Topic: Winter Prep, Again!

[Keith]

I store my bike in a zip-up bag which contains a treated foam rust inhibitor and desiccant bags. I spray WD40 in the exhausts, remove the battery, fill tank with alcohol free high test. I usually drain the carbs. 

[Prospect]

How do you get the bike into the bag? Is it big enough to ride into if someone holds it open?

I store my bike in a zip-up bag which contains a treated foam rust inhibitor and desiccant bags. I spray WD40 in the exhausts, remove the battery, fill tank with alcohol free high test. I usually drain the carbs.

[Bodi]

" bowls emptied and left off a few hours to allow innards to dry off"
Well, that was posted just after I did the CB77 which has clip on bowls. It is easier to take them off to pour off gas than to use the drain screws. And any crud can be scraped ouf of the bottom.
I don't take off and dry the four's screwed on bowls with like an inch open space below the screw heads. I have put socket head cap screws there so it is possible with an Allen key but still a frigging pain and only tried when unavoidable... it's slightly easier than pulling the whole rack out.
I drain these using the drain screws.

[BenelliSEI]

" bowls emptied and left off a few hours to allow innards to dry off"
Well, that was posted just after I did the CB77 which has clip on bowls. It is easier to take them off to pour off gas than to use the drain screws. And any crud can be scraped ouf of the bottom.
I don't take off and dry the four's screwed on bowls with like an inch open space below the screw heads. I have put socket head cap screws there so it is possible with an Allen key but still a frigging pain and only tried when unavoidable... it's slightly easier than pulling the whole rack out.
I drain these using the drain screws.

Yup. The K7/8 bowls very rarely come off. They are a pain.

[Keith]

The bag is designed for motorcycle storage. Drive bike onto open bag, then zip the bag shut.

[BenelliSEI]

The bag is designed for motorcycle storage. Drive bike onto open bag, then zip the bag shut.

Wow..... that sounds like an awesome solution. What do those cost?

[Mark K]

https://www.calcarcover.com/product/antirust-motorcycle-storage-bag/889

[PeWe]

Must be very good in storage with high humidity or temp changes. Protect against dust too.
Mice and rat "food" on outside.

[andy750]

Some great info here and the broom handle idea is a good one. I have 2 CB750s - 72 (HM300 pipes) and a 74 (HM341 pipes) stored in an unheated garage.
What I have done done for the last 20 years in Boston is this:
1. Fill gas tank to top
2. Add some Stabil or similar
3. Run bike until all gas used up in float bowls
4. Clean bike and polish all the chrome with Autosol
5. Attach battery tender
6. Cover for winter

I used to change oil before winter and now change it in Spring if I dont have time.
Never had an issue in Spring. Both pipes are still solid no rust.

 

[BenelliSEI]

I pull out my batteries. Lately all my bikes are using inexpensive, totally sealed batteries I buy from Kapsco Moto. They are local, and ship in a few days, via Canada Post. The battery they recommend for my cb750’s is the correct dimensions and terminals are in the right corners. Brand is KGM, part #: YTX14AHL-BS.  I’m amazed how these batteries hold their charge over the winter, and usually only need one top up mid season. A couple are now 4 years old and performing well. Cdn$71.00 each.

[MauiK3]

I keep Battery Tenders on mine. Seems to work fine.

[andy750]

I keep Battery Tenders on mine. Seems to work fine.

+1. Ive been using MotoBatt batteries for years now and enjoy the extra two terminals to run phone chargers, heated gear etc from.

https://www.motobatt.us/

[BenelliSEI]

It snowed here yesterday. The salt and sand trucks are out, so the bikes get put away. Here’s what I did to the K1. I feel today’s crappy fuels, left in anything for more than 4-5 months, create problems. This routine only takes me 45-60 minutes and guarantees fast starts in April-May.

1. Pulled both fuel lines from the petcock and replaced them with an 8” loop of clear hose. If the valve “drools”, no mess. Repair later.
2. Popped off the 4 float bowls, cleaned and dried them out.
3. Dropped the floats, main and idle jets. Blew out the jets and let all the parts dry before reassembly. One emulsion tube had some crap in it. Soaked and cleared.
4. Filled the tank with zero ethanol fuel. I always drain it in the Spring and “share” it out across our cars and garden equipment. Fresh fuel goes in when I “first start” the bikes.
5. Pull the battery. It sits on a shop shelf, charged up every 6-8 weeks.
6. My shop never freezes, so up on the centre stand, indoor cover.....

Anybody do anything else they feel is a “requirement”?

So cold and rainy and miserable here today, I’m afraid we’ll be doing this again soon! Just reread these posts and appreciate how much good experience pops up here on just about any topic! I’ll be adding a few extra steps to my usual procedure this year.The “zero ethanol” stickers have disappeared from the “Super” pumps around here so that one no longer applies. We only rode two of the cb750s this year so a bit less to do.

No idea what to do with the fuel injected Varadero, so it will get a full tank of fresh gas with Stabil, then parked by the shop door. I’ll just open up and run it a few times!

[jlh3rd]

for those without heated storage. FYI.
Zerust makes two motorcycle enclosures. One is lined. both have the claimed zerust protection, it does wear off over the years. I purchased the lined one this past summer.
My bike gets non ethanol fuel, MMO. The bike is run with fuel off, and this year I removed the airfilter and fogged the motor instead of pulling plugs.
wd-40 is sprayed into the muffler (550F) until it runs out the drain hole, and on the spokes.
Inside the bag there is a small heater, battery tender, a roasting pan full of cat litter...someone on here said it keeps mice away(?) It is a dessicant. I added a dessicant bag anyway.
After zipping up, I have an old lined car cover that is doubled up and goes over everything.

[BenelliSEI]

Got the cb750K1 done and put away today. Did all of the above. Went through my shop notes and much to my surprise it’s 5 years since I rebuilt the front master, caliper and installed new lines! I would have guessed two or three! “fresh brake fluid, clean and deglaze the pads” went on the winter white board to do list.

Pushed the K3 up near the doors. It needs one more, good long run. Front brake seems a bit draggy. Tomorrow is supposed to be warm(er) and sunshine. After that the windscreen and lower bodywork on the Varadero will help extend the riding season. The guys I ride with want to spend a weekend out on Manitoulin Island. We’ll see if the weather gives us a few more good ride days.

[jlh3rd]

The bag is designed for motorcycle storage. Drive bike onto open bag, then zip the bag shut.

Wow..... that sounds like an awesome solution. What do those cost?

[BenelliSEI]

$100-150. Very neat solution. My shop is heated and dry so I just use an indoor cover.

[Kelly E]

$100-150. Very neat solution. My shop is heated and dry so I just use an indoor cover.

Same here, and my busted ass ol' bones and joints thank me every time the furnace kicks on.

[BenelliSEI]

$100-150. Very neat solution. My shop is heated and dry so I just use an indoor cover.

Same here, and my busted ass ol' bones and joints thank me every time the furnace kicks on.

+1 to that!

[RAFster122s]

Plug exhaust pipes so if a rodent is in your storage they won't try to build a home or store anything inside your exhaust pipes...

[Don R]

 I'm thinking I might get the Hot Rod's radial tires unloaded somehow, that bike has the center stand removed but half of the brackets are still there. I scrapped a cut down center stand, that in retrospect might have been intended for that purpose.
 I'll drain the carbs and fill the tanks with the Av gas mix, two bikes go into the race car trailer which gets stored inside of a rental space. The other bikes get on the center stands and covers in the heated shop. I used to keep it at 40*F but that made my unit heater condense and ruined the heat exchanger. Now it stays at least 55* or so.

[Kaze]

DonR: An idea? https://www.vevor.com/motorcycle-wheel-lift-stand-c_10303/vevor-motorcycle-stand-lift-850lbs-front-rear-combo-stand-lift-stand-front-and-rear-wheel-fork-stand-u-l-fork-swingarm-spool-compatible-with-most-yamaha-honda-kawasaki-suzuki-motorcycles-black-p_010175261276

Meanwhile, I think I found a photo of a couple of you guys up north...

[BenelliSEI]

Mine will be stored long before that.

Several years ago, my son and his Family rented a cottage in Northern Ontario for a long weekend in May. Friday morning was lovely and I talked my wife into riding up there (about 100 miles north of our farm) on our two Kawasaki KLR650s. The weekend was great, but it kept getting cooler and cooler…… Monday morning we woke up to 2” of snow everywhere and temperatures hovering around freezing. Midday the sun came out and we headed off. Fortunately the roads were clear. Started snowing again, just as we got home. We looked like those pics and she was pretty “frosty” for a few days!

Since then we put them away at the end of Nov. and they don’t come out til June. Her last ride is even earlier, usually end of September, and I have to buy lunch.

[willbird]

Sounds like a good plan. Maybe plug the end of the exhaust pipes if you have any mice around and set up a trap line. Your shop John does not look like it has any rodents hanging out.

My dad bought my K2 new. The first few years he stored it in a metal shed where we also stored dog food. One day he fired it up and all 4 pipes were stuffed full of dog kibble :-). The Windjammer was packed full too. We put out poison and found the culprit when it expired, it was a short tailed shrew :-).
http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/2009/03/poisonous-mammal.html

[Kaze]

Benelli: That's a cool story. Cooler that you and your wife ride together.
BTW, that black CB is the coolest. Black and gold... gotta love that.