I don't store my bike for the winter as it rarely gets below 20 degrees here, but if I did I would change the oil before storage. Used oil contains acid due to blow-by & moisture that can get trapped in the crankcase. Oil actually never "wears out" it just gets contaminated. You don't want that acid to sit in the crankcase all winter & corrode the aluminum. I would change it with cheap SuperTech oil from Wal-Mart. I probably wouldn't change the filter, but just drain it & reinstall it. Before you ride in the spring, change it again with the good stuff that you normally use along with a new filter. You may not want to start it during the winter & get more blow-by, but just turn the kill switch "off" & crank it over for 5-10 seconds to circulate the oil maybe once a week.

Wow, lots of good ideas.

Stabilizer in the fuel, some will turn off the fuel petcock and run out most of the gas, not all, but most, leave a little in the bowl. Full tank of gas!

Put her up on a jack for sure and I like to clean it and give her a fresh coat of Pledge all over

I put a loose tarp over it because I don't want dust and crap to cover it.

I store mine in a storage unit, so I take the battery out and bring it home. DO NOT SET A BATTERY ON THE CONCRETE, it WILL DIE! Set it on a wood bench in your basement or on a garage shelf.

I'm in and out of my storage unit all winter so I keep an eye on her a lot. I also ride her when I can if the weather permits, I probably put 500 miles on her last February, took a while to clean all the salt off after, but I got her clean. I'll keep riding this winter until they salt the roads. I'm hoping to go to the dark side and then just keep on riding all winter!

Any kind of storage.
One thing that I learned the year before last was to NOT start it up at all unless you gonna ride it. It was stored at Poprivets and we used to have "noise parties" on a regular basis. When spring eventually showed up she appeared to have the dreaded SVS. All it was - the sparks had fouled. We reaserched it and was told that our beuties are made to be rode and when we cranked them up in the garage they didn't get hot enuff and collected carbon....especially the rear cylinder.

I hope Poprivet will take her hostage again,,,my baby can't be in the cold.

Oh ya ....it gets VERY cold here in Ontario. CAnada - not too far from Ottawa

bushrjackson wrote:
Any kind of storage.
One thing that I learned the year before last was to NOT start it up at all unless you gonna ride it. It was stored at Poprivets and we used to have "noise parties" on a regular basis. When spring eventually showed up she appeared to have the dreaded SVS. All it was - the sparks had fouled. We reaserched it and was told that our beuties are made to be rode and when we cranked them up in the garage they didn't get hot enuff and collected carbon....especially the rear cylinder.

I hope Poprivet will take her hostage again,,,my baby can't be in the cold.

Oh ya ....it gets VERY cold here in Ontario. CAnada - not too far from Ottawa

You are not much further North than I am, I would say we are about the same here in Green Bay as Toronto as far as climate, and you are only a little further north and away from the lakes. Ottawa and GB are both on the 45N latitude.

I ran my bike a couple of times last winter in the storage unit, but I made sure it got good and hot before I shut her down. Don't start it cold and rev the hell out of it, you have to ease her into it, she's been sitting for a while. Also try to do it on a warmer day if possible.

Don't put her away! Move south I'm leaving Ohio for Florida next week. Found myself a nice house and a good job and I get to ride my baby all year round.....And I aint talking about the wife

Ringo

Ringo wrote:
Don't put her away! Move south I'm leaving Ohio for Florida next week. Found myself a nice house and a good job and I get to ride my baby all year round.....And I aint talking about the wife

Ringo

I've lived in Florida, and trust me, there will be many months that you won't want to ride either because it will get cold (cold for Florida is a lot warmer than up north, but it's still cold) or too much rain, or one of those stupid Hurricane's come rumbling through.

I'll keep the cold! BTW, have you seen those Cock Roaches? I saw one chasing a Rat once!