Winter storage prep...

[lancerplayer]

Will I do more harm than good letting my Yamaha FZ6 run for about 10 minutes once per week during the winter months?

I'm debating doing that or storing the bike all winter and not touching it until spring.

Thoughts?

 

[datech]

Originally Posted By: lancerplayer
Will I do more harm than good letting my Yamaha FZ6 run for about 10 minutes once per week during the winter months?

I'm debating doing that or storing the bike all winter and not touching it until spring.

Thoughts?


I wouldn't idle for 10 mins. Probably better to ride it 30-40 mins once a month, or not at all.

 

[tom3holer]

Non ethanol gas is hard to come by here in the Northeast unless you use aviation 100LL which isn't low lead at all.
The caution I would recommend is keep the tank full with double stabilized fuel and DO NOT DRAIN THE CARB. Keep the carb full after making sure some of the stabilized gas is in there. We have seen more problems with drained carbs.

Tom

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: tom3holer
Non ethanol gas is hard to come by here in the Northeast unless you use aviation 100LL which isn't low lead at all.
The caution I would recommend is keep the tank full with double stabilized fuel and DO NOT DRAIN THE CARB. Keep the carb full after making sure some of the stabilized gas is in there. We have seen more problems with drained carbs.

Tom


Agreed. I did just that!

 

[Luciano]

After reading this I feel lucky. Never stored my bike. I wouldn't know how to

Where I am winter is 65F.

 

[beanoil]

Dose with a stabilizer before filling up. Ride home, change oil and filter. Wash, clean, wax, and do any normal maintenance. Park the bike with a battery tender on the battery. I put blocks of wood under the tires, or a couple scraps of old carpet, just because I always have. I cover with a light bed sheet just to keep dust off. I've done the same thing for 30 years, on all kinds of makes, including my 12 Spyder. No issues.

 

[KawasakiGuy]

1. Wash and wax bike
2. Clean and lube chain
3. Fresh oil change
4. Fill tank and add 1/4 bottle of seafoam
5. Remove battery and put on a maintainer.
6. Put bike up on stands and put on the bike cover

That's my routine. Come spring I check the air in the tires and off I go!

 

[Lapham3]

I got my first bike in 1969. I have always changed oil, run the carbs dry and drained the gas tank and bring it in the dry basement and with the battery sitting next to it

 

[BigCahuna]

For the guys that are willing to ride thru the winter, but don't know who or where to go, and live in NJ,PA,NY and Conn, take a look at this site. http://www.polarbeargrandtour.com/. I've been riding with this group of guys for 11 years. We usually don't ride if the roads are salt covered, icy, or if there's snow on the road, but some do. Every Sunday there's a ride somewhere. The weather usually stays pretty decent up until February. Then we'll pick and choose which days to go, or stay home. Dressing the correct way, means the difference between freezing or being able to be comfortable and able to ride all day.,,

 

[ABerns]

Originally Posted By: lancerplayer
Will I do more harm than good letting my Yamaha FZ6 run for about 10 minutes once per week during the winter months?

I'm debating doing that or storing the bike all winter and not touching it until spring.

Thoughts?


I wouldn't idle it at all. As another poster said, you'd want to get it hot enough to remove any condensation, and if its cold enough that you aren't riding, its probably cold enough that idling to get up to those temps and burning off condensation is going to take a *long* time.

I used to do everything, including fogging cylinders. Now I'm in the 'I'll throw some Sta-bil and ride it quick, store with a full tank' crowd. It might not keep things perfect at a microscopic level compared to the full detail, but it is likely unnoticeable for me.

 

[Robenstein]

Some bikes you cannot even get the plugs out to fog the cylinders without taking a bunch off. My bike before I took off the egr/sai system had stuff in the way so I would have to take the gas tank off to get at the plugs from above.