Winter Bike Storage

[menzies3032]

Hi all

As some of you might know I don’t do cold and wet. I am one of the original fair weather riders. However like to make sure I look after my bike over the winter months so she is ready to rock again when the sun makes an appearance.

Check out this video I make on the subject
https://youtu.be/E42kV1fZpg0

5427DD1A-2068-4552-81F5-AB3B215DEBEE.png

[billinom8s]

Ride it
Wash it
Lube it

Repeat

[ptolemyx]

As above, though my winter riding is getting less as the old bones deterioriorerate.
The key is to wash the bike as soon as possible after each ride and make sure it's thoroughly dry, especially if the weather windows mean weeks rather than days between rides.

[Kata]

I've seen reviews of air blowers to dry bikes and they seem pretty good. The reviewers are all probably getting a % of the sales though.

[Jug]

What a palava!

I've said it before... but...
Starting your bike when in storage is at best a time & fuel waste and at worst actually causing damage.

Cold starts are the worst for any engine as it's when the most wear happens, unfortunately it's a necessary evil when you want to use it.
Some owners will start their bike every week whilst the bike is in storage, which could mean an extra 20-25 cold starts the engine has to endure each year over a typical winter lay up, but the bike wasn't actually used so this wear was pointless.

So what do the manufacturers have to say about that?
Here is a quote directly from the Superduke 990 owners manual, as there is section that deals with storage.

"DO NOT BRIEFLY RUN THE ENGINE OF AN IMMOBILIZED MOTORCYCLE SINCE THE ENGINE WILL NOT BECOME WARM ENOUGH AND ANY VAPOR PRODUCED DURING THE COMBUSTION PROCESS WILL CONDENSE AND CAUSE THE VALVES AND EXHAUST TO RUST"

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/90456 ... =79#manual

I think idling a bike up to normal temperature would still be classed as "briefly running" the engine as the engine has not warmed throughout.

When warming up a bike on a typical ride I would try to wait until the coolant temperature gauge is at it's normal level before accelerating very hard or revving high, which is probably what most of us do.
My latest bike has an oil temperature sensor as well as the coolant one, and what initially surprised me was how much longer it takes to get the oil up to normal temperature. It seems to take roughly twice as long to get the oil up to normal operating temperature than it does the coolant, so now I watch the oil temperature and wait for the oil to get normal before letting rip.
So that is why I think that just idling the engine up to normal temp is not enough to ensure the engine as a whole (and the oil) is hot enough to clear all the condensation that the initial cold starting/running will have caused. You need to ride the bike.

[Jug]

I've seen reviews of air blowers to dry bikes and they seem pretty good. The reviewers are all probably getting a % of the sales though.

I've got one and it's very good, though the one I bought is for dog use.
It's basically the same thing with a shorter hose but is half the price, and the hose is plenty long enough to do a bike.

[royb]

I try never to start an engine unless I am going to use it, even to the point if I am able, to push vehicles for small moves.
I remember being told as a young lad, "an engine wears more in the first three minutes than a succeeding eight hour day".

Just start the engine and go. Allow the engine to spin easily without loading it. Just use it.

Oh and as Jug, but I use a vacuum cleaner on blow. Works well.

[ptolemyx]

As per Jug, I thoroughly recommend a pet dryer. Mine's pink but what the hell - same thing but loads cheaper that one marketed for bikes. Make sure you get the discs and pads thoroughly dry; wet brakes left for a while will likely bind up meaning calipers off (been there a few times )
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2800W-Dog-Ca ... SwUTdc94wH

[Kata]

As per Jug, I thoroughly recommend a pet dryer. Mine's pink but what the hell - same thing but loads cheaper that one marketed for bikes. Make sure you get the discs and pads thoroughly dry; wet brakes left for a while will likely bind up meaning calipers off (been there a few times )
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2800W-Dog-Ca ... SwUTdc94wH

Come on admit it. You bought it because it was pink...

[menzies3032]

Well thought this topic and this video would cause a lively debate and happy to see you guys do not disappoint.

Lets be honest the best thing for your bike is to ride it. Bikes do not like people like me who are fair weather riders. Its that same for cars as well spending all your time popping down the local shop is not the way to go. These motor vehicles need to be used.

My next door neighbor neighbor has a car blower / dryer that he uses on this classic cars and he recons this is the best way to go. Drive it clear it then blow it then put it away again.

However if your a wet blanket, fair weather gixxer rider like yours truly then you have a choice to make as to what you actually do. Do you just leave your bike alone for 4 months or do you do your weekly / monthly check and movements.

This was all about what I do and have done...... not to say that it is right

[menzies3032]

The bit I cant believe that you lot have let me get away with is the size of the chicken stripes on the back tyre.

This photo was taken after the tyre was just fitted and i had taken it out for its 1st run. Its a lot more reasonable now

[Jug]

However if your a wet blanket, fair weather gixxer rider like yours truly then you have a choice to make as to what you actually do. Do you just leave your bike alone for 4 months or do you do your weekly / monthly check and movements.

I meet those requirements, in fact I probably stop riding even sooner than you do.
Yes, I leave them alone for 4 month, or longer.. was more like 6 months last year.

Before putting away I wash the bikes and dry them. Spray some ACF 50 on and wipe down the excess, might even polish the body work.
Pump the tyres to about 5 psi over normal and that's all. Locks on and cover over.
Once covered I generally don't even look at them again until April.

I really can't see what your checks are achieving. I check mine over when I pull them out of the tent and deal with any issues then. So far it has just been a flat tyre due to a slow leak.
Headset bearings shouldn't develop tight spots from being static unless the grease is watered out.
Fork seals shouldn't need movement to re-lubricate them, and certainly not if left static for just a few months.
Engine oil will fully drain down over night after use so leaving the engine for a week is no different to leaving it for a month, or a year.
Coolant doesn't need circulating as it can't separate on it's own (some people believe it does).
I don't worry about the fuel as we have pretty good fuel in the UK. If we had EU or US fuel I'd stabilise or drain but up to now I have not bothered and not had any issues.

So I basically just top up the batteries even few weeks, but I don't leave the charger on constantly. I suspect the charger manufacturers would disagree with me but I don't think doing that is good for the battery, also it's wasting electricity.
I just charge each bike until the Optimate goes green and then I put it away.

[menzies3032]

Hey Jug_Inspector

Perfectly fine.... what ever works for you and if your happy, you go with it.....

Was just telling the world what I do..... didn't say it was right.... its just what I do.
In my little brain it makes me feel that I am looking after the bike by giving it a monthly check up.
More then likely does bugger all, but makes me feel good that I "Need" to go and start the bike and have a little play every month under the banner on "Winter Essentials".

[Jug]

Fair enough... as long as it makes you happy

[ptolemyx]

Good for you Rob. A man has to have his tinkering time giving his precious plenty of attention. We all know I'm a right tinkerer