Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Winter Storage and Oil Change

OK, this is specific to the oil change before long term storage. I am being deployed for abouth 5 months and the government won't let me take my bike on the plane so I must winterize the bike for storage. Should the bike be stored with a fresh oil change, or stored with slightly used oil followed by an oil change before its first ride when I get back, or does it even matter? I only have a carport, should I look into climate controlled storage, or will it be fine. I have never had to have a bike sit for so long without being used. I need to make sure it will be OK without me.

Unused oil is best as it keeps the petroleum esters from etching the metal surfaces while it sits. Also, it's helpful to fill the tank with stabilized fuel, turn off the petcock, drain the float bowls, run the engine until it's dry; pull the battery out of the frame and put it on a trickle charger like a Battery Tender. If you can leave the bike on a lift to take the weight off the tire, even better. And cover it.

First put your bike on a jack, you can get the lower end model from sears for 75.00.. next clean the cain and wax it, ensure the fuel tank is full shut the petcock valve off and run the engine untill is runs of out fuel. drain the oil and replace with fresh oil all the way to the top of the fill hole. This will ensure that every part of the tans and crank shaft is coverd with oil. Remember you must have oxygen to have rust. loosen the throtle cables and lube them as well as the clutch cable. keep the tires about a inch off the ground. make sure the bike is secured very well to the jack. Put a good cover on the bike and give her a big kiss befor you get sent out.. Would not be a bad idea to give it a good wash and wax befor storage.

You might think about fogging the engine as well. Five months isn't that long a time but if you think it could be longer I would fog the engine with outboard spray fogger. Very easy to do and it will protect your cylinder walls and rings. Remove the air filter, start the bike and spray fogger into the intake of each cylinder. The bike will smoke like crazy and start to sputter. Shut off the bike and drain the carb bowls. I've used this method on my outboard engines for many years without any problems.

I would change to fresh oil.

Good luck and be safe on your deployment.

Interesting idea of filling the Oil Fill completely with oil. Any suggestions as to what. My first thought is something cheap that I can get in bulk since I would then change the oil before the first ride anyway.

As for an engine fogger, any suggestions as to where to get some and what exactly to get?

I find it reasonabley hard to believe that sitting for 5 months would be any problem at all. Gas is formulated to last a year, and a lot of us midwesterners have to garage a bike for about that long. All I ever do is change the oil in the spring and change out the gas, and I think that I'm being overly nitpicky. I don't know that any of my buddies even do that much.

Any marina or boating supply chain like West Marina would have fogging spray. I use Mercury Quicksilver Fogger.

Give it a shot of penetrating oil mystery oil or WD-40 down the sparkplug holes too, keeps the rings free.

Thanks greybeard, I was thinking about doing exactly that.