Hi All..

An owner of a 2014 Softail Fatboy.

Winter Storage question..

I am in Canadaland (eh)..where cold can reach -32c (brrr)

Am I ok to store my bike in a covered patio with bike covered of coarse with a proper tarp and battery plugged in with a trickle charger?

Not many other options for storing due to cash shortages...

Cheers!!

Dave

 

Suggestion. Seems to me that I saw an ad once upon a time somewhere for a oil heater that can fit down into the oil dipstick hole. Sorta, kinda like the diesel jobs. I'd guess to stop condensation in the oil canister.Can't give you any more info than that. Sorry, you'll have to do the homework. Given your parameters, I'd think about it. Probably wouldn't hurt. Also get the tires up off concrete, at least on a folded up blanket or something.

 

For those not familiar with Celsius, that's a bone chilling -25 Fahrenheit!

The trickle charger is a must. I also recommend you change the oil and filter, clean it well, top off the tank with fresh fuel, add a fuel stabilizer, over-inflate the tires to prevent flat spots (if it will be parked with the tires on the ground), and park it on a rubber mat or some sort of vapor barrier. As far as your tarp, what do you consider proper? Regardless, ensure your tarp/cover is breathable so it doesn't trap moisture inside, which may encourage corrosion.

I've read that some people put rags in the muffler(s), fog the engine with Seafoam (or some other treatment), pull the spark plugs and put some oil in the top of the cylinders and crank it and replace the plugs...

These are my recommendations and I'm sure others will chime in.

 

Problem is, those plastic tarps crack in the wind below -10c. Then they start to leak, even the higher priced ones. I covered my car with them and they all leaked by February. You have to get the rubber tarps from Princess Auto. I would roll the bike onto a tarp, tie it up and then cover the top with a rubber tarp. This way nothing gets in. I use bungee cords from Cdn Tire to keep it tight. I wipe my bike down with Rustchek before I store it so the chrome doesn't pit.

You should be OK, but my experience is that spraying with oil is very important. TRickle charger, or take the battery out and bring it inside and charge it every month. BTW, the cheap way to go with a tarp is a roll of Polytarp 6ml builder's plastic. It doesn't crack, but has no tarp rings for fastening.

 

Where in Canada are you? I'm in Ajax (Toronto) You can store it in my warm, safe garage if you want.

 

take the battery out, and store it inside on the tender...much less harmful than relying on the tender to keep it up to snuff in that kind of cold. Just food for thought.

 

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/canad...your-bike.html

 

Why wouldn't you take the battery out and store it somewhere more moderate?

 

I used to have a friend (when I lived in Wyoming) he kept his in his living room behind the coach.
He had one of those tin sheets to catch the drips (made for cars/trucks) he parked it on.
It was a great conversation piece at parties at his house.