Winterize Tips?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,573
Likes: 0
From: Minneapolis, MN
Can someone describe "dirty" oil? My bike is due for 10,000 mile service now. I will probably put 500 miles on the bike after doing this service and parking it for the snowy/cold Minnesota winters. Do I need to change my oil with only 500 miles on it? I don't do my own service (due to lack of suitable place to do maintenance), and I hate to have to pay the stealer for an extra oil change if I don't need to.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 268
Likes: 0
From: walpole ma
I ride occassionally in the winter so I don't totally winterize. Here's what I do
-Full tank of gas (I add stabilizer)
-Bike up on lift
-Covered with breathable Harley cover(an old sheet will work fine), just make sure it's a breathable cover if indoors
-Hook up battery tender(battery on bike)
-I never start my bike up unless I'm going for a ride of at least an hour, bike gets to operating temperature and burns off any condensation. If you take short trips the heat generated creates moisture which turns oil to sludge.
-My service manual says to remove plugs and add a bit of oil in each cylinder and crank over engine 5-6 revolutions and reinstall plugs.I don't do this one.
If my bike was gonna sit for 3 0r 4 months I would change my fluids also. I just keep my current schedule.
-Full tank of gas (I add stabilizer)
-Bike up on lift
-Covered with breathable Harley cover(an old sheet will work fine), just make sure it's a breathable cover if indoors
-Hook up battery tender(battery on bike)
-I never start my bike up unless I'm going for a ride of at least an hour, bike gets to operating temperature and burns off any condensation. If you take short trips the heat generated creates moisture which turns oil to sludge.
-My service manual says to remove plugs and add a bit of oil in each cylinder and crank over engine 5-6 revolutions and reinstall plugs.I don't do this one.
If my bike was gonna sit for 3 0r 4 months I would change my fluids also. I just keep my current schedule.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 413
Likes: 10
From: South Dakota
I am not being a smart a$$ on this one, however i have to ask... why change the fluids? durring the winter with the change in temp, moisture builds up in your cases and has nowhere to go after it is there, it mixes with your oil. this in turn will ruin your oil. So that fresh oil that you just put in is now worth a crap when spring comes around and you have to change it. waste of money and if you use the oils like i do, that is $$$$... if you have that much crap and shavings in your motor that is a totally new issue. do not get me wrong i am not saying that you are wrong by any means, but it makes more sense to just fire it up now and then, and change the fluids in the spring. this will save you some money and keep fresh oil in your scoot in the new riding season. just my 2 cents
other than that you have listed some of the VERY best advice for winter storage... funny about the windshield! my dad and brother own 4 optical clinics, and ALWAYS bring their shields in durring the winter... they where the first ones to tell me about this... it is true... great tips! I also WD40 up the pipes to keep critters out... works
other than that you have listed some of the VERY best advice for winter storage... funny about the windshield! my dad and brother own 4 optical clinics, and ALWAYS bring their shields in durring the winter... they where the first ones to tell me about this... it is true... great tips! I also WD40 up the pipes to keep critters out... works
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,920
Likes: 264
From: Deep in the heart of New Jersey
Cold weather riding is the best. Once you get the right gear and gloves you can enjoy riding all year. I ride with the polar bears and our season doesn't start until the end of October. Having heated grips is the cats ***, but heated gloves do the job also. We ride to New YorK, Penna, Delaware, and new jersey. Every brand of bike is represented and a few trikes. I will ride the Ultra as long as the roads are salt free, but if it's sloppy out I'll take my '82 Goldwing. I don't do any winter time storage ritual, and have not had any problems as far as starting although I do use a battery tender on the Ultra. Harley's can handle the cold better then the heat, so I will change the oil in the fall and then in the spring when it has 5k miles on it. To change it more then that is a waste of money, and as long as you don't start it and let it idle for 5 minutes you will be good for the winter. I had to laugh about the guy who said 62 degrees is his limit, we pray for a heatwave like that about the middle of march. Cold weather riding is all about being dressed right layer you clothes, keep your feet warm with insulated boots and keep your head and neck covered. only you can decide what is the right amount, but when your comfortable you can ride for hours comfortably.,,
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RagmanZL
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