Winterizing your 250R?

[kkim]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith

If you drain the bowls you have to pinch off the fuel line somehow or they'll fill up again. What a PITA.

not true. with the petcock in the "on" position and the bowls drained, the carbs won't refill until vacuum is applied to the fuel petcock which happens when the bike is started. In essence, it is "off".

[TrueFaith]

Originally Posted by kkim

not true. with the petcock in the "on" position and the bowls drained, the carbs won't refill until vacuum is applied to the fuel petcock which happens when the bike is started. In essence, it is "off".

To no one's surprise, the K-man is correct.
Well, it has been a couple of years and I'm so ancient I forget what I had for breakfast lately.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith

To no one's surprise, the K-man is correct.
Well, it has been a couple of years and I'm so ancient I forget what I had for breakfast lately.

breakfast??? damn... I knew I forgot something this morning. Thanks!!

good to see you posting, Wayne.

[Boom King]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith

By the way Boom King, that was an excellent post about adding fresh oil in the spring, but I'm still not convinced the oil breaks down or is infused with moisture enough in a few months that a complete oil change is necessary. Maybe I'd be more concerned if I used a cheap oil, but I'm using Rotella T synthetic and I find it hard to believe a premium oil would break down that much in only a few months. Considering that most people only own a particular bike for a few years before moving up or changing rides, it's hard to imagine that fresh premium-grade oil sitting in a motor uncirculated for only a few months would harm your engine so much. It still seems like overkill and extremely wasteful to me.

I would agree with you that in a lot cases it probably is overkill. It just depends on one's own situation for winter storage that would determine their course of action come spring. Different strokes for different folks. Just go with what has worked in the past. This is going to be my first time storing any vehicle for a period of time as I've only owned cars prior to the Ninja. I'm going to use a wait and see attitude to decide what to do in the spring. A lot of it will depend on how much snow fall we get this winter and how early or late spring comes. In the spring after I take it out for the first ride, I'll check the oil sight glass and the filler cap for any signs of cloudiness or milky white appearance.

The other thing about moisture collecting in your oil is that it can happen easily if you use your vehicle for mostly short commutes. Your bike or car will not get hot enough to burn off the accumulated moisture and only circulate it through the engine. That is why it is generally recommended for these type of vehicles to keep their oil change intervals shorter. The moisture inside the oil shortens its lifespan or ability to operate efficiently compared to oil in a car or motorcycle that is used for longer commutes and has had the chance to heat up enough to burn off the moisture. Based on this same logic, that's why a lot of people don't recommend starting your motorcycle every once in a while over winter and just letting it idle for a few mins. As a personal rule of thumb with my car, I make sure at least once a week that I take it out for a good 30 minute drive with a couple of hard accelerations near red line to also help clear out some of the deposits in the system. Next year when I get a full season in with the Ninja, I'll be doing the same.

[tapdiggy]

Originally Posted by headshrink

The absolute BEST way to winterize your bike is to move to a warmer climate and ride daily!

A corollary for the temperate zones: ride right through winter, whenever the roads are clear. It also gives a valid excuse for oil changes at the beginning and end of winter.

[U5er]

Originally Posted by kkim

not true. with the petcock in the "on" position and the bowls drained, the carbs won't refill until vacuum is applied to the fuel petcock which happens when the bike is started. In essence, it is "off".

Here is an explanation:
The Off setting is pretty self-explanatory -- it shuts off fuel from the tank to the carburetors, and is how you want to leave the bike if it's going to sit for a long time. On the Ninja 250, this is when the long side of the valve handle is pointing straight back.

Above was taken from another site. Not sure about forum rules so I only quoted the content and did not link it.

I live in Toronto, which does not differ from Siberia during winter. I bought my bike in June 2010 so I am only going to fill gas tank, drain bowls, place battery on tender, put plywood under the tires and put a blanket on it. I won't bother with the oil since the machine was barely used.

Question:
In light of the fuel petcock discussion. Setting it to OFF (according to the link) cuts off the supply from the tank to the carbs. Is this the way to go?

[Alex]

That's the point; there is no "OFF" setting for the new-gens. The quote from the other site is referring to the pregen (2007 and earlier) bikes that did in fact have an "OFF" setting due to a different petcock design.

[Heed]

Do you follow your owner manual by heart or do you do things differently?

For example, the owners manual says to empty the gas tank completely for winter storage, but others have told me not to do this. Instead, others top off the gas tank with a stabilizer, because if the gas tank is empty, moisture will build up and cause it to rust.

Any particular brands you guys use?

Oil, stabilizer, lube, etc?

MOM also says to "spray" the motorcycle in certain places with oil to prevent rusting. I'm guessing that means WD40?

[bonbon76]

Id like to know this as well... This will be my first winter storing it in my shed and have no clue what the right thing to do is. Wondering about oil too. Do you change the oil before and then again in the spring or just spring??

[Mazakawi]

I haven't stored it yet but here's my plan:

1. Fill the fuel tank from a gas can once I get to the final storage location. Add some stabilizer to it and shake it around a bit before sealing the cap.
2. Drain carbs so they don't clog up.
3. Put the bike up on front and rear stands. Not necessary if you don't have them or can't afford them. But I don't want to take the chance and have to buy new tires in spring because they flat spot. Also, you could avoid flat spotting by just moving the bike around in your garage over winter so that the bike doesn't sit on the same spot of the tires for more than a week or two at a time.
4. Cover with a bike cover to keep it clean and keep small animals from making a home in my exhaust/air box.

5. You could also spray a rag with WD-40 and wipe down any non-painted steel surfaces.

Spring:
1. Oil Change

[Alex]

/threads merged

[ScorpionNinja]

Originally Posted by Heed

Do you follow your owner manual by heart or do you do things differently?

MOM also says to "spray" the motorcycle in certain places with oil to prevent rusting. I'm guessing that means WD40?

I wouldnt use WD40 for that.
I would use a Silicone spray to protect those metal surfaces (Headers-Exhaust pipes, parts of the frame, unpainted nuts/bolts,etc)

NOTHING goes on the brakes/rotors. No no!

[paopufruit]

i just ride mine all winter. i've found it is the easiest type of winterizing

[Boom King]

Here's how I stored mine last winter:

1. Filled up with fresh gas and put in correct amount of Marine Stabil. Rode around the neighbourhood to make sure the stabilizer got into the carbs.

2. Put in fresh oil and filter. Follow the normal DIY oil change guide found on this site. You can choose to do this in spring if you want but I choose to do in winter as there may be contaminants in the used oil that I don't want sitting in my engine all winter. If you change the oil now, it is not necessary to change it again in spring provided it still looks good and is free of moisture.

3. Put the battery on a tender. Don't forget this aspect or you'll find that you'll have a dead battery come spring. This seems to be a cause of many "Why doesn't my bike start?" posts.

4. Make sure tires are at recommended pressures. If you store it outside, it might be a good idea to fill it up with extra couple of PSI as tires lose pressure with lower ambient temperatures. You can place the bike on front and rear stands if you're worried about flat spots. I put square pieces of carpet underneath them and rolled the bike back and forth a couple of feet every few weeks. There were no flat spots in the spring. Pieces of wood will also work.

5. Cleaned and lubed the chain.

6. Stuffed the exhaust with a rag to keep out critters. Note that mothballs also work as a deterrent for mice and other small rodents.

I did the bare minimum in my mind and my bike was fine in the spring. I had mine in an unheated garage. If you store it inside and choose to put a bike cover over it, make sure it's a vented one as condensation may be build up underneath since moisture in the air can't escape. That's a no-no. Notice I didn't drain the carbs. This will be an individual choice. Depends on what you feel comfortable with. If it's long-term storage, you should drain it. Mine was put away for about 3 1/2 months. Spraying metal parts and in the engine with fogging oil wouldn't be a bad idea also. Make sure not to get any on your tires or brakes. Another good recommend is lubing the clutch and throttle cables.

[jonthechron]

Rumor is adding "Winter Air" to your tires can extend your driving season eliminating the need for "winterizing" your bike during the snowy season

Kaleco seasonal tire air - it's worth it


http://kalecoauto.com/index.php?main...products_id=45

[headshrink]

Kaleco has some good products. I use them almost exclusively.

[koenigcitizen]

Dont want to start a new thread unless I have to, hoping to get advice.

My first bike, and my first winter storage.

I am a little intimidated with the idea of draining the carbs, so I was hoping to get away with just the following.

1. wash bike
2. change oil + filter, clean + lube chain
3. add marine stabil + seafoam to gas, and take a bike for a ride.
4. top off gas.
5. put it on stands.
6. put battery on tender.

Would that be ok?

Is it advised to add stabil + seafoam at the same time?

Thanks!

[Alex]

I would choose either stabil or seafoam, but not both. Also - more is not always better, use a reasonable amount for a 4.5 gallon gas tank.

[forevertwowheels]

Has anyone tried draining the oil and leaveing it empty till spring then refilling it? Im wondering what would happen?

[GateKeeper]

Personally I would leave the old oil and filter, and change it just before your first ride of the new season.

Leaving it dry probably wouldn't do anything, but if for any reason you had to get it started, and you forgot the oil was drained, you could do a lot of hurt to the engine.

[headshrink]

Originally Posted by GateKeeper

Personally I would leave the old oil and filter, and change it just before your first ride of the new season.

Leaving it dry probably wouldn't do anything, but if for any reason you had to get it started, and you forgot the oil was drained, you could do a lot of hurt to the engine.

My tool chest has sharpies and a roll of blue painters tape in it. I put a strip of tape, saying, "NO OIL" over the ignition. I don't winterize, but I do this for the odd occasion I have no oil in the engine.

[g21-30]

Originally Posted by koenigcitizen

Dont want to start a new thread unless I have to, hoping to get advice.

My first bike, and my first winter storage.

I am a little intimidated with the idea of draining the carbs, so I was hoping to get away with just the following.

1. wash bike
2. change oil + filter, clean + lube chain
3. add marine stabil + seafoam to gas, and take a bike for a ride.
4. top off gas.
5. put it on stands.
6. put battery on tender.

Would that be ok?

Is it advised to add stabil + seafoam at the same time?

Thanks!

If you're in OC, why are you storing the bike? Keep riding thru the winter. Get some Marine Sta-bil and add it with each tank. I'm in NOVA and ride year round with Marine Sta-bil in each and every tank.

[NDspd]

I put my bike in a storage garage with no electricity in Savannah, GA. The winters here are highs in the 60's to lows down to the 30's. I will be leaving to Ohio mid-November and returning the first of January. I know I will raise the rear off the ground and put a plank of wood under the front. I'll do the premium gas with the stabil, lube the chain and a clean the bike and also put a cover over it.

Do you guys figure that should be enough for the short break I'm on? It's not like the 5 months that you other guys have.

[Boom King]

Originally Posted by NDspd

I put my bike in a storage garage with no electricity in Savannah, GA. The winters here are highs in the 60's to lows down to the 30's. I will be leaving to Ohio mid-November and returning the first of January. I know I will raise the rear off the ground and put a plank of wood under the front. I'll do the premium gas with the stabil, lube the chain and a clean the bike and also put a cover over it.

Do you guys figure that should be enough for the short break I'm on? It's not like the 5 months that you other guys have.

That should be fine. It's probably advisable to take the battery with you and put it on a trickle charger. That way, it's nice and fully charged when you put it back in.

If you store it in a garage, you don't really need a cover. If you insist on covering it, make sure it is a vented/breathable cover especially if the garage is not temperature/climate controlled. The mixture of warmer trapped air underneath the cover and cooler outside air can create condensation inside the cover and collects on the bike. You wouldn't want your bike sitting in that environment for 2 or 3 months.

[NDspd]

Originally Posted by Boom King

That should be fine. It's probably advisable to take the battery with you and put it on a trickle charger. That way, it's nice and fully charged when you put it back in.

If you store it in a garage, you don't really need a cover. If you insist on covering it, make sure it is a vented/breathable cover especially if the garage is not temperature/climate controlled. The mixture of warmer trapped air underneath the cover and cooler outside air can create condensation inside the cover and collects on the bike. You wouldn't want your bike sitting in that environment for 2 or 3 months.

Sweet man, yeah I have a cover that is vented in a couple areas. As for the battery, I will be flying, so.....oh I got it. I store the bike, remove the battery and take it back to my dorm where I can keep it on a battery tender while I'm gone. That should work...thanks for the help man.

[koenigcitizen]

Originally Posted by g21-30

If you're in OC, why are you storing the bike? Keep riding thru the winter. Get some Marine Sta-bil and add it with each tank. I'm in NOVA and ride year round with Marine Sta-bil in each and every tank.

Last couple of winters have been rough, but yes, I will be riding on dry days, I decided.

Sorry, what is NOVA? Nothern Virginia?

[Alex46]

Shell V-Power 91. No ethanol.

[Boom King]

Originally Posted by Alex46

Shell V-Power 91. No ethanol.

Do you still add fuel stabilizer when you store it? I was always under the impression that it's still needed although it won't gum up or varnish as quickly as E10 gasohol.

[Alex46]

Originally Posted by Boom King

Do you still add fuel stabilizer when you store it? I was always under the impression that it's still needed although it won't gum up or varnish as quickly as E10 gasohol.

Yes it can't hurt I think.

[str8t six]

i keep my bike inside because i dont have a garage and dont want to fill my tank and smell gas in my house. is it still ok to not fill my tank and drain it? would it still be able to rust even inside my house with the tank drained?

[Boom King]

Originally Posted by str8t six

i keep my bike inside because i dont have a garage and dont want to fill my tank and smell gas in my house. is it still ok to not fill my tank and drain it? would it still be able to rust even inside my house with the tank drained?

Unless you get that tank bone dry, it's possible that rusting may still occur as the air inside your house still has oxygen. Obviously the process would be much slower than if you stored it outside so the risk is up to you.

[V2Neal]

If you are going to completely drain the tank it'd be a good idea to spray the inside of it with some fogging oil to prevent rust.

One other thing is to make sure you have antifreeze in the cooling system. Mine is a race only bike that has water and water wetter in it for the summer so I have to make sure to drain and refill with antifreeze.

[str8t six]

ok thanks guys, ill spray the tank with some fog. i just dont want my house smelling like gas.

[bob138]

Drain the carb float bowls.

If gas is left in them your pilot jets will be the first thing to clog.

My buddy left his pregen sitting all winter and ran it here and there to keep it up. We still had to tear down the carbs come spring.

Pilot jets are small and submerged in the fuel, so as the fuel slowly evaps it leaves residue that clogs the holes.

It's one of those standard things. Bike sat for a while, now won't idle without choke. Check the pilots and viola, plugged holes.

Bob

[akima]

Originally Posted by paopufruit

i just ride mine all winter. i've found it is the easiest type of winterizing

I've decided to do this instead of storing it. I've bought a can of ACF-50 to spray over the metal parts to stop the moisture and road-salt rusting the bike. Simple!

[NDspd]

So if my new-gen is sitting for 6 weeks, will the tires and other stuff be ok if I can't put the bike on a rear stand? I don't have a car to take the stand to the storage facility, so is it vital? I maybe getting new tires a few months after I return from break.

I'm putting my bike into storage in South eastern Georgia, so not too cold.

[Boom King]

Put in fuel stabilizer any time your bike sits for more than a few weeks and fill up the tank to the top. Your tires should be fine. You can fill them up with a couple extra PSI and I'd recommend putting wood boards or pieces of carpet underneath the tires if the ground gets to freezing temperature. Old runner mats work good for this. If the temps drop below freezing inside the storage, you should take out your battery and leave it at home on a trickle or smart charger.

[gfloyd2002]

Revzilla Blog on How to Winterize Your Motorcycle

However, the very best way to winterize is too let it idle a bit before you ride it.

[trevor_shiggs]

I Live in BC, Canada. I will be storing my bike till April or May. Im debating if I should drain the carbs or not. I have a battery maintainer, Front and rear stands, bike cover, will be draining and filling the oil. Chain is lubed. Will add a fuel stabilizer and fill the tank. So far everyone has said if storing more than 3 months the carbs should be drained but then people have said draining the carbs can cause seals to dry up. Do you reccomend adding fuel stabilizer and running till im sure it hits the carbs or add fuel stabilizer and draining the carbs? Thanks

[k-os]

I always run the stabilizer through for a couple minutes and then drain the carbs. If you've already got the fairings off for the oil change it's an easy thing to do.