Winterizing my bike

[DesmoDreamer]

So the inevitable is comming Indiana winter, which means that the bike will have to be stored  so i am looking for some tips on the proper way to winterize my baby and also see if anyone knows were i can get a nice cover (for a good price) to put over her to keep her warm through the long winter months.

[Grifo]

Stick it in the living room that's where mine is going.
 Last year I rode up to December (New Years eve) then the bike was in my living room till March, when we started riding again

[Desmocrat]

  Mine is in the living room now, but not by choice.  It's only because I'm making repairs and am just now geting off the crutches; it's easier to work on my bike while sitting in my rolling office chair.
  In Louisville, a winter like the past one allowed us to ride for most of the year.  I sat out from Jan 15th to Feb 15th last winter and only missed riding just a few days this summer, mainly due to needing the car to haul something around.
  The only thing I did last winter was add some gas stabilizer thinking my time in storage might be longer.  I also have a battery tender, but did not use it as I would start my bike and let it run for 5-10 minutes once a week.  I've heard mixed reviews about gas stabilizer, so probably won't use it this year, but I am using the battery tender right now.  The bike and I will be healed up in about another month and will both be back out on the streets then, with the exceptions of days below 20 degrees and days with icey conditions.  If you are going to ride during colder months, you might want to consider thinning the viscosity of your oil, although most multi-weights can cope with our extremes.
  I hear ya, Mario.  Seems like a lot of old and new schoolers alike try to get out for a New Year's Eve ride.

[sTD]

Uhhh....

Step 1: Park in garage where you won't slide into it with car
Step 2: Remove key
Step 3: Steal good white sheet from wife/girlfriend
Step 4: cover bike with said sheet
Step 5: Watch old race movies until spring
Step 6: Occasionally remove sheet, sit on bike, and make "vroom, vroom" noises
Step 7: Wipe drool off tank
Step 8: Re-cover with sheet
Step 9: Mope a lot
Step 10: If Mario, spend at least $500 on carbon farkles over winter

 

[crazyducdude]

well I just tear the bike apart and store it in a box (preferably in a warm dry place) for the winter, when it comes  spring time i try to remember where everything goes.....oddly enough I always end up a few bolts heavy in the parts bag and a few pounds less on the bike itself , win/win  situation for a race bike.
 

[sTD]

well I just tear the bike apart and store it in a box

Yeah, "box" in this case is your garage floor...

[Grifo]

My garage is cold I sit on mine in the warm living room and make "vroom vroom" noises.
 No cover it makes a good Xmas decoration, don't lie try to be all hard ass. I remember your 916 in your bedroom.   

[sTD]

My garage is cold I sit on mine in the warm living room and make "vroom vroom" noises.
 No cover it makes a good Xmas decoration, don't lie try to be all hard ass. I remember your 916 inyour bedroom.   

that was different it was a COLLECTOR ......

what what

[crazyducdude]

I am still waiting for my carbon fiber boxes to come in from ebay, so for now the parts are on the garage floor.....

[DesmoDreamer]

well i am not exactly sure how much help that was lol  I barley have enough time to ride it (during the school year) let alone tear it down and rebuild it again, my parents garage is heated, has no space for cars and barley has enough space for the bike!

[Grifo]

heated garage, just cover it and start it once a week.  Maybe a little bit of gas stabilizer and a bettery tender. But I never used either in the past two winters.   

[BryanS]

heated garage, just cover it and start it once a week.  Maybe a little bit of gas stabilizer and a bettery tender. But I never used either in the past two winters.   

It's bad to just go start a bike once a week.  If you aren't gonna go ride it at least long enough to get it up to operating temp for a while it's better to just let the bike sit.  You'll run down the battery starting and get moisture in the motor - running it at operating temp cooks that moisture out. 

I certainly like my battery tender and I usually user fuel stabilizer but probably shouldn't since my bike doesn't sit long.  I would store it with a full tank of fuel though.

What does everyone think about shooting a bit of fogging oil into the cylinders via the spark plug holes, if the bike is gonna sit, unstarted for a few months?

[Grifo]

When I start mine I let it idle till it's warm (stops flashing low) then I give a few twist of throttle, shut it off put it back inside and start crying. 

[screaminss]

It's bad to just go start a bike once a week.  If you aren't gonna go ride it at least long enough to get it up to operating temp for a while it's better to just let the bike sit.  You'll run down the battery starting and get moisture in the motor - running it at operating temp cooks that moisture out. 

I certainly like my battery tender and I usually user fuel stabilizer but probably shouldn't since my bike doesn't sit long.  I would store it with a full tank of fuel though.

What does everyone think about shooting a bit of fogging oil into the cylinders via the spark plug holes, if the bike is gonna sit, unstarted for a few months?

Nikasil (sp?) lined cylinders dont rust. No need for fogging them. 

[BryanS]

Nikasil (sp?) lined cylinders dont rust. No need for fogging them. 

what about pistons, conn rods, etc?

[screaminss]

what about pistons, conn rods, etc?

what about pistons, conn rods, etc?

Unless you've dumped a quart of gasoline down the cylinders through the spark plug holes and turned the engine over several times with no oil in the crank case, then you might want to fog. If i'm not mistaken (someone correct me if I'm wrong) fogging is usually done (but not limited  to  "two-smoke", outboard marine or snowmobile engines.

[ducatisarge]

I started this weekend, getting the garage and bike ready for winter.  I usually go really slow about the whole process, taking a week to clean out the spot where it'll sit for the winter and then taking a few days to prep, clean, and do all the necessary stuff to acutally put her away.  I know I should just do it like a band-aid and get it done quick, but I'm always in denile each year that there might be that one perfect day where I'll be able to get out.  Damn...I hate winter.