Questions on preparing for winter storage

[datter]

Hi all, it's starting to get cold up here in Nova Scotia and though I usually ride well into December, this year I'm putting her away early. By the time I decided to do it last year it was so cold out I couldn't bring myself to really do much, so I just covered it up (no garage or shed here) and hoped for the best. In the spring time she was pretty gummed up of course.

So before it gets too cold to handle tools outside, I'm planning on taking her for one more spin to burn off what little gas I have left and then get it set up for winter.

Curious about any recommendations as to best practices? As said the bike will be sitting outside all winter like always, though wrapped in numerous tarps to keep the snow off. Here's how I was thinking of prepping it for hibernation...

1. Take final ride to warm fluids up and burn off some of the remaining gas.
2. Drain oil, while engine is still warm.
3. Drain remaining gas and remove gas tank.
4. Cover ends of hoses that went to the tank with plastic/ties.
5. Remove battery.
6. Cover with tarps and everything down.

Is there anything else anyone would recommend doing to keep this bike in good shape while sitting idle outside over the long winter?

Thanks,
datter

[ClarkGriswald]

Condensation/moisture is your biggest enemy, not sure where you store it but someplace where the temps are more stable is probably best.. if it is a dry shop or garage then I would say use some bedsheets or cloth rather than plastic tarps, this way they can breath. There is also "fogging oil " you can shoot into the sparkplug holes and it protects the upper cylinder, we always used to use this in our outboard motors. Some plug for the exhaust pipes will keep rodents/bugs out. And of course sitting on tires for long periods is never good, mabye put it on the center stand and block up the front frame (just above the oil filter) so both tires are off the ground. Thats all I could think of.

[dbeardslee]

datter - check this tech tip http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=195.

[boyat68]

datter:

Since you are going to remove the tank, I would suggest that you coat the inside of the tank with a little motor oil to retard corrosion during storage. I would also spray a little WD40 into the fuel lines before tying them off, leaving a little bit in the carbs to prevent scaling and corrosion during storage. And of course store the battery in a warm place or add a trickle charger as the battery will loose charge over the winter and the electrolyte will freeze. Since I live in a much warmer climate, I will just ensure that the tank is full with a little added seafoam and a trickle charger is kept on the battery.

[mitch]

Storage

Fill the etank up not empty and add Stabil from Canadian tire run it till the Stabil is in the carbs then turn the petcocks off and run it till the bike dies . Now your gas is good to go next spring. Dont leave it empty of oil . either change it now or at least leave the oil in it . Take the battery out and cover the mufflers or stuff oily rags in them to keep the mice out and also in your air intake under the seat mice luv air boxes. Now tarp her over and have a nice cold ALPINE. See you next May at XSEAST 2009!!!!
Doug

[datter]

hmm, some conflicting advice... but all good just the same.

Leaving the oil in it, and replacing it with fresh in the spring sounds like a good idea. Not too keen on leaving the gas tank on though, as last year I ended up with gummed up carbs... though I didn't put any stabilizer in it I guess. Still I'm more inclined to pull the tank off, and maybe spray a bit of WD in the hoses before I tie them off as suggested. I also like the idea of getting the tires off the ground. Center stand/blocking the front tire off the ground is a great idea.

Happy to hear any other opinions on this, if there are any.

oh and thanks for that link dbeardslee, reading that over now.

[jeffe]

Ditto the idea of filling tank and adding Stabil. I don't run it untill it dies. I leave the gas with the Stabil in the carbs. I do add some Seafoam in the spring. I did this for years on my 82 650 Seca and never, yes never ,had to touch the carbs in over 100,000 miles. It even had to sit out side under a cover for most of these years. I've done it to XS11 for the 3 winters I've owned it and have not had to do anything to the carbs beyond the original major cleaning and one replaced float. I do pull the plugs and add a little oil to the top end. I also plug the exhaust and the air intake. We have a storage unit to put the bikes in so I do not cover the bike so that no moisture will collect around it.

[andreashweiss]

I agree, filltank,add staybil, run,turn off petcocks, run carbs dry,tires should be off cement, add a piece of carpet, leave oil, drain in spring, put battery in house,charge every 2mthes, in spring, change oil, put some oil down cylinder,check tire pressure,bleed brakes,install battery, check gear oil or change middle/final drive,

[Ken Talbot]

My theory on oil change:

I prefer to drain the oil to get out any moisture and contaminants that have built up sinece the last change. I put in fresh oil, the cheapest I can find, and spin the motor over with the plugs out long enough to turn off the presure light. I fog the cylinders with a good shot of oil at this same time. I put the plugs back in loosely, leaving the wires off. Come spring time, I fire up and run the first couple of times on the cheap oil, drop it, then put in the good stuff for the summer.

My theory on tarps:

I store my fleet in a fairly well enclosed, unheated carport. A couple of years back I thought I would put my fancy motorcycle covers on two of the bikes and tarps on the rest. Over winter, the bit moisture that came up from the concrete slab, or that came from the air over winter, seemed to get trapped under the covers and tarps and cause a lot of rust. The bikes stayed relatively clean, but the rust was a pain to get rid of in spring. Since then, I have not used covers or tarps. I have had no trapped moisture and no more rust. The bikes all got very dirty from months of dust accumulation, but that was a lot easier to clean up than the rust.

YMMV...

[datter]

Would you cover it if it was in a drive way with a few feet of snow from say December until April? Maybe if I wipe it down with a light oil that will keep the moisture off, and the tarp will keep the snow off.

[Ken Talbot]

That would make it worth while covering over, but I would still be careful about getting it wrapped up in too much of a cocoon. Cover it enough to keep the rain and snow off, and keep good air curculation under the cover. Maybe you could cover it with a small sheet of tin, held up by a light framework of small dimension lumber, with some light sheathing on the sides for stiffening, and maybe a hinged flap of some sort on one end...

Oh wait, that would be a shed then, wouldn't it?

[firstxs1100]

my thoughts on this subject

elevating the tires are a great idea and the circulation of air underneath its cacoon is good also. putting new oil in now or waiting till riding time will most likely be the same. i would not suggest draining the old oil and leaving it sitting as the lack of oil on the bottom end all of those months will leave the crankshaft starving for oil on startup as well as the oil lubrication system. as for the gas tank i would suggest having it coated inside and i talked with a yamaha mechanic a few hours ago about mine sitting for the winter and he said a good shot of 2 cycle oil in the gas tank will lubricate all of the inside ports of the carb.it will also lubricate the petcocks and all of those gaskets too. just leave it like that occasionally starting it up every month or so will do the trick on keeping the carbs from being gummed up. as you let it run peridically it will also lubricate the top end and valves from the 2 cycle oil that you put in the tank. battery is a good thing to either replace or trickle charge. i would take the seat off and put it inside as the changes in temperature will work on the stitching pulling and pushing at the seams. good idea to plug all the exhaust and intake holes too. i would leave the tank completely full of gas and oil and some stabil too. if you leave the tank empty condesation will form inside and get water in the carbs. dont want that!!!

[ClarkGriswald]

Yeah if its gonna be outside in the snow then tarps but ventilation somehow. Other idea would be build up some blocks or planks on some heavy supports and roll it up on there a foot or more off the ground.. this way when that thawing cycle happens and the snow clings onto any object that is taller than it.. it will cling on to the "base" rather than your wheels and lower half of the bike. I and others have splits in the bottom frame rails from water getting in there and freezing, splits just like a water pipe would. Remember its not humid outside when its frozen, only during the thaw/re-snow thing. I think if you left the bottom open a little, heck maybe set a piece of flexible perforated drain pipe across it from bow to stern, hanging down by either tire (mice might like that though). My bike has sat outside for at least 3 years that I know of and I am positive many more but that was when it was a junk piece of scrap metal. It did ok because the sun and wind could dry it, but this summer I personally caused more rust by putting a plastic tarp on it during storms and at night if it was gonna rain. I mean stuff that I had just cleaned up and also all my brand new hardware is wasted already from only a few nights. You should see how corroded my entire timing mechanism and vac diaphragm is (that was from before).

Hm as I was writing this I had an idea. Rather than just outside how about something akin to those small backyard greenhouses that are just a 2x4 frame with some plastic film on it.. I would imagine this would be superior to a tarp in the snow. Sorry to ramble Im just thinking about the hell I go thru in the winter with my stuff.

[Ken Talbot]

Here's why I can't get away with just a tarp over the bike in the side or back yard:



Tough to get into the back or side yard, then couldn't keep any air circulation under a tarp anyways...

[tarzan]

Hey Ken that looks like my yard last winter.
My bikes were tucked in the garage w/o cover.Full gas tank old oil on centerstand.I shut off the petcocks and let it run out of gas.