Tips for winter storage?
 

hi guys

what tip have you got for putting the machine away for winter, though it will be started and run every few weeks?

Thanks

Re: hibernate
 

No, Don't do that!!

After your last ride give it an oil and filter change then run it up afterwards to check the level and make sure the lovely clean stuff has worked its way around all the bearings and engine internals.
A good wash wouldn't hurt to make sure all the crap is out of sensitive areas, ACF-50 is good for keeping corrosion at bay.
Either remove the battery or get an optimate and charge it for a few hours every week or so to keep that in good condition.

The main point is do not start it up unless you are going to ride it, the vast majority of engine ware happens on a cold start so running it for a few minutes every few weeks will not be a good thing for either the engine or the battery (it takes a fair few miles of riding to replace the charge taken by a cold start)

While it's out of use you could give the brake callipers a going over, clean the pistons and give them some rubber grease on the seals.

I'm sure there's more but this is my first winter with a proper bike. (a cg125 with cable operated drums on both ends doesn't count)

Re: Tips for winter storage?
 

And oil the chain,pump the tyres up hard or put it on stands and brim the tank up prevent condensation in the fuel

Re: Tips for winter storage?
 

Stand the tyres on old bits of carpet to prevent flat spots.

Re: Tips for winter storage?
 

Is it a curvy or pointy as well?

running the carbs dry of fuel on a curvy has been mentioned, due to the carbs gumming up.

i didnt bother last year, and the bike was a bit of a pig to start after being left in my garage for 5 months. ran a bit cack for a few miles, but soon sorted itself out.

Re: Tips for winter storage?
 

Good advice above.

More harm than good is done by starting it unnecessarily. Oil change is great idea if it's at all old.

If it's a carb model, I'd drain the floatbowls, it's fairly easy to do. There are drain screws (allen head hex sockets) in the sides of the bowls and the fuel runs out of a crossdrilling in the bottom, easiest to soak it into a rag, tricky to get anything in there to catch the fuel.

Fuel tank should ideally be either empty or full. Fuel does "go off" but when in bulk (20 lts) it'll be fine for a few months over winter.

Maintain battery, if allowed to go flat they irreversibly degrade. Charge at least once a month.

I did this on a curvey, it didn't run from late October until early March, started about 4th prod of the button and ran perfectly cleanly.