Do I need to drain the fluids out of my motorcycle for fall/winter garage storage?

Question

I have a 2002 Kawasaki Ninja. It will be sitting there for a few months so I was wondering if it's ok to just leave it as is. If not, what fluids do I need to drain and how do I do it? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

How about storing it with a FRESH oil change,instead of oil that's been run & slowly turning acidic while it sits?

I usually heavily "fog" the intake with WD40 at idle ,then shut it down.
Pop out the filter,run it a minute while fogging it with the stuff.
Tends to keep rust off valve seats,faces, stems while it sits for months with a few of the valves coincidentally open.

Fuel,,the suggestions to leave it Full are correct.
Tanks rust otherwise.
A Carb stored with gas will get "gummy",,fresh fuel will self-clean it.
A carb stored Dry, Can get crusty & flaky,not to mention any corrosion,,which sometimes requires a physical cleaning.

The suggestion to "flood the engine" with motor oil is quite Valid.
It's Cheap Insurance.
In hi-humidity,sea-level,variable weather locations,,such as US's coastal areas,GulfCoast...it's a Good idea for storage longer than a month or 2.
Dry,Low airpressure,steady Cold weather,,it's not so necessary.

6month++ Storage & where bike will Not be cranked occasionally,,flooding the sump is cheap insurance.
The main considerations are whether You plan to start it it during storage period.--You CANNOT RUN it.
You CAN kick it over or crank,a Little.

And the hassles(and remembering to!) of draining the excess oil before putting unit back in service.

Mist the Fork Tubes with wd40,,and anything ya wanna protect from corrosion.
It doesnt make as much mess it seems,,
Dust wipes off easier than Rust.

If Brake Fluid is over a year old,,drain some thru bleeder & refill MasterCyl with fresh fluid.
"Old Fluid" does fine when In-Service,,but when left sitting it can get nasty & corrosive.

Mist the brake disks with wd40.
Yeah,I know.
I did not say Soak Them in gear oil or pack them in wheel bearing grease.
just,WD40>MIST
On the 20% or so chance you roll it out next spring and see a Pad Tattoo on your nice disks(generally harmless),,,even the "gear lube/brng grease' wont sound so stupid,,lol
Wd40 wont cause probs--dont Soak 'em,,just a mist.
The carrier flashes off leaving the protectant.

If You plan to leave a charger on the battery,,,realize that the gasses from charging are Corrosive and extremely Light---They Rise,,,right up "thru" a Sitting Bike.
Might pay attention to where Batt Vent hose exits.

Bare Minimum--Top up it to proper levels with FRESH fluids,,including Fuel.
Best thing ya can do is crank it occasionally,,or run it a couple minutes.

You've gotten a BUNCH of Excellent suggestions from everyone.
ANY effort is gonna pay some dividend,,either next spring or "way down the road"-such as avoiding long-term effect of gastank corrosion.

Good Luck!
And most important when coming outa storage,,
YOU are gonna be a bit rusty too.
NO WHEELIES in the 1st block or two:)

*Tires sometimes get a bit glazed from sitting,,give 'em a few miles to scuff back in before heating 'em up.

Answer 2

a lot of good answers here. This is what I did to prep my 2002 ZX12R for the Illinois winter.

1. fill the gas tank at least 3/4 full, and put in Stabil (do not drain tank and lines!!

2. lube everything on the bike that needs to be lubricated. ie chain, suspension and steering components etc.

3. change the oil if you would like, but make sure you change it again in the spring before you start riding again

4. put the bike up on a front and rear stand to get the tires off the ground. This will prevent flat spots in the tires from the cold ground. If you do not have stands, put a few pieces of cardboard under the tires, the soft cardboard will cushion to prevent flatspots.

5. clean the bike good and wax it

6. take the battery out, or use a battery tender

7. put a cover on it and wait until spring

8. I have heard both negative and positive things about starting the bike periodically, so I always just wait it out.

Answer 3

If you are not going to use your bike for that long of a period it is best to "winterize" it. First there is a chance that the gas will break down, if this happens you will have to clean the tank, line, and carb in the spring before you can ride. There is two ways to do this, first you can drain the gas out of the tank and run the remainder out of the line and carb. I do not care for this method becuase it has the potential of letting moisture in. The second way is to fill the tank and add stabilizer (get it at you local shop), make sure you start the bike and run it for a few minutes to get stabilizer in the carb. The next thing to do is pull the battery and hook it to a float charger. This is a very small charger that does nothing but maintain the battery to prevernt dammage from the cold. The third thing I like to do is add more oil to the case to cover the gears to prevent moisture from getting in it. However most people do not do this step and it does not seem to be a problem.

I usually keep one or two of my bikes road ready just incase I get a day where there is no ice on the road. This does however take a little more effort. I start the bike at least once a week and let it idol for about 15 to 20 minutes to get everything up to temp and the battery charged. I also have set them on my roller system to allow me to put them in gear and run them for a few minutes during this time. This allows the gears to get lubed.

I don't know if this is helpful but becuase of this care my first new cruiser I bought in 1984 has 125,000 miles on it and is still running strong and it has never had any major work done to it besides normal wear and tear.

Answer 4

Never drain the gas tank. This will allow condensation to form on the inside of the tank and rust to form. Always fill the tank completely to the top with gas. Then add a fuel stabilizer such as STA-BIL to the gas. You can find this at just about any automotive department in any store, auto store and some bike shops. Then run the bike for 5 or 10 minutes to get the treated gas to the carbs, fuel lines, etc. Then turn the fuel petcock to the off position. Keep the battery charged all winter. I'd recommend removing it from the bike and storing it inside. I'd recommend something like a Battery Tender as opposed to a battery charger. The Battery Tender will keep the battery at full charge. You plug it in and it turns on and off as needed. You don't have to do a thing. Drain your old oil out and replace it with new. The old oil has moisture and junk in it. Don't let it sit in your pride and joy over a Michigan winter. I'm from northern Illinois and I know the type of winters we have to deal with. Be sure to clean your bike. All that dirt, grime, bug juice, etc can damage your paint if left for too long. Lubricate all your cables - clutch, throttle, brake, etc. Get the bike off the ground. Raise it just enough for the tires to clear the ground. Moisture will try to wick itself up onto your tires and can damage them over a long winter. Be sure to get a breathable cover. Plastic or some other type that doesn't breath will just cause condensation to form on the inside surface and start the rusting and rotting of various bike parts. Spend the money on something that helps protect the bike, not ruin it. You do not need to start the bike for short periods during the winter. This process can actually do more harm than good. I've been told by several different bike mechanics that it's best to just let the bike sit. Running the bike will use up the treated gas, creating an air space in the tank for condensation to form. It's your call on removing the spark plugs and putting a drop or two of oil in. I hear people say to do this but from personal experience I don't. I did it one year and had a terrible time trying to get the bike to start in the spring. That was over 30 winters ago. I haven't done it since and my bikes have always started on the first or second try every spring. I didn't put the oil in on one of my bikes for 25 years and never had any engine problems. It's your call. Take the time to store your bike correctly and it should start right up in the spring.

Answer 5

no, you should actually leave the fluids in it so condensation won't build up. Adding Stabil to the gas is a must though because gas will break down after just a couple weeks.
I would also suggest taking the battery out and store it inside (connecting it to a smart trickle charger isn't a bad idea).
You can get more info on winter storage at:
http://www.motorcyclegiftshop.com/motorcycle_winterization.html

Answer 6

If you do not plan to start it use a little Stabil in your gas. If you do , it should be ok. I would suggest a trickle Charger on the Battery though. I start mine every 2 weeks for about 15 min. If possible I try to take it around the block, or at least put it in gear and let the trans get wet.

Answer 7

Everyone gave good answers. One very important thing. Always keep your gas tank full. Even during riding weather. Any moisture in the air will be attracted to the bare metal and allow the tank to rust. It's an expensive lesson to learn when you have to clean your carbs once a year and buy a new gas tank in the future.

Answer 8

What a bummer to have to store your bike for the Winter...I'm glad I live in a part of the country (FL) where we can ride year 'round (just bundle up)...

The above advice sounds good though...hope it Winters well and you're back on 2 wheels in the Spring!

Answer 9

a few months is prolly ok... especially if you have the opportunity to start it every once and awhile... like once a month.. and let it run for maybe 10-15 minutes... anything over 5 months you should prolly drain. i have a honda hawk 650... i let it sit once for 2.5 months and it started right up... the battery was fine and everything.

Answer 10

I'd drain them if it was mine. You would want to start next spring with fresh gas anyway.