Motorcycle storage
2007 Honda Shadow Aero 750
I have decided to leave the bike in the garage this winter. My wife's grandparents have a garage that I can put it in if I want, which I may still do.
It only has 700 miles on it. I have about 3/4 of a tank of gas on it. Should I....
1. Store it at my wife's grandparents garage. It is next to the house and probably stays 25-30 degrees during the coldest days.
2. Leave it in my detached garage which will get down below zero a few times these next few months.
In either case should I....
1. drain the tank or use stabil.
How do motorcycles take it?
2. pull the battery and take it inside or start the bike every couple weeks and run till it's totally warm, then shut off the fuel and let it run out?
3. Two plugs a cylinder, should I pull them and put a winterizing oil in each cylinder, then cycle it a few times then replace the plugs?
4. Should I buy a battery tender?
What are your suggestions?
I have decided to leave the bike in the garage this winter. My wife's grandparents have a garage that I can put it in if I want, which I may still do.
It only has 700 miles on it. I have about 3/4 of a tank of gas on it. Should I....
1. Store it at my wife's grandparents garage. It is next to the house and probably stays 25-30 degrees during the coldest days.
2. Leave it in my detached garage which will get down below zero a few times these next few months.
In either case should I....
1. drain the tank or use stabil.
How do motorcycles take it?
2. pull the battery and take it inside or start the bike every couple weeks and run till it's totally warm, then shut off the fuel and let it run out?
3. Two plugs a cylinder, should I pull them and put a winterizing oil in each cylinder, then cycle it a few times then replace the plugs?
4. Should I buy a battery tender?
What are your suggestions?
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The cold temperature will only hurt the battery, so if you pull it or get a battery tender, then the cold will not hurt it. Temperature swings are bad though, when it goes from cold to warm (and humid) you can get some condensation on the exposed surfaces, worse for older bikes, paint chips, nicks, chrome scratches, etc. Stabilizer is always a good thing! I go with the tender just in case we get a salt free road, nothing to re-install! 0 -
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sounds like you already know what to do. I would as you say, remove the battery and don't let it freeze. I'd keep it at around 45-50 degrees F. on one of those "float" thingee chargers. If the bike is water cooled, opt for the warmer storage facility. DON'T, expecially if you have kids, ride this thing in the winter if your roads see any ice at all. It would be good to pump into each cylinder an ounce of motor oil compatible with that in the crank case, remove one plug and turn the motor over a few times. Loosely replace the plugs finger tight. Disconnect the spark plug wires. Rinse off the bike with a hose. Drain ALL fuel, which means drain the tank, start'er up and let it burn all in the fuel system. Pour a couple ounces of denatured alcohol into the empty fuel tank. Take the weight off the tires and wheels if possible and let out half the air in the tires. Use a good silicone rubber preservative or ArmorAll on the tires, other rubber and plastic. Cover the bike loosely with a couple old sheets. It would be a good idea to do an oil change just before you put it to sleep for the winter.0 -
Drain the tank, empty the fuel bowl
Pull the battery and take it inside
Buy a battery tender
Pull the plugs and put a winterizing oil in each cylinder, then cycle it a few times then replace the plugs
Put the bike on blocks to get the weight off the wheels
Then come down and do mine for me
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Put fuel stabilizer in the tank and top it off. Change the oil. Disconnect the battery. Park it inside under a cover. Also, leave the keys in the ignition so you don't misplace them over the winter. 0 -
Dump the gas.
Doug0 -
Put a stabilzer in the tank and run it until the mixture is worked though the carbs. Fill the tank. As the temperature changes, the fuel will expand and contract. Each time it will draw moist air into the tank, which will build up water. A full tank has much less air space to expand/contract. Take the battery in. May want to rub some kind of anti fungus spray on the seats. A warmer garage would be a better option than a cold one. Don't forget the to make sure the coolant is good for cold wheather.
In the summer change the oil and plug. Ride it and don't fill it up until it gets fairly low.0 -
It's more than just putting it up, it's taking it down too.
The tank needs to be full to the absolute top to prevent condensation from forming and rusting it out. Add fuel stabilizer to the fuel and run it long enough to get the mixed fuel into the rest of the fuel system. Remove the plugs and put 2 oz of non-detergent 40 or 50 weight oil in each cylinder. Turn the engine over two complete turns (by hand, not with the starter) with the plugs out, and then replace the plugs. Drain the crank case and fill it with the proper amount of clean fresh oil, plus an extra quart. Yes, over fill it. Remove the battery from the bike and place it on a shelf, at least 3 feet above the floor. Hook the battery tender to it and watch the water level through the winter. Set the bike on the center stand for the winter, and place a thin piece of plywood under the rear tire to keep it from contacting the concrete. If it is a chain drive, give the chain a good lube using chain lube, not WD-40.
After the winter is over, drain the excess oil (only the extra quart) from the crank case leaving the proper level of oil in the bike. Reinstall the battery and set the kill switch to off so the engine won't fire. Spin the motor several times with the plugs in. Then remove each plug and be sure the plug is clean and dry. Spray a small amount of starting fluid in each cylinder (one cylinder at a time) and immediately reinstall the plug. Set the kill switch to on and spray a small shot of the starting fluid in the air filter. Start the motor and let it run for 1 minute. Kill the motor and let it cool. Re lube the chain, and check the front brake, rear brake and clutch hydraulic systems by pulling the levers and pressing the pedal. If mushy or if you see any leaks, repair them. Check and correct the tire pressures, and check for and weather cracks on the side walls or in the treads. Drain and change the crankcase oil and the filter. Check any other fluid levels like coolant and hydraulics and be sure they are full. Check all lights and electrical switches to be sure they operate correctly. Remove the bike from the center stand and straddle it. Work the front forks for at least 3 minutes. Let the bike stand another 5 minutes and check for fork seal leaks, hydraulic fluid leaks, motor oil leaks, fuel leaks and coolant leaks if it's a water cooled engine.
If everything looks good at this point, take it for a short ride. If the engine runs rough, drain and change the fuel in the tank.0 -
quote:Originally posted by cubslover
2007 Honda Shadow Aero 750
What are your suggestions?
...get a real bike[;)]0 -
The oil in the cylinders is over-rated if it's just for winter storage. I'd only do that if I was storing it for 6+ months but to each their own. I also drain the carbs (turn off fuel switch, let run until the engine starts to sputter than pull that choke knob out all the way until it's dead--assuming that you've already stabilized the fuel in the tank and have let it circulate through the whole system). 0 -
I used to store my bike in winter. I followed the instructions in the owner's manual.
Regarding to leave the tank full or empty: If the tank is painted on the inside, leave it empty, and run the gas out of the carburetors. If the tank is bare steel on the inside, leave it full, with Sta-Bil in it, and run the engine long enough to get Sta-Bil treated fuel into the carbs and fuel lines. Sta-Bil is GOOD STUFF. Follow the directions on the can for proper dosage. A little too much is better than not enough.
DO NOT leave a steel fuel tank with an unpainted interior empty. It will rust.
My instructions also called for squirting oil into the spark plug holes, then turning over the engine slowly to coat the cylinders. It also called for filling the crankcase with a HUGE amount of oil. I forget the amount, but it was way more than one would put in and expect to drive it. I think the idea was to get the crankshaft, main bearings, and connecting rod bearings bathed in oil. Of course, this oil was drained, discarded, and replaced with the proper amount before ever trying to start the engine again.
Use a battery tender. It will keep you from having to buy a new battery in the spring.
My instructions also called for cleaning and waxing the exterior parts, putting the bike on the center stand, and blocking the frame so that neither wheel contacts the ground or floor.0 -
Adding oil to the cylenders is not a good idea. When you turn the engine over a " few times to coat" the walls the rings will wipe the walls clean and dry. Causing the bike to freeze up. 0
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