Hey all...Like some opinions on this subject. I live in SE Michigan, and store my bike in an unheated garage in the winter. I change the oil shortly before storing it, and again in the spring. The last few magazines I've picked up have had articles about removing your bike from storage. They allsay, "Change the oil and filter before starting your bike."When I take my bike out in the spring, I prepare for the oil change, then take her for a good ride to get the oil hot,thenreturn home and dump it. I do the sameduring the season. Livingina cold winter climate,I can'tsee pullingthe drain plugwith cold oil sitting in the pan.Aren't I better off taking her for a ride to getit hot beforehand?One of my friends does thesame withhis bikes...some may say moisture may haveformed in the oil... butI've read thatany moisture thatmay accumulate in the oilboils off on the first ride.Thoughts and opinions?BTW, I use Amsoil 20W-50....

 

If I had just changed the oil before storage, I would not change it when I took it out. Any condensation will get burned off the first long ride you go on. This type of service has worked well for all of my seasonal vehicles for years, including a 23 year old Chevy powered boat that is stored outside.

 

....why the heck would ya change the oil a SECOND time after the bike has gone 0 miles during storage[sm=dontgetit.gif]...I agree with XXX....dump it at the end of your ridin season, and your good for the next 5000 miles of riding..(yes 5000 if using Synthetic)...any contaminates from combustion,(acids, etc), will be flushed out when you dump in the fall, and then just fire it up in the spring....

 

Exactly.

 

Exactly....I do the same thing....change fluids before storage, store in an unheated garage. The only thing I try to do is make sure that my first ride in the spring is a good long one to heat it up good and burn out all the old gas. If its early in the spring where there is a chnace of more bad weather I put some more fuel condtioner in a fresh tank before it goes back in the garage. I've never had a problem running 3k to 5k miles on the oil that sat in the bike all winter.

 

If you change your fluids before storing, do you start it at all during the storage months?I try to start mine at least once a month. I change mine at the beginning of the season. Should I change it at the end and not start it until I'm ready to ride?

 

Fresh oil in the fall, ride it in the spring. Why add oil at all for winter storage if you are just going to throw it out in the spring? Any condensation will evaporate quickly. Also most of the evaporation will be in the form of that white sludge that does not drain.

 

I change my oil every 5K. (Amsoil synthetic also) Doesn't matter if I ride it or store it. I put on around 5K....change the oil.... Other than that, it's a waste of time and money.

Larry

 

You may get differering opinions but I believe you should change all the fluids before storage and not start the motorcycle until it comes out of storage in the spring.

 

Ditto. I start it up regularly during the off season and let it get up to operating temp. Seems like perfectly good oil to me.