Do you drain the carbs if you have em?
2006-12-12 12:17:29 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Motorcycles
I ride all year long in Chicago. Biker's don't put their bike away for the winter.
2006-12-12 12:42:16 · answer #1 · answered by ? 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, don't drain the carbs, or the gas tank. The little bit of gas left behind will dry out and leave residue called varnish.
Buy a bottle of "Sta-Bil" and follow the direstions on the label. Run the bike for say 15 min. or ride it around for 15 minutes. Then top off the tank and put the bike up on the center stand. Prop up the front wheel so there's no weight on the tires. Remove the battery and store it in a cool, dry place where it can't freeze. Trickle charge the battery a week before you put the bike back on the road. Don't keep it on a charger, it can ruin it.
Put a cover over the top of the bike, but don't wrap it up tight, otherwise condensation will collect and rust will set in.
Don't bother putting oil in the cylinders, you won't get it on the cylinder walls as much as you'll get it on everything else. The cyn walls are inside the motor and already are rust proof and oiled.
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I do not winterize my own Bike. I ride when ever the roads are clear of salt. I can handle the occaisional ice patch and I dress warm, but the salt will ruin everything. I once drove home in a bad snow storm, took an extra 20 minutes, because I had to keep going around people who were stuck. I had scrambler type knobbies, and actually had a good time.
Did I mention this bike is a 1984 Honda Interceptor 700? Good ole paint, she still doesn't let me down!
2006-12-12 13:45:44 · answer #2 · answered by MechBob 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
fill your tank to the top with amaco ultimate add some stabilizer and run the bike to get it in the carbs if you have them. fuel injection is not a problem. I put a battery trickle charger on mine and i have two bikes so i swap it to each one every week. one battery is 6 yrs old the other 5 when i switch the charger i fire the bike and let it run for a few till it gets to normal temp. always shake your bike to keep any condensation from sitting in the tank so it wont rust then pray for warm weather I have an 00 rc51 and 01 zrx1200 the zrx has carbs and i have never had a problem with gumming
2006-12-12 12:36:21 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
First you should put gas stabilizer in the gas tank, then run the motor for 5 or 10 minutes to circulate the treated gas. Then you should drain the carbs. Also charge your battery every couple of months. It would be better to take it off the bike and bring it in from the cold.
2006-12-12 12:27:44 · answer #4 · answered by moto_suzie 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Same as answer #1. Wait til the roads have been plowed,salted for 1 day, then test it out. A true biker doesn't put his bike away. Do they make convertibles with heaters? YES! Because people drive them in the winter!
But if you do chicken out and decide to put it away for the winter, definitely put Sta-Bil in it. I would really recommend riding it around the block a few times every month. There is always 1 nice day per month. Out of the past 40 months, I have ridden for 39 (in Minnesota)
Try investing in Gerbing heated accessories (socks, gloves, pants, jackets) Remember, you typically get a 100% increase in gas mileage over a car, so don't put it away!
2006-12-12 17:10:25 · answer #5 · answered by Jay 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's a good idea also to change the oil before putting it up. Oil becomes acidic when it breaks down. You don't need those acids sitting in your crankcase all winter long. If you don't have a heated place to keep it, you might want to remove the spark plugs and put a few drops of oil down in the cylinders and turn the engine over a couple of times before putting the plugs back in. Also I've been told to cover the exhaust openings with plastic bags.
2006-12-12 12:44:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes you have to drain a.k.a. "flush" the carborators, but a nicer alternative is a bike with fuel injectors. fuel injectors require no matenance for the winter. if i were you, i would just do all the routine winterizing and let a professional mechanic do the flushing.
2006-12-12 12:26:11 · answer #7 · answered by bmxerkid243 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I live in Florida, I ride all year long. Up north I would probably, put it on somekind of center stand and disconnect the battery, run the fuel down to almost empty, and cover it up. Come riding season, change all the oils, connect and charge the battery.
2006-12-12 12:24:42 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Parts of all the above answers are good. You need to do what's good for your situation. But also remember to find out what your bike's manufacturer recommends.
2006-12-12 14:46:43 · answer #9 · answered by Louie 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Fill the tank, check the oil, air the tires, put on a riding jacket.
I live in S. TX.
2006-12-12 17:09:21 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋