Winter and our bikes : Kawasaki ZX Forums: Kawasaki Ninja Forum

Rodsct · 09-20-2009, 11:36 AM

Hi
It may still be a little early in the year but winter is coming and some of us, who live in cold states, will just have to say goodbye to our bikes for the season. They will be reduced to beautiful garage ornaments.

What do you do to your bikes during winter time?
How do you store them for the season?
Do you ride if the weather is sufficiently fair?

I remove the battery, and charge it once a week, if I can I’ll drain the carburetors. Sometimes I will start the bike’s engine a little, and if I’m lucky I do get to ride a few times.
Last winter my carbs resented not being used because of fuel varnish deposits I guess. And it’s a real mess to clean all four of them after each winter.

Lucky dudes all of you who live in fair weather winter states!

Regards

Mike P · 09-20-2009, 12:01 PM

I'm lucky enough to be able to ride year round. Don't mind temps, I have ridden in single digits. Don't mind rain but mix cold and moisture together then I'm out. Where I live that is only a problem maybe for a couple of weeks out of the year.

My current bike is new enough on miles that no major service needs to be performed or I would take advantage of not so good weather to do such things like remove and lube all pivot points, clean calipers etc etc.

Kawi_T · 09-20-2009, 12:30 PM

Before storage I always try to get it really clean. Fill it up with fresh gas and put some Stabil in it. As far as the Stabil goes I do the double dose for long term storage (instructions on the bottle). Make sure I run it so that the stabilized fuel gets throughout the entire system. Do an oil/filter change (old oil is contaminated, get that crap outa there and put some fresh stuff in). Clean/lube the chain. Cover it up and try to get through the long, freezing Chicago winter. I don't start it again until its spring time and ready to ride. Did this exact procedure last year. When I pulled it out in the spring it fired right up as if I had just ridden it yesterday.

JBearSVT · 09-20-2009, 04:37 PM

I ride mine down the bulkhead into the basement for the winter, which for me was less than two months last year. As soon as the sand is off the roads it's out in the garage again. I don't do anything special with mine, but it's FI so that makes a huge difference. I put some Lucas in the tank and fill it before I put it away, and I have an exhaust hose I can tie into the dryer vent to start it up every other week or so. Last year when I took it out it ran exactly like it did when I put it away.

Flyingwarrior · 09-20-2009, 05:04 PM

i live in florida and i am happy to say i get to ride ALL YEAR LONG!!!!! it does get cold sometimes but nothing a few layers cant handle.

**Shifty1** · 09-20-2009, 08:27 PM

I give her an oil change, fresh full tank of gas with some sta-bil, lube the chain, lower the pressure in the tires a bit, put a rag in the tail pipe and ram air, park it on some carpet in the garage and cover her up. Every day that it's above 50 for more than a couple hours, I take it out for a ride. According to my log, my last ride last year was Nov. 13th and I got it back out for good Apr 17th, but I did ride around the block a few times in between.

jah · 09-20-2009, 08:33 PM

this will be my first winter, however im in texas, and dunno how it will pan out exactly...will update accordingly..

but i am interested in the rest of joos.

jah · 09-20-2009, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyingwarrior

i live in florida and i am happy to say i get to ride ALL YEAR LONG!!!!! it does get cold sometimes but nothing a few layers cant handle.

sweet.

Rodsct · 09-21-2009, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyingwarrior

i live in florida and i am happy to say i get to ride ALL YEAR LONG!!!!! it does get cold sometimes but nothing a few layers cant handle.

That’s great! I like Florida very much!

Rodsct · 09-21-2009, 03:59 PM

Thank you for your tips, guys. I see that I’m missing on the Stabil, it would be useful to prevent those nasty deposits.
I see several of you insist in an oil change, but exactly why before you store the bike and not when you start it again after winter?

**Shifty1** · 09-21-2009, 04:03 PM

As oil sits, it breaks down and collects water and can do damage to some seals in the engine. And actually, you should (and I do) change the oil before storage and then again when I take it out of storage.

kawiforlife · 09-21-2009, 04:05 PM

I would buy a snowmobile or and ATV!!!

Down here in fla we go through basically the same crap way too hot to ride three months out of the year, and it rain's everyday..

ALBERT55 · 09-21-2009, 04:23 PM

Yep, one of the many great things Cali has to offer is great riding weather all year long. If its cold its usually around 65. And thats in the winter! Good ol' Los Angeles baby!

Rodsct · 09-21-2009, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shifty1

As oil sits, it breaks down and collects water and can do damage to some seals in the engine. And actually, you should (and I do) change the oil before storage and then again when I take it out of storage.

Ok thanks Shifty. Note taken!
I know oil can be expensive, especially the synthetic one, but I guess we shouldn’t mess with our bike’s blood. I’ll do that next winter.

Rodsct · 09-21-2009, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kawiforlife

I would buy a snowmobile or and ATV!!!

Down here in fla we go through basically the same crap way too hot to ride three months out of the year, and it rain's everyday..

I’ve got a similar problem here in North Carolina; I sometimes just won’t stop raining!
I don’t mind rain, what I do mind is getting my nice clean vintage bike all messed up!

Rodsct · 09-21-2009, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALBERT55

Yep, one of the many great things Cali has to offer is great riding weather all year long. If its cold its usually around 65. And thats in the winter! Good ol' Los Angeles baby!

I think you’ve got the very best place and weather for riding bikes, at least in the whole US of A! That’s fantastic, man!

kawiforlife · 09-21-2009, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodsct

I’ve got a similar problem here in North Carolina; I sometimes just won’t stop raining!
I don’t mind rain, what I do mind is getting my nice clean vintage bike all messed up!

I would trade you those few days for a nice ride on those country rodes in mid november. Man i miss the change and the excellent twisties on those country rodes. The way i have to practice down here is put my mini cones in a backpack and head to the fairgrounds parking lot and do a shitload of figure 8 until the police chase me away. It really sucks down here to ride

. I have a trackday in november and a track school in dec. I havent rode my bike in 2 months. Its time to put some serious hours on the bike.

BoatTrashBill · 09-21-2009, 07:21 PM

And during those winter months if you get to a point where you cant stand it and you just have to ride ,me personally , i would stick to the side/back roads. I found ice twice last year , and it was on the interstate , beneath the overpasses , i didnt find any on the back roads though. it was a little nipply when i left the house and i thought it was a light drizzle but it turned out to be sleet , i didnt notice really until the guy at the gas station pointed to all the ice on the front of my jacket.

rrzxter · 09-21-2009, 08:10 PM

We should all quit workin for a year and just convoy around the country, take eachother to the best places to ride in our areas at the best time of the year.

ryedenhard · 09-21-2009, 08:36 PM

We should all quit workin for a year and just convoy around the country, take eachother to the best places to ride in our areas at the best time of the year.

Im with you rrzxter Im already laid off lets go!