Before I put my bike away for the winter, I did all the pre-storage tasks. Now that spring is near (soon enough for me to start the de-storage routine), I wonder what the best way to to restart the bike after it has sat for several months. What if I do the following: 1) pull the plugs and squirt some oil into each cylinder (like I did with the fogging oil last fall), 2) put the bike in 3rd or 4th gear, and then 3) with the ignition off, rotate the rear wheel to work the crankshaft and oil pump to move oil into the engine (I ride a Softail so the tank in separate). Seems to me that would be hlelp minimize the first start wear on the engine. Comments please.

 

Frankly, I've never even used the fogging oil. I just park my '92 so the sun shines on the engine for a while and start it. Doesn't burn any oil at 130k plus, so it must not hurt it.

 

should be fine . fire it up and get ready for a nother great summer. stay safe

 

I never actually park the bike fer the winter, we usually get ina lot of good days here and there over Dec-Feb in Albq.

However, THIS year has been REALLY cold fer us. Since I'm a real puss about cold, if I can't ride, I just fire the bike up every 3 days or so. I also move it around, so the tires aren't sitting on the same spot. I think that just getting her in gear and moving 20 ft at a time has got ta lube all the driveline a lil'. Parking her on a 4'x8' carpet scrap from the jobsite makes me feel better, too.

No offense, and forgive my ignorance, but is there some reason that y'all can't do the same thing? I've never lived anywhere like Michigan, but Virginia and Oklahoma get some nasty snow that won't go away fer a while. Here in Albq, maybe a week of crappy roads at one time.

 

The problem we have in Michigan is road salt. It gets everywhere on cars and would eat a bike quickly. So we just park the bikes for the winter (unless the bike can be washed after each ride and even that is risky).

 

OK, I get the not riding part, but don't ya fire it up every few days and roll it around?

 

From information I've read here and other places too, short runs in cold weather just to move the bike around are deemed very harmful on the engine. Excessive wear to not benefit until the real start in the spring. Besides, on mine, the battery is pulled and brought inside to a cool area so I can have it on a trickle charger. As for the tires, they get changed every spring anyway so they are not an issue.

 

I did exactly what you do.I just start mine up ride it then change the oil and trans fluid.

 

I DO ABOUT THE SAME

 

Wow, I've never heard that before, but I'll take yer word fer it!

My battery won't go dead in 10 days, so I might eliminate the 10 minute running time completely!

Thanks.