Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C10, aka Kawasaki Concours - The Original => The Bike - C10 => Topic started by: bbroj on November 18, 2011, 12:19:00 PM
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There was snow on the ground this morning, enough to prevent me from taking the bike. So, I know it won't be long until the wifes and my bike need to be tucked in for the winter. My usual routine is a full tank of gas, drain the carb bowls, remove the batteries, park and cover until Spring. The batteries get charged monthly for about 24 hours each with a 2 amp trickle charger, and water levels get checked and topped off as needed. This season's Concourier has me wondering about the oil in the crank case. In the past, I have drained the oil, changed the filter and added something cheap (like a store branded auto oil) for the winter. Come Spring, I would warm up the bikes and immediately change to my choice of bike specific oil, keeping the filter. I know moisture is the reason for wanting fresh oil for storage, and I would change in the Spring for mostly the same reason. It seemed wasteful and I have not done it in some time, so what is the general concensus here on storage and oil? Can I just change it to bike specific now and ride that oil in the Spring until my first change interval? TIA
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I never touch the oil. I put it away as is, with stabil in the tank and the battery on a tender. Change the oil in the spring when i roll her out. Never saw the point of wasting perfectly good oil over the winter. Never had a problem.
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I'd never put any motor away for long-term storage with OLD oil in it. The acid/carbon/sludge in the use oil will eat away at the metal on the lower end.
Also, there's no sense in putting "cheap" oil in before storage, then discarding it and replacing it with new "good" oil in the spring. What's the benefit? As long as the machine isn't adding dirt and carbon to the oil (during storage), then the same "good" oil you put in in the fall will be there in the spring.
In short, change your oil before storage, use the same (good) stuff you normally use, and you'll be set.
Don't forget about stabilizing the fuel (full tank, not a partial tank) and removing the battery (or putting it on a trickle charge for a day or so a month). Batteries do NOT like to be ignored for long periods of time.
Also, you either need to (a) NOT run the vehicle while stored or (b) if you DO run it, run it to it's full, normal operating temperature plus about 5 minutes. Any condensation and such that builds up during storage should be burned off during that warm up.
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Put some Seafoam in the tank, run it for a bit to circulate it. Toss some mice treats around the bike too... I don't know how many times each year I read about someones bike having electrical wiring chewed up by them, or mousies making homes in their air boxes... mothballs seem to work well.
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I do the following:
1. clean the bike well
2. change the oil with normal/good quality oil
3. fill the tank with premium and run a time with Stabil. I use the premium as I've been advised by several sources it contains a lower level of ethanol. I've also used this year an ethanol treatment to help prevent fuel line/component damage.
4. keep the battery plugged into my Battery Tender
I may ride a 1x/month average in the winter if no snow/ice.
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Do you ride that same oil (unchanged) in the Spring? Oil change recommendations are usually x-mileage or x-time, whichever comes first. So, by Spring time that oil has been sitting there, essentially open, for x-months.
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I just fill the tank, treat with new formula Stabil, run her for 10 minutes. I have her on a battery tender that operates for an hour per day. I will start her up 3-5 times over the winter months. Change the oil in the spring. I do the same thing with all my bikes.
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Clean motorcycle. Air up tires. Park on center stand. Fill gas tank. Add Stabil. Run for 5 minutes. Top off battery water (distilled) and connect to Battery Tender. Cover top of motorcycle with a fitted twin bed sheet. Start engine once a month. 8)
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Clean motorcycle. Air up tires. Park on center stand. Fill gas tank. Add Stabil. Run for 5 minutes. Top off battery water (distilled) and connect to Battery Tender. Cover top of motorcycle with a fitted twin bed sheet. Start engine once a month. 8)
Welcome, CK.
I would only add, put a board under the front tire to keep it off the concrete. 8)
I need to get mine ready. Looks like the cold is getting ready to set in. ::)
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Mine's tucked away as we speak in my in-law's garage. Dirty oil in it and everything. I never start it over the winter unless I'm gonna ride it. I just leave it on the Tender. I'm certainly no expert, but I've been doing this with all my bikes for years now. Never a problem. Hell I usually have it back up and running sometime in March so it's not like it's THAT long of a time in storage.
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Mine's tucked away as we speak in my in-law's garage. Dirty oil in it and everything. I never start it over the winter unless I'm gonna ride it. I just leave it on the Tender. I'm certainly no expert, but I've been doing this with all my bikes for years now. Never a problem. Hell I usually have it back up and running sometime in March so it's not like it's THAT long of a time in storage.
Interesting analogy: A lot of people smoke for 20, 30 or more years with never a problem. Just sayin'.
One of my storage techniques is to run the tank almost dry of fuel, put a dose of ringdinger oil in it, quite a strong dose, so it'll smoke some. Run the engine till it's gone and the carbbies are "empty". Drain the carbs, remove any left over fuel from the tank. Put about a cup or two of oil in the tank and slosh it around so it completely covers the inside. Store in the house where humidity is lower. Slosh it around once a month or so.
And I change the oil before storing. ;)
I don't have to mess with that whole storage issue here, but I do have a KLR out in California that only gets ridden for two weeks a year that I have to mess with.
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I have a fairly rigorous winter parking procedure, so bear with me. When I bring the bike(s) into the garage-mahal for the last ride, I turn the key off. Done.
Much to be said about adding a dollop of two-smoke oil to a full tank of gas though, as well as draining the carbs once you run a bit of the two smoke mix through. Batteries get a 2-6 hour charge via an antique Sears 6a charger every couple of months.
But if your bike sits outside, under cover, and in sub-freezing temps... Fresh oil and filter (just because), Sta-Bil (or equal) in a full fuel tank, drain the carbs, bring the battery inside, toss mice treats around the bike, on the center stand to keep the weight off the tires, toss a sheet over the bike to keep the sun off, and don't touch it until the snow melts. Leave the winter oil in until your next regularly scheduled oil change.
Do not operate heavy machinery while taking this medication, read all instructions, apply constant pressure, wear eye protection at all times, don't forget to floss.
Rick
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"bike storage" <---strange phenomenon right there.
In the summer ride northernly in the winter ride southernly but just ride (http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j180/stevewfl/bigthumb.gif)
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Seriously?
I keep the tank full...and add Startron...and point the exhaust towards the street...and I ride whenever the weather permits! If the weather doesn't cooperate...I open the garage door and run the engine until the temp gauge moves to normal range...and wait for the weather to work with me...it's not a complicated process...but, I must admit, I like stevewfl's theory!
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I was never a Sta-bil guy until I had gooped up carbs 2 years running. This year, I went to buy a new bottle of Sta-bil (actually... didn't need it >:( ) - and eyeballed a bottle of Seafoam. Says it can be used as a fuel stabilizer. Never hearing this apart from reading it on the can... I added both! What the heck.
I hope it doesn't cause some sort of severe 'drug interaction' :o
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I was never a Sta-bil guy until I had gooped up carbs 2 years running. This year, I went to buy a new bottle of Sta-bil (actually... didn't need it >:( ) - and eyeballed a bottle of Seafoam. Says it can be used as a fuel stabilizer. Never hearing this apart from reading it on the can... I added both! What the heck.
I hope it doesn't cause some sort of severe 'drug interaction' :o
Let me know if it does. I could use some.
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I was never a Sta-bil guy until I had gooped up carbs 2 years running. This year, I went to buy a new bottle of Sta-bil (actually... didn't need it >:( ) - and eyeballed a bottle of Seafoam. Says it can be used as a fuel stabilizer. Never hearing this apart from reading it on the can... I added both! What the heck.
I hope it doesn't cause some sort of severe 'drug interaction' :o
Oh crap. You can't mix Sta-bil and Seafoam!!!!
It turns to cement ;)
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Oh crap. You can't mix Sta-bil and Seafoam!!!!
It turns to cement ;)
... I heard it turns your bike into a BMW too. :o
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Lots of good advice given on storage. I agree with changing the oil before parking it for the winter.
Also, check you local country airport and get a jug of 100LL avgas (its blue). It contains no ethanol, it will keep a good long time before it goes bad. I've done this in bikes, antique cars, etc. for many years.
Good luck to ye.
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Central Ohio, No Storage
I try to ride all winter, if that can't be accomplished, I keep the tank full with Iso-Heat in the tank.
As of this reply, I have 435 miles in in January so far.
If I can't ride, Hey Baby gets started a minimmun of twice a week. She is always on the center stand and runs to operating temp and the fan comes on. I let her run another minute and then shut her down.
I also bring the idle up to around 2k when running. I have found that I don't need to do anything with the battery as far as additional charging. I do comfirm the fluid level each month or before a ride.
I have done this this for over 35 yrs on multiple bikes, and have discussed this routine with many tecks., and all say the samething. If it works for you, keep doing it. They see nothing wrong with it.
Just my $.02, hope it helps.
Ride safer all,
Greg