Topic: Winterizing parts bikes for outdoor storage?

[Jheart]

I live up in Maine, and It's starting to get hella cold, snow just fell yesterday. I have a few parts bikes that I don't think are going to spend the winter inside, (cluttered garage...).
I have:
(2)72' 350/4 parts bikes
(1)67' Bridgestone 50cc junkpile (i just can't bear to toss her)

What steps can I take to minimize damage to these bikes, knowing that they are going to spend a long cold maine winter outdoors? I read back in the for some tips, but people are generally storing their projects/ restores, not junkers. Thanks!

[Alan F.]

Hose everything with WD-40 (the wd stands for water displacement) it'll keep things dry and lightly oiled.  Tarps tend to trap moisture and condensation, so if you can shelter them with anything else, I'd go for other options first.  When I was a kid, my uncle used to lean two sheets of plywood against the sides of a parts-bike at a 45 degree angle or so...(sink some stakes if you worry about the plywood sliding and falling) and cap the top with a length of aluminum flashing held by a sheetrock screw every foot or so.  he placed it under some pine trees at an angle so that snow would drift against the plywood, but not inside so much.  There were always some critters hanging around...so he'd always be sure to keep a bucket of moth balls in there with the bike to keep them away.  Good weather resistant shelter with plenty of ventilation.  Be sure to cap off your pipes with plenty of oily rags and maybe a scrap of wood to keep critters out, and stuff any open engine ports with oily rags to your satisfaction.  Put some old spark plugs in place to keep things sealed up, some oil in the cylinders is always a good idea but you can always fill an engine to the top with oil if you're paranoid about keeping things from getting stuck.  remove all rare or nice parts and store them indoors if you can. 

[coyotecowboy]

Are the engines pickled?  Might be a good idea if you have alot of the wet and cold stuff.  Other than that I don't know what to tell ya.  If you have nice looking parts that you dont want corrosion on you might try coating them in gun grease.  We used to do that on plow shears when I was a kid.  Stick her in the ground the next summer and just pull it 10 feet and they looked like you had been running for weeks, shiney shiney!!  

[heffay]

fogging oil... directions on the can.   

[TomC]

Hi Jheart
     I like Alan F.'s shelter. I would add. Get them off the ground so that air can go under them.
          TomC in Ohio

[Alan F.]

I would add. Get them off the ground so that air can go under them.

Oh, well yeah, the bike should be on blocks, centerstand or at least a sidestand.

[MRieck]

 Rods etc will rust out....small ends will go to crap. It's impossible to get every nook and cranny. I've found it better to to the engines apart etc

[fuzzybutt]

coat the entire thing in cosmoline

[Bodain]

I suggest spray oil on everything. Then toss dirt on it. <GRIN>

I work alot of old rusted bikes that have been sitting out in the weather. I love when working a really sweet vintage bike and it's caked with nasty grung. Under that oily nasty grung. The chrome is day 1 perfect!

[Jheart]

Thank you all so much, the reason I love this place, is that everyone here has made a mistake, and they can pass along the advice to keep me from making the same one. I took all of your advice and took a day to disassemble the 350/four and put it in little labeled parts on my indoor shelf. They don't make half this stuff anymore, and I'm sure to need it someday. WD-40'd everything, and my dad's going to get some fogging oil tonight. Thank you all again.

P.S. the Bridgestone looks like it's been through hell twice, but I still wrapped it in a cloth waterproofed tarp, up on it's centerstand and frame, under a plywood frame meant for protecting bushes.

[Alan F.]

Sounds good J. will we...   http://nehondaguys.info/forums/index.php    ...be seeing you around in the spring?  With a little luck I'll be on the gray K3.....

[Jheart]

You will now Alan!

[Dave-and-his-550]

It's a pretty nice day out and I have been moving stuff around in my shed making room for my 550 that has been sittin outside this season.

I wanted to start my bike up and run it for a short while but I didn't take any precautionary measures for storing it other then covering it up completely. It's gotten a little wet but that's about it...This might be a dumb question, but I'm wondering, should I do anything to it before I try and start it?