Winter Storage Tips
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 12,653
Likes: 18
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Ok guys, I gotta ask. Why?
What's the difference between it sitting on the floor, or sitting on a steel lift?
It being a bike, not all the motorcycle's weight is on the tires. Some of it is supported by the side stand. As long as it's moved around once in a while, I see no reason to get it off the floor, whether the tires on touching or not.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,045
Likes: 36
From: ST. Louis
Ok guys, I gotta ask. Why?
What's the difference between it sitting on the floor, or sitting on a steel lift?
It being a bike, not all the motorcycle's weight is on the tires. Some of it is supported by the side stand. As long as it's moved around once in a while, I see no reason to get it off the floor, whether the tires on touching or not.
What's the difference between it sitting on the floor, or sitting on a steel lift?
It being a bike, not all the motorcycle's weight is on the tires. Some of it is supported by the side stand. As long as it's moved around once in a while, I see no reason to get it off the floor, whether the tires on touching or not.
Rubber is a flexible material and does not like to freeze (it cracks when it freezes). Placing 1/4"-1/2" piece of cardboard or wood board under each tire will help keep the rubber raised up from a freezing floor.
It may just be a problem for tires in the past decades. But it’s so simple to do, why not?
I do know my pickup tires will flat spot and bounce for the first couple of miles, if the truck sets for 3 or 4 days.
So I do it just as a preventative.
My bike sits on garage floor tiles all the time, not just in winter. To prevent it flat spotting.
I am loving this idea
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,807
Likes: 7
I have double front doors that lead right into the living room (which no one goes in)....all I need is a 4x8 sheet of plywood and I'm in....except for the wife. If I lived by my self......
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 816
Likes: 3
From: Michigan
I agree with most of the recommendations.
But I do not cover the bike because condensation happens under most covers.
I place a fan to blow on the bike to keep the condensation off it.
Anything to stop contact between the tires and cement (even just a rug or door mat under each tire)
Battery Tender (not a trickle charger)
Sta-Bil should be added to the last tank you ride also, so it is running throughout the whole fuel system. Not just the gas in the tank.
I never think about it but using some mouse traps or tacky strips around the bike will help too. Mice will eat wires.
Back on the farm we would throw moth ***** around the combine to keep them away. I don’t want that smell in my garage though.
But I do not cover the bike because condensation happens under most covers.
I place a fan to blow on the bike to keep the condensation off it.
Anything to stop contact between the tires and cement (even just a rug or door mat under each tire)
Battery Tender (not a trickle charger)
Sta-Bil should be added to the last tank you ride also, so it is running throughout the whole fuel system. Not just the gas in the tank.
I never think about it but using some mouse traps or tacky strips around the bike will help too. Mice will eat wires.
Back on the farm we would throw moth ***** around the combine to keep them away. I don’t want that smell in my garage though.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,045
Likes: 36
From: ST. Louis
If it wasn't for the south, you wouldn't have any cotton to make all those Harley T-Shirts and all the dealers would be broke just trying to sell $20,000 toys in this day and age..............:P
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5,263
Likes: 3,357
From: Idaho Panhandle
If you don't shop non-ethanol gas stations, it is even more critical to keep the tank filled and add a stabilizer such as StarTron or Stabil. Tanks that are partially filled expand and contract as the temperature changes, meaning they move air in and out of the tank bringing more water vapor in contact with the ethanol. Hence, more water in the tank in the spring. I use the stabilizer before the last tank as with fuel injection you can't run the line dry. On the sporty I run the carburetor dry with stabilzed fuel and drain the float bowl.
We are not in the main snow belt so often we can ride nearly every month, but for January and February I figure storage is the rule. I use a stablizer any time the bike might sit for more than 2 weeks. So from October to March, I fill the tank on the way home and add stabilizer after every ride.
Other recommendations posted seem really sound advice. I wash and wax my bike more often in the winter. I just washed it with cool water to get the liquid deicer off. Here in Washington State they now use a liquid solution and it covers the bike. I was told to use cool water as warm or hot water will drive it into cracks and crevices. Anyone an expert on how to safely remove deicer? Prior to this advice I used to wash it with warm soapy water. I just hate the deicer, what is the best way to clean it off your bike?
We are not in the main snow belt so often we can ride nearly every month, but for January and February I figure storage is the rule. I use a stablizer any time the bike might sit for more than 2 weeks. So from October to March, I fill the tank on the way home and add stabilizer after every ride.
Other recommendations posted seem really sound advice. I wash and wax my bike more often in the winter. I just washed it with cool water to get the liquid deicer off. Here in Washington State they now use a liquid solution and it covers the bike. I was told to use cool water as warm or hot water will drive it into cracks and crevices. Anyone an expert on how to safely remove deicer? Prior to this advice I used to wash it with warm soapy water. I just hate the deicer, what is the best way to clean it off your bike?
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 816
Likes: 3
From: Michigan
If you don't shop non-ethanol gas stations, it is even more critical to keep the tank filled and add a stabilizer such as StarTron or Stabil. Tanks that are partially filled expand and contract as the temperature changes, meaning they move air in and out of the tank bringing more water vapor in contact with the ethanol. Hence, more water in the tank in the spring. I use the stabilizer before the last tank as with fuel injection you can't run the line dry. On the sporty I run the carburetor dry with stabilzed fuel and drain the float bowl.
We are not in the main snow belt so often we can ride nearly every month, but for January and February I figure storage is the rule. I use a stablizer any time the bike might sit for more than 2 weeks. So from October to March, I fill the tank on the way home and add stabilizer after every ride.
Other recommendations posted seem really sound advice. I wash and wax my bike more often in the winter. I just washed it with cool water to get the liquid deicer off. Here in Washington State they now use a liquid solution and it covers the bike. I was told to use cool water as warm or hot water will drive it into cracks and crevices. Anyone an expert on how to safely remove deicer? Prior to this advice I used to wash it with warm soapy water. I just hate the deicer, what is the best way to clean it off your bike?
We are not in the main snow belt so often we can ride nearly every month, but for January and February I figure storage is the rule. I use a stablizer any time the bike might sit for more than 2 weeks. So from October to March, I fill the tank on the way home and add stabilizer after every ride.
Other recommendations posted seem really sound advice. I wash and wax my bike more often in the winter. I just washed it with cool water to get the liquid deicer off. Here in Washington State they now use a liquid solution and it covers the bike. I was told to use cool water as warm or hot water will drive it into cracks and crevices. Anyone an expert on how to safely remove deicer? Prior to this advice I used to wash it with warm soapy water. I just hate the deicer, what is the best way to clean it off your bike?