Prep the bike for Winter

Hi all,

Quick question, had a search but can't find a direct answer.

Going to put my bike away soon for the Winter (I know summers not over yet but alas I have to go away for a couple of weeks and when I get back I think it will be distinctly autumn!)

The bike wil be in a barn (sheltered but will get cold and damp-ish I expect), locked and covered (Oxford Stormex), I intend to buy an Optimate charger, and the fuel is topped up...

My question is, what - if anything - should I add to the fuel to stop it from 'going off' over the winter?

Are there any other tips for things I should do?

I should be able to idle the bike for brief periods over the winter if that would do it good...

Cheers

You seriously are just going to put the bike away until next year? I didn't realise people really did that.

er was under the impression you emptied the tank when storing over winter and didnt keep fuel in there because it goes off...

You can buy a Fuel additive to preserve the fuel in the tank...

You can also take the plugs out & put a teaspoot of engine oil in each cylinder too...

I don't bother normally, I just periodically start the bike up through the winter months, or if its a nice day, go for a little spin... Just make sure you wash it thoroughly when you do, just to take the road salt off etc

Dont leave the tank empty, fill it right up, there are 2 reasons for this, one is that unleaded fuel can solidify or jellify (is that a word)? keeping it filled stops that, The other more important reason, is by next summer you will not be able to afford a tankful of petrol as it will need a mortgage on the bike to buy a litre

I dont lay my bike up as there are nice riding days in December and February, but I have read that it is better to put it on a pair of paddock stands and keep the tyres off the floor, oil the cylinders, wd every thing else, fork sliders, shocker etc Give it a good clean before you put it away, and I wouldnt cover it up if it is in a barn, it may sweat under a bike cover.

There are plenty of nice riding days in winter and no excuse to lay up the bike all winter! But if you do leave it uncovered and start it up every now and then and let then engine warm up and run a bit.

[embee]

For purely practical reasons I prefer the full tank principle. It's easy, and fuel in bulk tends to survive longer than small quantities. I often add some injector cleaner product (in the recommended quantities, Redex or similar) which ought to help minimise gum/varnish build-up anywhere (injector cleaner is fine in carbs too).

Note we are still on "summer" fuel which probably will have a slightly better shelf-life than the more volatile "winter" fuels, but you might find it's a touch more tricky to start if the weather gets really cold.

Starting and running occasionally isn't a bad idea, but keep it to a minimum. Cold starts are the worst thing for any engine, encouraging bore washing (fuel), fuel and condensation contamination of oil etc. Due to the fuel volatility issue, try to choose a mild day to start it.

I usually run engines once a month during lay-up. Start it normally but don't leave it idling (very slow warm-up, bad for bores and valve gear etc).

Once it has settled after 10-20sec or so, gradually ease the speed up on the throttle (get choke off as soon as possible if carbs) and hold it steady at say 3000rpm. Don't repeatedly blip the throttle, it achieves nothing apart from sounding sporty.

Keep it there at least until the coolant has reached normal temp (i.e. the rad is hot all the way across).

Note that exhaust pipes can get very hot on the SV running like this, rig up a fan if at all possible or choose a breezy day.

Change the engine oil before you lay it up so it is nice and clean. A couple of cold starts won't cause it harm.

Check the coolant is in good condition (thinking freezing here), change it if it's several years old or looks grubby.

You might well want to change brake fluid after the lay-up period in case it's absorbed moisture, though in reality it makes little difference to if it's in regular use.

A little clean engine oil on the chain to keep rust off.

As said above. Put the bike on stands if possible as concrete will absorb(sp) the vital oils from your tires. Also, leaving one part of the tyre on the ground (deformed). May cause the carcass of the tyre to permenantly deform.

As for a cover, surely a breathable cover is better than none? Keeps the moisture out, and releases any moisture on the bike.

tank should be full, an empty tank will get condensation and rust on the inside

add fuel stabilizer (we have Stabil brand here in the states) run the engine a bit to get stabilized fuel in the carbs

change oil

wash & wax bike

remove battery and keep indoors, put on battery tender occasionally

starting bike occasionally will not keep battery up unless you ride it at least 15-20 minutes, letting it idle will only drain it

the REAL way to prep a bike for winter is to add heated grips, a lead for electric clothing, and knobby motard tires