Winter storage tips?

[AK ducati]

So unfortunately the time has come...sigh!  Have to finally put the bike (2006 M620 Dark) into storage for the next few months (until around May or so) and live vicariously through the forum, looking on jealously as people in sunnier climes ride continuously.  I'll be placing the bike in a garage.  Is there anything I should do prior?  I was going to grease the chain, and leave the gas tank filled up (Alaska is one of the few states that doesn't have ethanol in the fuel as far as I know, so this shouldn't affect the plastic tank).  Anything else I should/shouldn't do?  Thanks for any help!

[ChrisK]

Put it on front and rear stands if you have them.

[Novelo]

Tutorial
http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=4169.0

I've never had to deal with the bad winters like the people farther north although it does get cold here in Georgia. Biggest concerns would be pest and getting the gas out of the bike. So drain the fuel and plug up any holes that critters can get into heard of them making nest in the air box.

[ducpainter]

Change the oil.

[krolik]

Move to southern California, ride all year long. 

[AK ducati]

Hey, thanks much for all the pointers!  I should have enough space in the storage area to put the bike up on the rear jackstand.  And while riding all year sounds tempting, I don't know that it's worth leaving AK for-besides, the long winters make us appreciate the summers that much more    Sure, you might run into a bear crossing the highway while riding, but that makes life a little more exciting (luckily I was able to stop well in time so that momma bear didn't get ticked and charge me.....)

[HotIce]

Move to southern California, ride all year long. 

Heh, every time I hear winter, I say instinctively "Of fsck!" ... but then I remember I moved to CA in 2010 

[SpikeC]

 If it was mine, I would put some stabilizer in the gas and run it enough to get the juice into the nooks and crannies of the fuel system.

[AK ducati]

Thanks Spike-Would I need to drain the tank before starting it up next summer?  Never used it before.

[SpikeC]

 From what I understand it burns just fine!

[BoDiddley]

To Drain tank or Not to drain tank, is that still an ongoing debate?  I have always drained mine but this year I am leaving it full of pure gas and giving it a start up and let run every two weeks.

[Skybarney]

I just fill it up with gas and put the battery tender on when it starts to rain.  Norther Cali has a pretty long riding season also.  With heated gear and drought it is almost as regular as So-Cal. Better scenery though (unless riding by the beach).

[corey]

To Drain tank or Not to drain tank, is that still an ongoing debate?  I have always drained mine but this year I am leaving it full of pure gas and giving it a start up and let run every two weeks.

Better off not running it. You likely won't run it long enough to compensate for any condensation that the heat will create. Just put some stabilizer in, run it for a few, and then seal her up. Even pure gas breaks down.

[ducatiz]

Plastic tank?

Drain it.  Don't take the chance.  I don't care what kind of pure gas you can find.  The only reason to keep gas in a tank during storage is with an unlined steel tank to prevent rust.

Pure gasoline still absorbs water and a plastic tank will wick that out of the mix.

Absolutely ZERO reason to keep gas in a plastic tank, and 100 reasons not to.

If you've lined the plastic tank, then that eliminates the moisture issue, but there is still the possibility that the fuel mix will eat away at the liner.

Fuel additives such as Startron or Stabil are useless for protecting the tank.  They will help the fuel burn later (and burn dirty), but that's not going to prevent your plastic tank from sucking up the condensed water in the mix.  What they do is help the engine overcome water's resistance to being combusted -- that's all. 

Ask them for proof that they work to prevent moisture from getting in the fuel.


Plastic tank: DRAIN IT.




If you want to really store it, it's better to fog the engine properly than to put fuel stabilizer in the mix.  If you've never fogged an engine, it's easy to figure out.

Also, if you're not going to start it, run it hard  (this gets the crap sitting in nooks and crannies into suspension), and then kill it by spraying fogging oil into the intakes.  This lubes up the valves, seats and cylinders.  .  Leave it draining overnight to get everything you can out.  Then fill it properly with clean oil.  Run the starter (don't start) until the oil pressure light goes out.  Now add another 2-3 quarts in it until it is overflowing.  This pushes oil up to the level of the crank and submerges everything.  Tank the battery out so you don't make the mistake of starting it like this.  Turn the engine by hand to get the new oil worked into everything.

Put it up on stands and you're done.  Maybe spray everything down with S100 anti corrosive spray, which works nicely.

I've done this for bikes that are in storage and the engine comes out looking like new.  Biggest thing I'm afraid of when I buy a barn bike is that the rings or valves will be rusted to the seats, which they often are.  Fogging prevents this and neutralizes corrosive elements.

Overfilling does the same thing in the crankcase that storing a metal tank filled does -- prevents corrosion inside on bearings, crank, rods, clutch bits.  Most of this stuff is SPLASH lubed, so if it is sitting for a long time, it ends up DRY.  Then when you go to start it, it is running dry until that oil pressure comes up. 

[memper]

I will add that those of us with carbs should run the bike parked with the fuel tap shut off (yes you should have one), draining the carbs of fuel so jets don't become clogged.