Survey! "When do we all put the VFR to bed for the winter and how?"

I am not an all year round rider. But, riding in Utah may come to a close for me on Sunday so mid or late October usually! Though I will pull the bike out on clear roads and +50 degrees in Nov and a freaky Dec and Feb. in Utah. If wrapping up the season I fill the tank to full, Put the bike on the center stand, disconnect the battery and only reconnect to fire up twice a month in winter to charge. When does everyone else put the bike to bed and what do you do to say winterize it?

 

The Lone Ranger and Tonto are out riding one day and the Lone Ranger says, "Tonto, I see hundreds of Indians aka Native Americans converging on us from all points of the compass, what shall we do"?

Tonto says, " WTF do you mean by we, white dude?

 

^ ha ha, never used to winterize my bikes in NJ. There was one time where I had to wait 3 months though to pick up a new bike due to constantly iced roads.

A few words: One piece snowmobile suit and electric gloves. Only wrecked one bike due to inclemant/iced tarmac, and that was a re-builable one. Down here in paradise, I would not put myself through the chit I used to endure in NJ back in the day. If I wana re-live my youth I could go into the minus 30 degree cooler at work and suffer. :loco:

If your gona moth ball the bike for the winter, I would put new oil in it, remove the battery and maybe hit the battery a few times a month with a pulse/trickle low amp charger. If you wana start it in the winter, be sure to heat it up adequately so you burn off any condensation and chit in the oil. Thats my main bitch about starting stuff periodically, you dont heat it up properly. eace: better to take it out on a nice trip mid-winter when you get a break.

 

I don't put it to bed in the winter. I ride year 'round. I've lived where it snows. There won't be a second time on that.

 

I agree with Rider. To start it up and just bring it to operating temp and shit it down is not doing the bike any favours. Can you get a temporary permit to take the bike out for an hour or so ride where you live? We can here.

I used to commute year round and had all the gear for our winter weather but that weather was no comparison to what I am sure you get. But since retiring, I don't ride as much in the winter. So I tried putting the bike to bed for the winter a couple years ago. Just filled the tank and put some stabil in there. Let the insurance run out and left it at that. I didn't do anything with the battery a I was intending on getting a day permit a few times and riding it. That only lasted a couple weeks and I went out and renewed the insurance.

Here we can buy insurance by the quarter I think so we need to do the math to determine when would be the best time to have the insurance expire. This is what I did when I worked it out so mine expired mid November. So it would have been mid November for me. If I were to go back to putting the bike away for the winter, I would probably change that to mid October and allow and earlier stat up and just for the 6 months instead of 9. But the difference in cost for the full year vs a partial year does not make it worth while for me. For what it costs me for the full year of liability insurance, and the likelihood of decent riding weather in the winter here, I just keep mine insured.

I went to school with a guy back in Winnipeg who rode his bike year round there. I think he froze the lobes a few times too many though.

 

What is this "winterize" you speak of?

 

When?
First snowfall that stays.

How?
- Center Stand
- Complete Oil / Filter Change
- Steel Wool in the airbox (mice hate steel wool) and exhaust.
- Fill the tank completely and put fuel stabilizer in it. Let it run to temperature & shut off.
- Remove the battery and bring it inside. Put on trickle charger (1 month on / 1 month off)
- Cover the bike.

It does not run throughout the winter unless the temperatures are extremely warm, the roads free of snow / ice, and I decide to go for a short jaunt. Starting it up occasionally throughout the winter is bad, it causes condensation to form as the bike heats up and cools down.

I'm not fortunate enough to live in a climate that allows me to ride year round. Temperatures are well below freezing most of the winter months. Instead, we have snowmobiles - something I have to get again once my divorce is finalized.

 

Typically Thanksgiving is the cut off or if the roads get salted. Whichever comes first. Fresh oil, stabilizer in tank, clean/ lube chain, remove battery (non heated garage), battery on tender, bike under cover. Always give bike a thorough cleaning before hibernating.

 

I ride here in MI unless there's snow or ice on the roads. I have layers and heated gloves to deal with the cold. Hell, last winter was so mild I was riding pretty much the entire season, even took the XR out on Christmas Day :biggrin-new:

 

I always keep a pair of big boy panties at the ready so riding year round is always possible.

 

for the 2 or 3 weeks where it is too wet and miserable to ride I just put the Honda dust cover over it and leave it at that.

 

Being this year wasn't so much the weather, it does around late Oct. Nov get where its not so fun to get out. But this time it's me not able too ride. That said I'll take the viffer out probably once a week here, even if it's just around the block, here that means at least 5 miles, but this time first me, now the weather has really ramped up, it might be a good six weeks before it'll be out on the road unless I can talk someone i know to take it or a warm up lap. Same goes for the CBR. Even though it's a track weapon, just have a thing for not getting the oil up to temp getting rid of water vapor and the oil from breaking down from carbon, acids, etc.. .

 

I personally don't winterize for the colder months but here is what our techs do for some customers:
-Fill 3/4 with premium gas, add stabilizer. Run bike until 160 degrees.
-Change oil and filter when cooled to 100 degrees (be careful, stuff is still hot down there!)
-Remove battery and button everything back up (unless you have a battery charger lead/pigtail)
-Attach to batter TENDER not a charger.
-Cover bike with dust cover and store in a dry place if you have access to garage!

Notes:
-if you have a mice problem, make sure to plug your intakes and exhaust
-I usually put a fresh wax on before putting it away
-If you garage gets wet make sure you get a waterproof cover and put a warm hair dryer under there once a month for a good hour. Prevents condensation rusting. But this last one is for all you obsessive owners. Like myself:distrust:

 

After first major snow fall...

I will follow these steps:
- Center Stand
- Complete Oil / Filter Change
- Steel Wool in the airbox (mice hate steel wool) and exhaust.
- Fill the tank completely and put fuel stabilizer in it. Let it run to temperature & shut off.
- Remove the battery and bring it inside. Put on trickle charger (1 month on / 1 month off)
- Cover the bike.

 

Winter Blows

 

My lower temperature limit is around 42 degrees. I will ride in 30 degree weather but I have to have my Gerbings cranked up. I actually enjoy cold weather riding more. Last year I lost the heat in the left arm. I sent it back to Gerbinges and they fixed me up.

My area is like Kansas. The winter is rideable with only a few horrible days of ice and freezing rain.

I don't winterize but I do keep the bikes on the charger to keep them warm and I always put them away full as a matter of habit.

 

I agree. The only thing I love about winter is snowmobiling and snowboarding. And I can go to the mountains for that.

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Basically what I did when I lived in new York. Except I overfilled the oil per recommendation of a few local experts and drained the carbs. don' t know what to do with FI bikes though. I've since moved to California where winterizing now means switching over to a insulated leather jacket instead of my vented.

 

Ok Texan! You know not! Bastard Have fun. Those of us in winter weather have to go caging! And put the sweet shit away unless you are crazy and buy spiked tires and a hella winter suit!;-)