The season is almost comeing to an end in Canada time to order the parts and do the winter thing.

I don't want to hear about winter. Soon the rains will start, all day and all night day after day nothing but gray skys.
As soon as there is a break in the rotton weather I will ride. I need my fix. :rolleyes: But I still hate all the rain we get. :angry:

Ack! Don't talk about you-know-what. All I can say is thankfully I live in Toronto (midler winter thanthe snowbelt I grew up in) and my commute to work is only 20min max.

I plan on riding till the first snowfall and not before. However there are a few "hardcore' guys here who ride all year round. I might join 'em if the weather is good adn the roads are clear.

The last time I owned a bike was 25 vyears ago and it was stored indoors. The '82 XJ 750 I have now will have to stay outside during the winter (under a cover, but still outside).

What do I need to do to winterize the bike? I live in Saskatchewan where the winter temps will dip below -30. No option of riding all year round at all!

Thanks

Storage procedure.

Buy an oil filter, oil, and fuel stabilizer.

Ride the bike - on the way home put some stabilzer in the tank and top it up.

Bring the bike home.

Do an oil change.

Put the bike up on the centerstand - put a block of wood under the front tire. Now both tires are off the cold concrete. If you are storing it outside then consider blocking both tires with a large sheet of wood... the idea is to not have cold spots on the tire.

Remove the battery and take it somewhere warm. Remember to charge it over the winter every so often - once every 2-4 weeks. If you have a battery tender all the better.

You can now optionally spray anti-rust product on all the metal. Some people use vaseline, others WD40, others that stinky sticky antirust product.

Next cover the bike with a material that doesn't scratch and doesn't absorb water. Worst thing you can do to a bike is to cover it with a damp rag all winter. The next worst thing is salty air - ie - on the water front in the maritimes.

Cheers,
woot.

( had to rush this description - somewhere I have a really long document on how to do it)

A few links... browse about a bit for more answers. I admin there, and if you want feel free to say hi.

http://forums.ninja250.org/viewtopic.php?p=243933#243933

http://forums.ninja250.org/viewtopic.php?p=230455#230455

http://forums.ninja250.org/viewtopic.php?p=196610#196610


But basically what was mentioned before:

- Stabilize fuel
- change oil
- rust proof metal
- remove battery
- drain float bowls
- kiss her goodnight
- cover with proper cover - or tent improper cover so that it doesn't hold wet material to the bike

cheers,
woot.

OK, I have read a number of the discussions on whether to fill the tank or empty the tank for storage. I am a little confused (not that unusual).

If I leave the tank empty or partially empty, I run the risk of rust. If I fill the tank and the gas varnishes, I run the risk of the carbs being plugged. Neither option appears positive.

Since I live in Canada (Saskatchewan) where the winters are very cold. I am going with filling the tanlk and adding stabilizer. In the cold the fuel should not varnish (I am hoping).

Should the air pressure in the tires be reduced as well for storage?

The discussions were great, thanks for all the advice!


Darrell

I personally haven't bothered changing the tire preasure... it wouldn't hurt I suppose. My concern would be that if you make the tire flat that the sidewall would support the weight in a funny way.

All I do is get the tire off the ground - using wood...

I usually get through a tire every 2 years so age isn't really a problem.

In Canada it's cooler. Fuel doesn't tend to varnish as quickly when it is cold. You'll find that you get more varnish in your snowblower than you would in your lawn mower...

Not filling the tank (but leaving it in a non-tempature controlled area) means that damp and cold spells will cause water condensation to form inside the tank - and that means rust eventually. Filling the tank means less air inside the tank. Stabilizer works great in the cold - so in the spring you gas should be good to go.

In the south (where bike storage is bizarre) it is apparently better to empty the tank - wash it out really well with soap (so it doesn't pose a fire hazard) - dry it and vacuum bag it. This means no moisture gets in and it stays nice and dry waiting for gas.

Cheers,
woot.