Winter Storage
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 509
Likes: 25
From: Edmonton, Alberta
Mine sits in my unheated garage all winter with a C-tek battery maintainer hooked up to it. I should probably throw fuel stabilizer in there too but I've never used the stuff in any of my seasonal equipment and I've never had a problem.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 7,492
Likes: 103
From: Stuttgart, Germany
As I don't have any location to safely store the bike during winter I let my dealer take care of it. They charge me 2 bucks a day for storing the bike in a temperate and dust-free environment, covered up and insured. The battery will be kept on the tender. In spring they will do a brief check-up before delivering the bike.
Only 2 weeks left before bike goes into storage
Only 2 weeks left before bike goes into storage
Last edited by EagleRay; Oct 17, 2016 at 10:41 AM.
Supporter
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,912
Likes: 73
From: Pittsburgh, PA
I had it in for the 15K service and since the storage included an oil change, wash and detail, I told them to just keep it.
I'm sorry I did now.
Last winter was so mild here in PA that there were bikes going past my house nearly every week before that 2-week cold spell we had in February.
Usually I just top it off and throw in a can of Seafoam stabilizer, hook up the batter tender and rotate it one week on, one week off, all winter.
I even leave it set it up on the jack to keep it a couple of inches off the ground.
Throw a sheet over it to keep the dust off and you're good.
Probably a good idea to do an oil change before storage too.
Mine sits in a semi-heated attached garage.
Last edited by jam436; Oct 17, 2016 at 11:01 AM.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 778
Likes: 178
From: Maine
I throw in some stabilizer, top it off with fuel, go for a 30 minute ride, top it off with more fuel. I then tuck the Fatboy in the same part of the garage that the snow blower resides in over the Summer and the snow blower takes the Fatboy's spot. It's a non heated attached garage, hook up the Battery Tender Jr. to it once a week for a day or so, put a queen size flat bed sheet over it and put plastic baggies wrapped with a rubber band over the exhaust tips to keep any unwanted little furry creatures from finding a home.
Some people keep there's on plywood or on a bike jack off the concrete as they say concrete makes the tires get a flat spot......but that's a load of crap. I used to change the oil at the end of each riding season too but I just found I was wasting money. So now I just do it according to the service schedule.
There's a ton of great info on this site so search away!
Some people keep there's on plywood or on a bike jack off the concrete as they say concrete makes the tires get a flat spot......but that's a load of crap. I used to change the oil at the end of each riding season too but I just found I was wasting money. So now I just do it according to the service schedule.
There's a ton of great info on this site so search away!
Supporter
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,912
Likes: 73
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Yep, that too. - forgot about that.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,420
Likes: 818
From: Middle America
This will be my first winter with the Softail. But for the past 2 years, I topped off the tank with gas, poured in some stabilizer, put the battery tender on it, then covered the bike. It started in the spring with no problems when I rolled it out of the garage. I'll do the same with the Softail.
I never put plastic bags on the exhaust tips. Is there any concerns about condensation building up in there and not being able to dry out?
I never put plastic bags on the exhaust tips. Is there any concerns about condensation building up in there and not being able to dry out?
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Road Master
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 778
Likes: 178
From: Maine
I have heard that not doing the baggy thing actually will cause moisture build up which is another reason why I do it. You can also spray WD40, LPS3 or any Corrosion Protectant in the tips before you throw the baggie's on also.......but for some reason the makes me uncomfortable. I will say though that I'm in Maine.....in the Winter time the air is INSANELY dry and the temperature is always the same in the garage.......COLD! I never had an issue doing that but it could depend more on where you live. I you've never done it....then maybe keep not doing it to stay on the safe side! I just know by me that mice LOVE little holes to hide up in for a few months up by me.
Last edited by Kingface; Oct 17, 2016 at 12:26 PM.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 9,166
Likes: 1,912
From: Doghouse... mostly
Just use some steel wool to block the ends of the pipes. Mice can chew through plastic but the wool will stop them.