweight dust cover. In theory, it should be ready to go next Spring. One down, three to go (plus the Benelli SEI).
Anything else?

[jgger]

Do You store them on the center stand with something under the front? Both tires off the ground so the tires won't develop a flat spot?

[BenelliSEI]

I do use the entire stand, but too lazy for what you suggest (in total there are 9). I do go down the line, every 3-4 weeks, and rotate the front tire 1/4 turn....... when I remember! Wearing sticky work gloves, it’s pretty easy to haul up on the front of the tire.

[ekpent]

 Your shop sound nice but for those where mice can get in set traps and plug the exhaust pipes.  How many new projects that have been stored away too long have you guys ever done where all kinds of neat stuff comes shooting out the exhaust pipe/pipes on the first fire up. I have had nuts,seeds,insulation and god knows what else. Mouse piss should be bottled and used as an etching product !

[BenelliSEI]

TRUE! years ago, almost all the foam disappeared from the seat of my cb750K8. Parked at the other end of the barn was my 1980 Ford F-350 4 X 4 plow truck. Fired it up one day in February and it started to STINK. Found all the foam, packed in under the air cleaner, all around the carb base! Guess the heat stayed in there and the little buggers built a nest....... still smells, when hot, years later.

[1976cb750f836]

You do a great job of winter prep! I'm too lazy, also have a milder winter. My shop never sees below 45F, mine are stored only 3-4 months. I add sea foam, run it in, and that's it. Try to start them once a month . 

[madmtnmotors]

Here in central Florida I do a tune up, charge the battery, check the air in the tires...

and start riding! 

[BenelliSEI]

I do get to down hill ski at a nice Club, just up the road....... can’t think of any other positives.

[ekpent]

I do get to down hill ski at a nice Club, just up the road....... can’t think of any other positives.

Time for a hot rod snowmobile. Some pretty bad-ass machines out there if you like the cold and snow.

[Keith]

Peppermint oil keeps the mice away!!

[Deltarider]

I suppose we're all familiar with that desire in the period we can't ride, to press the button and hear our toy run for a few minutes. Starting the engine and having it idle for a couple of minutes is not a good idea IMO.
 1. Realise that every cold start causes more wear than hundreds of kilometers.
 2. Engine and oil will not warm up enough, so there there's the risk of condensation build up. Also not good for the exhausts. What I do every 6-8 weeks, is drain the floatbowls, kick the engine a few times (throttle and chokeflaps closed) and then let the floatbowls refill. I move the bike a few meters to have the tires in another position. I once had rubbers inside the rear shocks dried out, so I pump the rear up and down a few times. I check the battery voltage. When under 12,5 V, it will be at a 1 A charger for 24 hours. That's it. Oh and I have the tank filled up. So far I have not needed special additives, which BTW are almost merely alcools anyway.