I'll be storing my ultra in an enclosed trailer for winter. Temps to minus 25f. Will a battery tender work, or should I remove the battery and put in house with tender?

 

Why even take the chance? Takes 5 minutes to pull the battery.

 

I would pull the battery and hook up the tender indoors. Also make sure the trailer has vents to keep you bike from sweating. Full the gas tank up and you should be good to go.

 

remove the battery....when using a charging system gases are generated which cause corrosion.....it's an urban myth that AGM batteries are sealed and do not generate gases....they acutally are sealed only to 3 psi...after 3 PSI...they vent like normal batteries.

 

Just plug in your battery tender, fill the tank, an put in a little gas stablizer and you'll be just fine !

 

If temps vary over the winter, I certainly would hook up a lightbulb or two to generate a little heat to burn off the moisture. Or at least a fan with plenty of ventilation to ward out the dampness

 

I keep mine in an very dry, well-built, shed with a wooden floor well off of the ground. If in a place with a concrete floor, many suggest getting it off the floor on a wooden platform or jack or something. I don't know if it makes a difference but I've heeded warnings of others and put it up even when I kept bikes in the garage.

The shed is well ventilated but has no heat source whatsoever. I fill the bike with stabilized fuel, put it in there, hook up the battery tender, and cover it with blankets and then a m/c cover. I check on it whenever it snows - when I clear the path to the shed. I've never seen any sweat/moisture on the bike.

Don't worry about gases. A BT is not even a trickle charger; it's a maintainer that only kicks in when the battery drops to a certain level and then kicks out again when the charge is brought back up. A battery will only freeze if it loses charge. I store both my bike and lawn tractor this way. Batteries last years - last one for the tractor lasted 8; never bought a bike battery as I have switched bikes every few years. Neither has there ever been a problem with corrosion.

This spring (the first for this 2010 UC), the bike started first press on the button, just like it would if I started it now. It sort of startled me as I was expecting it to crank a bit.

I do put steel wool in the exhaust in the event little critters get in there, though there's never been any sign of anything like that in the shed. One important thing - if you're going to store your bike in an unheated area, DON'T START IT UP. Doing so will warm the pipes, cause condensation, and that leads to bad karma.

HTH

 

Thanks guys. I can open a roof vent slightly, but don't want it getting clogged with snow. This is first time I am putting bike in trailer for winter storage so just thought I would see what the experts had to say ;-)

 

Yes, remove the battery and put in house with tender!

 

1.) find indoor storage, like at a dealer- many shops have pretty inexpensive storage packages

2.)

if going with the trailer, make sure it can't be stolen, or moved by someone who may damage the bike inadvertantly if they have to move the trailer. ( or put it on jacks and take the wheels off and store in trailer)

wash and wax bike

pull the battery

get the tires off the floor if you can or at least get a jack to relieve some of the weight from the tires and suspension

drain oils etc. fresh oil in ( as used oil will have some water, fuel and acid contaminants)-- pull plugs, put a little oil in the cylinders
put bike in gear and turn rear wheel so that the motor goes through 50 or so cycles, this'll help get the new oil in some crannies.
little more oil in the cylinders, then plugs in ( use anti seize)

new tranny and primary lube too

drain gas is best, leave tank open to vent--- or fill tank to near top, add fuel conditioner like stabil

cover with cotton bedsheet ( it breathes, it keeps dust off)

Think about a tarp where the vent is, any leaks?

that's pretty much what i did with my bikes in the shed in T.O.

mike