[Habanero Kid]

For those of us that live up north, ol' man winter is on his way. I particularly want to know about synth. oils in the winter. I know how to winterize my bikes, but synth. oil is new to me. I'll be changing it this weekend. After I let it sit all winter, does it deteriorate like dino oil? I change the dino oil in my Shadow in the fall and then again in the spring before I run it even though it's essentially new. I know there will be moisture in the oil, but that will burn off when the bike gets to op. temp. right? Can I just run the synth. in the spring or should I just change it?

For those of you with an alarm... I usually remove the batteries from my toys and keep them in the basement during the winter months. (No garage)This way they don't freeze and I can trickle charge them. Should I leave it in and just run it from time to time? I won't actually get to ride untill AFTER the first good rain in the spring, they use way too much salt up here. It'll have to idle for 15 or 20 minutes. Whaddya think?

Bob

 

[Thealien]

I'm from Massachusetts, ride all winter.

 

[blackwhisper]

Winterizing...never heard of such a thing

 

[FXDeanX]

Sounds good. If you change your oil before you put the bike away, there'll be no reason to change it again in the spring; it'll still be clean. You don't want old oil sitting in the bike all winter with any moisture and impurities working their evil mojo. Don't forget to top off the tank so there's no room for moisture to corrode the lining, add a stabilizer and drain the float bowl (unless, of course, you have FI).

Dean

 

[harleyhog]

For those of us that live up north, ol' man winter is on his waychBob [/QE]?


Later when I#m at uilyzhssy eudihfl;kils\d,b./kL<:>

 

[fourhour]

Re: Re: Winterizing !!!!!!

For those of us that live up north, ol' man winter is on his waychBob [/QE]?


Later when I#m at uilyzhssy eudihfl;kils\d,b./kL<:>

Harleyhog, Could you please tell us in plainfucking english just what it that you smoke across the pond. Man, I can't decipher halfyerfuckin messages!

 

[FXDeanX]

Re: Re: Re: Winterizing !!!!!!

Harleyhog, Could you please tell us in plainfucking english just what it that you smoke across the pond. Man, I can't decipher halfyerfuckin messages!

Thanks,man. I thought it was just me

Dean

 

[yellowFatboy200]

Ditto



Winterizing, you mean put on some long john's???

 

[harleyhog]

If ya don't understand the time zones and the weekend,............ I'm drunk and I shouldn't really do it!!!

 

[Habanero Kid]

HAAAAAaaaaa Haaaaaaaaa....

I was gonna ask ya if ya had just left the pub !!! Funny how I understood that as drunkspeak

Now, could someone answer my question? As I said they put down too much salt here in the winter. If you live up here you know what it does to a car. I'm not going to do that to my bike. I ride up 'till the first layer of salt, then I'm done. Besides, why do you think I keep the Shadow around?

 

[nodoze]

Mornin' HK, I live just a few miles east of you, so I know what your talking about. When the snow is gone & the blacktop is still white, you know that way to much salt has been used!

As far as your questions go, if your bike is stored in an unheated area I'd remove the battery like you've been doing to prevent damage due to freezing & just change the oil in the fall.

I'm no expert, but it is my understanding that the reason to change the oil in the fall is to get rid of all the nasties that will corrode you engine from the inside out if they are left to sit for many months. If your bike is not run during the winter then to oil should be just as clean as when you put it in. I have never heard anyone recommend changing in the fall & then again in the spring. I don't know if synthetics would breakdown over the 4-5 months while your bike is in storage, but I don't really see why they would. I mean, during the riding season are you supposed to change your oil every so many months or miles?

If anybody else can shed some light on this I'd also be interested in hearing your opinions.

 

[yellowFatboy200]

Well I would tell ya to put a heavy coat on you and yer ride and rinse both after a ride but. Anyway, if the oil gets to freezing point it's will gather all the moister into little drops. Every time it freezes and thaws, the same thing. Then in the spring when you fire that thing up, you will have water in your oil. I guess it will depend on the humidity in the area where it is as to how much water collects. You can burn off a little by getting it hot, but all that crap will be going all over your motor. And the more there is, the worse it is. But for a couple bucks I'd say change that shiit. Idle for 25 mins??? Idle doesn't do any good. You can't reach op temp by idle and you will do more harm than good. And don't ya just cream yer jeans when a nice day comes in the mitts of winter and you hear that familiar distant sound, the roar of my V-TWIN in the distance. And I'm on that f-en thang laughen my ass off at all you fair weather fisherman wit the cold breeze hitten my knees. YYYAAAAAHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[fourhour]

And don't ya just cream yer jeans when a nice day comes in the mitts of winter and you hear that familiar distant sound, the roar of my V-TWIN in the distance. And I'm on that f-en thang laughen my ass off at all you fair weather fisherman wit the cold breeze hitten my knees. YYYAAAAAHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Yeah, my Buddy and I rode all last winter. Neither of us wear chaps and we would freeze our fannies off. (Well, you can't get ass in here without them asterics) Long-johns, turtle-necks, gloves, etc. but most important to me is a bandana to keep the cold off my face. Of course, we don't go out on marathon runs either! We were riding the non-toll East-West connector here, notoriousl for its traffic, back-ups and red lights when he says to me, "I don't think I've ever in my life have prayed for a red light on Rt 9!", as he proceeded to warm his hands off the engine heat
You guys mentioned salt. Salt is used around here for the icy stuff, but sand is used more. We have to wait for the regular vehicle traffic to blow the sand to the side of the roads after the snow/ice is gone. Damn, sand is just as slippery for two-wheelers as snow/ice is for four-wheelers.

 

[yellowFatboy200]

Hey Fourhour,
"but most important to me is a bandana to keep the cold off my face."
I use a leather bandana on my face (chin) to cover my neck, top that wit a full face helmet, 2 pairs of jeans, leather and gloves and I'll ride as long as my bike keeps go-en. Got on the highway last year when it was about 25 degrees or so and after 20 mins it didn't want to go anymore. Roll the gas on and PUTT PUTT PUTT. Pulled over and I guess the rest of the engine warmed what ever froze up (maybe gas in line). She started back up, I kept on riden. Hard to straighten out yer legs to hold the bike up after that. And my big balls where the sizes of pea's, but I'll be doing it again, that for sure.
Hey how do ya get it to say that QUOTE: ORIGINALLY POSTED BY thing?

 

[FXDeanX]

Look in the lower right hand corner of the person's dialog box who you want to quote. Press the "quote" button and erase whatever you don't want to use

Dean

 

[fourhour]

And my big balls where the sizes of pea's, but I'll be doing it again, that for sure

Whew, glad to know that happens to others out there too!

 

[DJW]

You're right Habanero, no way you can ride around here. It ain't about the cold around here where we live, it's the FEET of snow. The salt doesn't go away until it's washed away in April. I also agree with changing the oil in the adding a stablizer. I don't see any reason to change it in the spring though. I would like to know if it makes sense to put the back wheel up. Always have in the past. Also, there's no subsitution for a good bath, but what about a sealer on the chrome? I don't plan to put her up 'till after thanksgiving though, still go Indian Summer ahead of us.

 

[Rocko]

I ride all winter here in MA. But I do winterize my bike in case of big snow. I run syn that I change in the fall, Stabil in the tank and a battery tender. Riding gear is leather bandana, watch cap under the skull cap, hooded sweatshirt and chaps. Have yet to find a sollution for "shrinkage" and lentil nuts.

 

[cathari]

Like it or not, it's comming

I also was thinking about the winterizing issue this past week. Although I do ride all year long, the NE and it's snow and SALT do keep me off the road for extended periods of time. It's often 3-4 weeks where the roads have a covering of snow, although the last few years have been mild. Once the salt hits the road, it is normally weeks before it has rained enough to make the roads clear again. I usually prep the bike with a fresh oil change early November, (it's not the existing moisture as much as acidic combustion products in the oil), and always keep the tank full (seldom does bad weather come as a total surprise). When the bike is doomed to reside in the garage for a few weeks. I:
 Make sure the bike is clean
 Add stabol to the tank
 Run the carb dry,
 Remove all leather (I'd hate to find that my seat was dinner for some mouse)
 Place the bike on a few 6X6s to get the rubber of the floor.
 Plug in the battery tender.
 Cover the bike is an old cotton bed sheet.
When the salt & ice are gone, it'll take less then 10 min to be back on the road. When I do ride however, I make sure it's for at least 1/2 hr or so to get the oil good and hot.

 

[yellowFatboy200]

I cover my bike every night wit a old car cover my sister gave me. It's silky like and what a diff in clean up. When I did not cover her up in the garage, dust and crap would be all over it all the time. Now wit the cover it seems to stay looking bright & shiny longer. And do ya know about HAND WARMERS. The kind ya use fer hunting and outdoor stuff. You just open the package and shake. I put um all over, yep even there. Under 40 today when I left my house, put 1 in each pocket of my pants. MMMMMM nice and warm. And my junk was still a good size when I made it to work.