Winter is almost here. I read the owner's manual, all over the web and I'm pretty familiar with all that is involved when storing the bike for the winter. This is my first winter owning a bike, so I wanted to share with you and get your thoughts.
This is what I did/do:
- I washed it really well and waxed it before the cold weather arrived
- I have the bike on a battery tender and stored in my garage which doesn't get too cold
- Tank is almost empty, maybe 1/2 gallon left.
- Every 5 to 7 days i roll the bike out of the garage and run it for about 15/20 minutes until operating temperature.
Is this ok to do?
Thanks
What year/model do you have?
Take that last step out and you should be fine. Wouldn't be a bad idea to squirt some oil down your spark plug holes and then hand crank. A light coat of WD-40 over stainless steel screws wont hurt either. Also put some fuel stabilizer in there and fill the tank up all the way. You might want to run it for a few seconds w/ the stabilizer to make sure stabilizer gets in the carbs.
Id fill the tank to minimize the air in there (condensation). Some add fuel stabilizer but I never do and I never have a problem in the spring.
I wouldn't be starting it until spring. It'll be fine, really.
Generally I don't do an oil change before winter as oil goes bad with time and with use. Yes there are acids in the engine oil after it's old, but I've never had it eat a hole in my cases ;)
Battery tender - good.
I just push it in the corner and sulk until spring hits [laugh]
I do the oil first thing in the spring also.
For the serious motorcycle novices in the crowd, can you go over how to crank the engine by hand?
Turn the key on and push the starter button with your thumb
?
Hmmm, I guess that's pretty simple. [bang]
Quote from: Monsterlover on November 04, 2009, 03:54:17 AM
Turn the key on and push the starter button with your thumb
?
or if you have a rear stand, put in neutral and roll the rear wheel i guess...
You could also do that (but it will need to be in gear if you want to roll the engine over)
I can't see why cranking the engine over would be useful though.
Starting the bike every few weeks is likely to foul the plugs, it never really gets hot enough to burn off deposits. It's better to either use fogging oil or squirt some oil into the cylinders and crank the engine over a few times to coat them, then just reinstall the plugs and leave it for the winter.
It's still good to move the bike every week or so if it's not on stands, keeps the tires from developing flat spots.
I remove the battery so it doesn't accidentally overcharge, crack or explode, and dribble all over the bike. I just put it on the shelf and charge it up in the spring. Maybe not likely to happen but it takes me about 5 minutes.
I plug the intake and exhaust with rags to discourage critters from sneaking in and building nests in there.
As mentioned, it's important to fill the tank to prevent condensation and rusting on the inside. I don't bother with fuel stabilizer, only a few months of down time.
I do an oil and filter change before I put it away. Oil that's been in a running engine tends to collect corrosive sulphur compounds. No point letting them sit there all winter. Plus it's one less thing to do it spring.
Lastly, throw an old, clean cotton sheet over it. Cheap and it keeps the dust off.
Scott
Quote from: Monsterlover on November 04, 2009, 07:23:56 AM
You could also do that (but it will need to be in gear if you want to roll the engine over)
I can't see why cranking the engine over would be useful though.
Man and machine bonding.
Quote from: Monsterlover on November 04, 2009, 03:36:37 AM
Id fill the tank to minimize the air in there (condensation). Some add fuel stabilizer but I never do and I never have a problem in the spring.
I wouldn't be starting it until spring. It'll be fine, really.
Generally I don't do an oil change before winter as oil goes bad with time and with use. Yes there are acids in the engine oil after it's old, but I've never had it eat a hole in my cases ;)
Battery tender - good.
I just push it in the corner and sulk until spring hits [laugh]
I do the oil first thing in the spring also.
We're pretty sure that dirty oil trashed the main bearing on the 750 while stored. It had been stored for quite a while before I got it. All it really takes is acid eating the hard surface of a ball or race and it's history.
I'd also recommend fogging the motor.
Why fog?
Quote from: Monsterlover on November 04, 2009, 12:01:19 PM
Why fog?
Because the valves and seats will rust. I think ethanol is compounding the issue.
I learned my lesson this past spring. Remember the Monster was busted?
No, do tell.
Quote from: Monsterlover on November 04, 2009, 12:16:21 PM
No, do tell.
Try to keep up. :P
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=31358.msg544961#msg544961 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=31358.msg544961#msg544961)
[roll]
nice.
How old is your bike? I had a 2000 m900 that sat all winter 3x with no fogging and it was ok.
Possible they used different material for the valve seats?
What do you use to fog?
Quote from: Monsterlover on November 04, 2009, 12:43:02 PM
[roll]
nice.
How old is your bike? I had a 2000 m900 that sat all winter 3x with no fogging and it was ok.
Possible they used different material for the valve seats?
What do you use to fog?
My bike is a 96...bought used in 2000
I fogged it the first few years...then got lazy with no issues
They were using MBTE in the fuel up until last year when they started using 10% ethanol.
Coincidence?
I'm not gonna chance it.
I use stuff in an aerosol can called 'fogging oil'. :P
No issues with clogging the injectors? I've seen some complaints from 4 stroke outboard owners on that.
Scott
Quote from: scott_araujo on November 04, 2009, 01:41:30 PM
No issues with clogging the injectors? I've seen some complaints from 4 stroke outboard owners on that.
Scott
From fogging?
My monster is carbed. My 996 is injected.
Yeah, I saw some complaints from fogging both carbs and injectors on the outboard forums. I tend to think it's from spraing too much oil down the intake and then the oil gunking up the small orifices in either. Just curious.
Scott
Quote from: scott_araujo on November 04, 2009, 02:09:16 PM
Yeah, I saw some complaints from fogging both carbs and injectors on the outboard forums. I tend to think it's from spraing too much oil down the intake and then the oil gunking up the small orifices in either. Just curious.
Scott
so, after all... should i spray the intakes or just in the spark plugs ??
if i spray either way, i shouldn't have to start the bike ever 5 days or so, correct?
my whole point of starting the bike was to circulate the oil and avoid having to mess with fogging the engine... would that not work?
Quote from: scott_araujo on November 04, 2009, 02:09:16 PM
Yeah, I saw some complaints from fogging both carbs and injectors on the outboard forums. I tend to think it's from spraing too much oil down the intake and then the oil gunking up the small orifices in either. Just curious.
Scott
I've personally never had any issues with the carbed bike and I know Bruce Meyers always recommended it in both carbed and FI bikes. That's where I got my info. I didn't do the 996 or the monster last year. I will do both this year.
He however didn't recommend killing the motor with the fogging oil. Just enough to make the bike smoke from the exhaust.
Quote from: jamanta on November 04, 2009, 02:20:25 PM
so, after all... should i spray the intakes or just in the spark plugs ??
if i spray either way, i shouldn't have to start the bike ever 5 days or so, correct?
my whole point of starting the bike was to circulate the oil and avoid having to mess with fogging the engine... would that not work?
Starting the bike and running for short periods causes condensation and creates other problems.
I don't recommend it.
Yup, fog it and forget it. Just leave it until you start it in the spring. Unless you're going to go for a good long ride regularly and really get it up to temp it does more harm than good to start it every few weeks.
Scott
Quote from: scott_araujo on November 04, 2009, 02:25:56 PM
Yup, fog it and forget it. Just leave it until you start it in the spring. Unless you're going to go for a good long ride regularly and really get it up to temp it does more harm than good to start it every few weeks.
Scott
awesome, i will do that.
i will spray into the intake with the bike running. can i spray into one intake or should i do both?
about the battery, would it be ok to leave it on the bike and just have the tender connected?
You need to do both cylinders.
The tender will be fine.
Quote from: ducpainter on November 04, 2009, 02:34:31 PM
You need to do both cylinders.
The tender will be fine.
thanks. sorry for the questions. my first moto-winter :)
Quote from: jamanta on November 04, 2009, 02:44:07 PM
thanks. sorry for the questions. my first moto-winter :)
Don't be sorry.
I'd rather answer your storage questions than try to figure out what's wrong in the spring. ;D
How do I get to the intakes on a 2005 Monster 620 (another novice question)?
Quote from: positivecarry on November 04, 2009, 03:23:56 PM
How do I get to the intakes on a 2005 Monster 620 (another novice question)?
There's some good info here....
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=31358.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=31358.0)
Quote from: ducpainter on November 04, 2009, 02:34:31 PM
You need to do both cylinders.
The tender will be fine.
If spraying the fogging oil through the throttle bodies you will need two cans (one for each) if equipped set the idle slightly high to ensure that you are really able to get it smoking before killing it.
Quote from: gage on November 04, 2009, 05:12:15 PM
If spraying the fogging oil through the throttle bodies you will need two cans (one for each) if equipped set the idle slightly high to ensure that you are really able to get it smoking before killing it.
I spray alternately into each bellmouth and it seemed to work fine.
Like I've said in the other thread I got lazy for a while.
There are only two reasons for fogging to hurt fuel injectors:
1. Go apeshit with the stuff.
2. Blame fogging, but the problem was something else, like misuse of fuel stabilizer.
You can often get away without fogging, but why would you take the risk? A little work and money verses a lot of work and money? No brainer to me.
Why would fogging hurt fuel injectors?
The fog spray is delivered through the intake tract, not the fuel system?
What am I missing?
Quote from: Monsterlover on November 05, 2009, 03:45:07 AM
Why would fogging hurt fuel injectors?
The fog spray is delivered through the intake tract, not the fuel system?
What am I missing?
Exactly [thumbsup]
thanks for all the advice guys, i fully winterized my bike this weekend
filled the tank and added stabilizer, fogged the cylinders by spraying into the intakes, cleaned and lubed the chain and put it on the battery tender. hopefully i'm good to go.
the bad thing is that i found a nail on my tire and i'll need to replace it befer riding season comes :(
Relax! Now you have all winter to fix it!
Nice job on getting your winterizing done right.
Scott
Winter storage? What's that? I ride the winter.... [beer]
Quote from: fouramdesigns on November 09, 2009, 01:09:40 PM
Winter storage? What's that? I ride the winter.... [beer]
you must live somewhere other than oregon. here it rains pretty much everyday from november until april and it is pretty cold too [coffee]
not as cold, but pretty rainy, Nashville.
Quote from: jamanta on November 10, 2009, 06:40:28 AM
you must live somewhere other than oregon. here it rains pretty much everyday from november until april and it is pretty cold too [coffee]
Lies! It' Nov 10th and it was only
partly rainy. I made it all the way to work without even getting wet. I bet there will be a dry day in December too!
Scott
Quote from: scott_araujo on November 10, 2009, 07:04:03 AM
Lies! It' Nov 10th and it was only partly rainy. I made it all the way to work without even getting wet. I bet there will be a dry day in December too!
Scott
hahah, today right? first dry day in a while.
is everyone here from oregon? seems like everyone i talk to is from here [beer]
I have Olympia ride gear, waterproof/breathable/insulated
Quote from: fouramdesigns on November 10, 2009, 07:00:18 AM
not as cold, but pretty rainy, Nashville.
cool, i used to live in tennessee. i lived in jackson then i moved close to knoxville
then you know the area. The I-40 Jackson is a crap drive. So boring. I ride fulltime, sold my car. The Duc and me go everywhere. Back home to Miss for the holidays...should be a blast...of cold ass air
Back on topic...
please.