winterizing tips ??

Being a chicagoan, I'm only really good for another 2-3 months of comfortable riding before the roads around here are generally not something that are fun to ride on. While I have been pretty successful for many years with basic battery and fuel maintenance, I'm curious about everyone's thoughts on the key components of winterizing and storing an old XJ for a long and cold winter.

 

First and foremost is drain the gas from the carbs, Drain the gas and put it into a lawnmower or car. When you are sure that the gas is drained, start the engine up and let it run until there is no fuel left in carbs. It might take a few runs or start ups to get all of the fuel out. If you have any kind of fogging oil or want to coat the cyliders then put a couple cc's of tranny fluid in each cylinder and rotate with no spark plugs in. (from what I have been told the tranny fluid keeps the rings from sticking.) Second is to drain the oil, you wanted to do this anyways right Now that you have drained the oil you need to replace that oil, This way the rust can't get to anything that is coated with fresh oil can it?? Next is to put your battery on a slow charger (gotta keep it from being sulfated right) and wash and wax then cover it up, if you like, give it a kiss goodnight until the snow is melted.(you did remember how the bike has treated you and how the GF has treated you right P) When you are ready to start it back up again, drain all of that fresh oil out that has been acumulating all of that moisture and replace it with fresh oil. Put in some fresh gasoline and it should start right back up and be ready to be ridden hard unlike the GF Unless she want's to go along in which case all bets are off, except for the one fact that someone is going to go for one hell of a ride. Isnt this what riding is all about.. Hehe ok I got lost somehere there and need to take the GF for a ride ERRR take her for a ride on the bike.... yeah that's what I mean

Sean

 

some light reading:

http://xjbikes.com/archive_forum/t526.htm

hrm - strange - in all of my posts (I looked through ALL 69 pages!) I couldn't find my procedure...

This is from the Ninja 250 FAQ:
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_should ... storage%3F

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Winter_sto ... hoto_essay

 

thanks guys - I did try to look for prior posts as long as my patience lasted, woot - and I certainly can appreciate winterizing advice from N.S.!

wanted to bump this up one more time for any other thoughts.

hope you enjoyed BOTH rides dino . . .

 

If you bother to change the oil before storing the bike, it will do NO GOOD AT ALL unless the fresh oil circulates, and displaces the old oil in the ring pack, bearings, middle gear area, ETC.

You must run the engine at least 5 minutes so the contaminated, old oil is blended with fresh oil. And why would this new oil be "bad" in the spring??
I don't think a little condensation is going to ruin fresh oil. Run it !!

 

hi :lol:

 

Fill tank to top, add fuel stabilizer. Run bike for a bit, making sure that the stabilized fuel mixture gets into the carbs. Top tank off if necessary.

Park it.

Plug end of exhaust pipes with rag.

Do NOT start the bike during the winter. All that does is to hear the pipes up, and when they cool, condensation on the inside causes rust.

Oh...trickle charger. I run 2 battery tender juniors, one on the XJ, and one on the Boulevard.

This has worked for me for over 10 years, and I've never had a bike not start right up in the spring.