Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Winter Storage (getting depressed thinking about)

Ok all you northern Triumph owners, what are some do's and don’ts you have discovered when storing your bike for the winter. One discrepancy I have already encountered. Dealer told me change oil for storage if it has more than 2,000 miles on it. Manuel states to change oil in spring?? Haynes: don’t place bike in dust or weather cover condensation will build up. Cover with blankets??
Come on you guys and gals have done this for many winters. I’m a winter storage newbie. I hope it will not be until mid Nov??? Getting depressed just thinking about it. I’ll go into the discussion (really argument) with wife garage vs shed storage later. She does not want scrape snow off her car b4 driving to work????? 6 pm to 6 am. Got to be a gender thing????

Well, my 1st wife HATED my '66 Triumph chop in the dinning
room all winter.

My 2nd wife wouldn't even allow one NEAR our home.

My 3rd wife? IF I don't buy, build or other wise provide
a PROPER home for HER BA?

I'll be lookin' for wife number 4 and a new home!!


All I do is put Staibul (SP?) in the tank, change oil
and keep the battery in the house. I start them once a
week taking them to operating temp.
DO NOT walk away while it's running!
They are air cooled and if you should "forget"
it's running, well, it ain't pretty!!!
I've rebuilt quit a few of those screw ups over the years!

Quote:

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what are some do's and don’ts

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1. I don't.
2. I use a battery tender whenever it gets to the point I'm not riding at least once a week
3. I unplug and ride whenever possible
4. I attempt to keep it cleaner in winter than any other time of the year due to road salt - Its everywhere...
5. I don't cover - It has its own room - the garage.
6. And perhaps most important - I use Stabil with each fill-up just in case I get an extended down time. I nearly ruined a perfectly good bike in a previous life due to fuel degradation. It ain't happenin' again.

I actually seem to manage one or two riding days permonth from Dec. through March. The year before last, Feb. was a no ride month. Last winter, March was the bad month. It all depends on the weather. I'll take a short ride anytime its dry and above 45. If it hits 50, I'm gone all day. The three most important things in my mind are;
Use a fuel stabilizer
Keep it warm and dry when not riding
Use a battery tender
- oh, and wear plenty of layers when you ride

That's in balmy S.W. PA. I don't know what you can get away with in N.E.

Here's a link to a storage checklist from Canton Cycle in CT: Winter storage check list.

Also do a search on winter storage threads, this topic was discussed on the board last fall or winter.

We had a mild winter here in Iowa last year and the bike never sat for more than a few weeks. So all my winter prep consisted of installing a windshield and lowers The year before she sat for two whole months without hitting the road. A little stabil never hurt anything, but every week or so (When the wife wasn't home to wonder what the he11 I was doing)I did open the garage door, roll her outside a little, start her up and sit there for several minutes listening to her.