Can I ? Should I?
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,471
Likes: 9
From: Toledo, Ohio
Can I ? Should I?
The temp around here has been very cold, this morning 15 degrees. What I would like to do is fire the bike up, maybe every 2 or 3 weeks or so. With it that cold, is it bad for the motor? I have always been an advocate of additives to the oil of my vehicles. You know, the stuff that coats the internal parts of the engine, reducing friction during starts. My question is, it is bad to start the bike up when it's this cold and are there any precautions to take if not. Additives? Also, Harbor Freight has a motorcycle jack that looks pretty nice for $79. I 've thought about getting the bike just a few inches off the garage floor during winter. I read a post the other day about jacks you guys spent about $300 on. What's the difference? The one I'm looking at looks pretty heavy duty. Oh ya, my garage is attached, but not heated. Thanks
Supporter
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,724
Likes: 234
From: Altoona, Pa.
Your just better off letting the bike sit and not idle. keep it plugged in to the Battery Tennder if ya got one, if you dont, GET one. By just idling the bike, your going to cause internal moisture which will end up in the oil and not get hot enough to burn off. So, get some heated gear and go for a half hour or more ride.
Club Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 30,914
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From: Springfield, Ohio
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
From: Rockland County Ny
Once you store it, leave it. Keep it on a tender. Store it with fresh, clean oil in the crank, a gas stabilizer into a full tank of gas and you're gonna be fine. Jack it up if it makes you feel better, but if you don't lift it, thats OK too. Tempting as it may be to fire it up over the course of the winter, I never do and have never had any problems in the spring.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,471
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From: Toledo, Ohio
Wow! Read through that thread too, Schu. Thanks. I always thought it was good to start up a motor occassionally. This is my second winter and bike for winter storage. Thankfully I did everything correctly last winter and didn't start that one up until the day I sold it early spring. My new one sits on thick carpet in the garage. Just gonna let her rest peacefully now.
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Club Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 30,914
Likes: 16
From: Springfield, Ohio
Wow! Read through that thread too, Schu. Thanks. I always thought it was good to start up a motor occassionally. This is my second winter and bike for winter storage. Thankfully I did everything correctly last winter and didn't start that one up until the day I sold it early spring. My new one sits on thick carpet in the garage. Just gonna let her rest peacefully now.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 213
Likes: 12
From: by Chesapeake Bay
Intakes and combustion chambers like cold air. Just make sure you have oil in the engine suited for easy pumpability in very cold temps, like a 0W or 10W. You wouldn't want to run than stuff in these engines in higher temps, of course.