Topic: "Winterizing" for a bike that will be used through winter

[Operator]

If you have a parking spot at your building this might work.

Buy an old piece of crap van that has bald tires and is rusted all to hell for a couple hundred bucks, pulled all the seats except the drivers, put it in a parking spot near or at your building and put the bike in there for the winter. If the engine still runs you even have a heated garage. If it is a full size van you might even have room to do some work on the bike inside.

Just a thought......I remember what life was like before a garage.

Good Luck

Operator/Jason

[Nortstudio]

Thanks operator. Problem right now is definitely financial - so buying yet another vehicle is out. On top of that, alternate side of the street parking would make that a bear.

I'm sticking with the tarp & cover right now, and we will see how it pans out. If I need to move it indoors, most likely will give it up for the winter and take it to family garage 30 miles from my home. 

[Gordon]

A tarp is not a good idea.  A motorcycle cover is meant to breathe so moisture doesn't get trapped underneath and on your motorcycle.  Condensation will form under anything you use to cover it.  A tarp will hold that condensation in, but a dedicated motorcycle cover won't. 

[Nortstudio]

I actually have an extra cover, which I thought I would use on nasty days. One of the posters here mentioned the tarp - and I figured that might be a good idea for snow days.

I definitely want to let the bike breath after wet days, which is why I sprung for the proper cover (and then since the wrong, larger size was sent, I got the correct second one). But I also want to avoid harsh, direct moisture getting right through it on really bad days.

I plan on being proactive with my choice of which to use, and when. I have far more time and energy at this point than money for an indoor space

[Stev-o]

I vote for the family garage........30 miles, that's only 15 min, right?!!?

[Nortstudio]

In this neck of the woods 30 miles = 2 hours

It may come to that - but I figure I'm not the first person to have a bike out here in the NYC elements. And while I would live to pamper it, I would also love to have access to it. Any nice days (above 40) I can fidle around with it. Also, looks like I will have access to a space in the basement of the apartment building to mess around with some parts.

If I can get to cleaning/stripping the tank, more carb rebuilds, and a few otter things here in the city - I'd like to have it nearby.

[Gordon]

I actually have an extra cover, which I thought I would use on nasty days. One of the posters here mentioned the tarp - and I figured that might be a good idea for snow days.

I definitely want to let the bike breath after wet days, which is why I sprung for the proper cover (and then since the wrong, larger size was sent, I got the correct second one). But I also want to avoid harsh, direct moisture getting right through it on really bad days.

I plan on being proactive with my choice of which to use, and when. I have far more time and energy at this point than money for an indoor space

It's not just "wet days" you need to worry about.  Condensation will form under any cover even when it isn't raining or snowing.  All it takes is the daily cycle of temperature changes.  A halfway decent motorcycle cover is perfectly adequate to protect your bike in pretty much all weather.  I kept my 360T outside in Denver for almost two years while it wasn't in running condition with nothing but a cheap motorcycle cover on it, through all the snow and rain.  It didn't suffer one bit.      

[Nortstudio]

Perfect. NYC has NOTHING on Denver for the winter

The cover I have let's a heck of a lot more moisture in than the one I have for my Vespa. That's why I was thinking 2 for certain days. Just to keep more of the rain off, and then let the single one breath to release whatever got in.

Maybe that's overthinking it. One may be sufficient.

[kyre]

the van idea is certainly not for the city. you can't just park a vehicle here and leave it.

I also disagree about not using a tarp. I used a mc cover only for a year before i had a garage and the bike gets wet still, and if it's been raining for days then it stays wet and doesn't dry fast, may as well not use a cover... I also got a good bit of rust. The next year I put a tarp, then the cover. The bike stayed dry dry dry the whole winter and no new rust. Plus you gotta move it 4 times a week for alternate side parking anyways so it'll come off to eliminate any condensation anyways.

thanks for the offer for the carb sync, might take you up on that as I might pull the carbs and clean them this winter, although the bike runs great. Maybe I shouldn't fix what isnt broken.

[Nortstudio]

Well, the offer stands. I'm glad I'm learning all this stuff - but if I had a bike that ran great, knowing the snags I've hit, id probably leave it

It's actually not that bad once you have the right tools.

[Stev-o]

For us "non-city slickers", what's the alternate side parking all about? [street cleaning?]

[Nortstudio]

Yep. Street cleaning, and ticketing.  It's probably the cities biggest money maker.  Total pain in the ass!!!

[Stev-o]

In the small town I live in, no one parks on the street and I have never seen street cleaning! [and not needed]