Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Winterize

Not long now and the bike will be packed away for the winter months.

As this is my first season with the bike and first time 'winterizing' it. Any special tricks? do people leave the bike on a stand?

What do you do?

Stabil additive in the gas, I drain my carbs, less gum to flush out later, battery tender, engine fogging oil couldn't hurt either, I know some who remove the plugs and squirt Marvel Mystery Oil down the cylinders. A lot would depend on where you park it, Temp variations results in condensation. Basically the same as putting away a lawn mower you expect to run next Spring. Of course to compare a bike to a mower, they are both machines, ah, never mind.

I park mine in the shed.

What is this winterize you speak of ?

I just ride in the cold. Much rather do that than ride in the ultra hot humidity in the summer anyway.

winters here mean no more outdoor showers.

winters hear mean tires have to be placed in the cab of my truck so they can warm up enough to be spooned on the wheel.

winterize means riderize

Unfortuneatly I dont have the luxery to ride during the winter months. I know it is still early BUT I just want to be prepaired. I dont have a garage so it will be stored in a cold shed. I am planning on keeping it jacked up a foot or two so that its off the ground (save the tires a little). I will also hook up a trickle charger to the battery. I may look into those additives for the gas and oil.
Thanks for the info!

Ouh,lots of moist air down there,keep yer tank full.Put the lock on the stand so not to blow out the seals and living down there I'd fog it,that air is wet with all them lakes around.

I just wax the chrome, bring the battery into the house, and park it in the garage....I've also been running a little extra marvel mystery oil in the last fill up of the season....

fill the tank "a must" add fuel stabilizer and run it through everything. "seafoam" works nice as well and helps prevent the gumming of the carbs. If it is in the shed i would use a little wd40 on a rag and whipe the engine and other parts like that down, polish your paint, take the battery inside the house and either hook up a trickle charger or charge it now and again. A fresh oil change is also something to think about. Make sure the bike is covered with a "breathable" cover, especially considering the humidity in Ontario. Raise it off the floor.

Zac,

Mine has been stored in an unheated shed for several years. I typically fill the tank to the brim, polish the bike, jack it up, pull the battery then leave it. Never had a problem starting the bike in the spring.

Last year it was parked in my friends unheated garage. I added fuel stabilizer and didn't jack the bike up. Eveything was still ok.

Mine is in an unheated shed, I don't do anything but park it and my battery is the stock one since 04, never used the tender I have. Wiping the chrome with WD40 is a good idea.

Mice are a problem in my shed so I buy a box of fabric softener sheets and put them all around the bike as well as in the pipes.

As for Winterizing the bike I do nothing! But as for me I Wear a sweater and or a jacket and some gloves. Really cold days maybe some long underwear!

I have a chipmonk problem in my garage - I'm worried about them chewing seat/wires, getting into pipes.... eprunier, what do the fabric softener sheets do? does the smell bother them?

Just my $.02 from the land of Winter road salt and calcium chloride. I don't mind the cold, (see also - snowmobiles) but the salt is a major no no to me.

Fresh Stabil* added to fresh gas, run it long enough to fill the bowl and fuel lines. Top off tank.
Jack up the bike to relieve bearing loads on the wheels and steering bearings. This helps prevent the bearings from "taking a set" meaning to nick the races.
Fog the engine? Can't hurt. I never do, but oh well...
Batteries - if a battery goes dead, they're never the same. It can be the case that an AGM battery can't be brought back from the dead like a lead acid. I envy the guys with the long life miracle batteries. I've never had that luck with the Triumph.

Forgive me the contradiction to alternative methods, but I was talking to a 24 year veteran standby generator tech one day, and he claimed that nothing works on mice besides traps & sunlight. I can't practically do sunlight, so traps it is, the theory being they will go for the bait before the machinery. Chipmunks - mouse traps usually don't work. Mouse poison baited with peanut butter works, but the neighborhood cats could be in trouble that way. That's pretty harsh, but I had no other choice here and had to off a few that way. I don't know if chipmunks are inclined to bother machinery or wires. I've never seen it, but that's not a guarantee.

Off topic time - I asked two long term lawnmower mechanics if mouse nests were the leading cause of engine failures. They replied in unison, "Yup"

*http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/stabil/faq.aspx#3
Can't hurt to mark the discard date on the Stabil with a Sharpie

Even more boring stuff- Stabil is made from the food preservative BHT.

Put. Bike. Away?! Are you mad?! I don't have a car and live way out in the country but, unless the road's solid ice, I'm riding pretty much every day. Colonial jessies!

Come to Montana in about 3-4 months and say that, jerky.

Not for me. I will ride if the roads are dry, but I don't plan on repeating the 22 degree ride anytime soon.

I dont know the science behind it but the dryer sheets do work. I used to have a rodent problem when I stored my boat for the winter. After I heard about it I scattered a box of sheets around the boat and come spring there were no signs of tennants. I've been using them ever since.

I just keep the fuel full and add some SeaFoam. I start the bike every week or two and move it a few inches. In KS, we generally have a warm day here and there where I can ride. i'll ride in the cold, too.

I rode in a snowstorm once, to buy a bolt for my car brakes I managed to misplace (still haven't found it) while changing pads and rotors. Snoswtorm riding isn't for me.

Snow riding is sno fun that's for sure. I remember riding home at about 10mph in a blizzard and stopped a few times because I couldn't see a damn thing! It's also less than hilarious when yer visor freezes over!

wow - I'll definitely give the sheets a shot. any particular brand? :P

Cold won't hurt the bike with the exception of water in the carb bowls & the battery, moisture will. Just detail the bike, add Stabil to the tank and pull the battery. Park it under dry cover and cover bike with a breathable bike cover or cotton sheet. A breathable bike cover will let condensation dry off and also prevent dust build up which holds moisture. A bike stand is not a bad idea, it keeps the bike upright allowing the condensation to drain evenly preventing puddling on the cases behind the cylinders and the dreaded chrome corrosion under the clutch cable holder on the left engine side cover. But then a dry garage is the best, plus you can admire it all winter.

Mice, Decon pellet trays.

wow, thanks for all the great comments. I have a good idea now of what I will be doing. Should I drain the float bowls or since I will be adding fuel stabilizer will I not need to?

Thanks again for everything!

The fuel will evaporate if left in the bowls leaving residue or "varnish". I'd drain them.

I pull it in the shed and put the kickstand down.

That means getting out my full leather jacket and putting the mesh one away....LOL....

Unpack leather jacket and chaps. Make sure the gloves still fit and aren't stiffened up. Find wool socks, and face mask. This year winterizing shall include the purchase of a new Jimmy retro helmet with face shield.

I will admit when I worked in CO, it was a bight sunny day in February and I thought what the hell I will ride to work...so being from So Cal, I didn't think any thing about the temp. it was sunny right, I got on the bike and nearly froze to death on the 6 mile ride to work...temp was round 20 degrees