Well, the winter weather is starting to set in the NW, so I had to break down and prepare the bike for storage. Here's a list of things I did today, besides shed a tear. Let me know if I forgot anything:

1. Filled the gas tank after adding fuel stabilizer.
2. Ensured the tires were properly inflated.
3. Cleaned the exterior of bike.
4. Completed the 4000 mile service about 200 miles ago.
5. Shut the gas cock off and allowed the bike to use up the fuel in the carburetor.
6. When bike cools, I will put on a cover.

I plan to pull the battery and store it in a semi-heated garage this winter.

The manual talks about pulling the spark plugs and adding oil to the cylinders. Is that necessary? If so, how hard is it to remove the gas tank to get access to the spark plugs. I also saw a nbote about loosening drains on the carburetor to remove the fuel. Is that required if I followed the procedure described above?

Thanks.

I don't put oil in the cylinders and haven't had any problems. I haven't drained the float bowl on any bike either and again haven't had any problems. I just run it till it dies. But others do both these things.
So you need to decide on your comfort level and if it will bug the hell out of you all winter if you don't do them

Hi Yakman, take this with a grain of salt, but I disagree with running the carb dry, if you have the stabilizer in the gas, there is no reason to drain the carb, IMHO.. as a matter of fact, it could cause any seals or gaskets in the carb to dry out an crack or deteriorate...just my 2 cents..

flashback wrote:
Hi Yakman, take this with a grain of salt, but I disagree with running the carb dry, if you have the stabilizer in the gas, there is no reason to drain the carb, IMHO.. as a matter of fact, it could cause any seals or gaskets in the carb to dry out an crack or deteriorate...just my 2 cents..

I am going to agree ...

The practice of running the carb dry was started to prevent gumming in the carb

with the advent of storage chemicals like stabil..which prevents this.. it is probably best to add stabil or seafoam etc to the gas.. run it for a bit to get it into the carb....then shut her down...

Hello Yakman,

Welcome to the club, I’m in the same shoes you are, I live in Quebec, Canada and the winter is coming too darn fast here. My bike is in storage since oct 31st and I did about the same thing you did, even shut the gas petcock off leaving the carb dry, but I’m not sure it’s a good thing anymore. The funny thing is, when I’m just about to store it, I always say to myself, my God that’s the most beautiful bike there is, but in reality, it aint so, its just that I’m goanna miss riding it like crazy all winter again !

RG

Here's question. What's to keep the gas from evaporating out of the bowl over the winter?

Musky

I think there is very little air circulation goin on
to cause much evaporation...
but maybe the gas could evaporate from the tank too??

Well guys, I guess winter is a relative thing, I'm not sure I would turn the petcock off either, but then again, with a fuel pump in the way, gas can't get to the carb anyway.. How long will you actually have it laid up? I think, If I lived somewhere that was cold 6 months of the year, I would go out and crank it up once a week just to listen to it.. maybe even ride a bit if the roads wern't iced up..I guess it's just hard for me to imagine haveing to put her up long enough for the gas to evaporate out of the carb, but I see how it could happen.. I put stabil in my chain saw,weed eater, and outboard engine.. all my 2 cycle machines.. they will get gummed up, it's a promise.. and it doesn't have to be cold either,, they just get gummed up from lack of use...

Hey Pop

Tad bit more gas in the tank than the bowl I'm curious if anyone who leaves the bowl full has ever checked to see how much gas is left in the bowl at the end of the winter. Just one of those curiousity things.

I am like Flash Crank her up once a month if that little dam all this storage crap I do put stabilizer in the tractor .......but I do live in the sub arctic of Georgia could just be a redneck thing .. ......Coug