Winter Storage

[Venture]

Once again, we reach that time of the year when often I get out to go to work and find myself with a scraper in my hand cleaning off the windshield. Yes, it is coming up to the time of putting the bike away for the winter.
Normally, my regimen would simply be to drain the gas completely from the tank and the carbs and use engine storage spray in the cylinders. The opposing point of view would be to fill the tank up and run gas stabilizer through the system.
So, this being my first winter of true storage, I will eagerly await on the opinion of several storage veterans that are out there as to the preferred method for the Vision. What do you think??

[DaWiseWun]

Move to a warmer climate and ride to your hearts content ;D,  Oh well,  Guess that's not an option.

later,
Josh

[Rick G]

Thats what I did lol.  But when I lived in MN , I put 4 ounces of Seafoam in the tank and filled it to the top, then run it for 10 min to get it in the carbs. This this works great in snow blowers and mowers during their respective dormant seasons.

[admin]

I use Gas stabilizer in a full tank, run it for a few minutes
and then drain the carbs for the winter.
This usually keeps the carbs from getting gunked up.

The bowl drains are pretty easy to get to without having to
remove anything from the bike, all told it takes about 20 minutes.
I also usually pull the battery and bring it inside, this helps remind me to charge it every once in a while.

-Ron

[louthepou]

Winter storage, always a neglected activity.

Ron pretty much covers the easiest way of dealing with the essential. I would add, on the list of "less essential but still useful":

1. Make sure the tire pressure is OK;
2. Make sure the engine oil is not 10,000 miles old;
3. You may want to give the bike a good wash and look for anything wrong under the accumulated road grime (if like me you wash your bike once a year, there's a good time);
4. There's the possibility of covering the gas tank with petroleum gelly, but I've never been to fond of that.
5. Finally, some like to cover the bike with something like a tarp or some more expensive albeit snug-fitting bike cover.

Oh, and I've seen rodents overwinter in a larger bike's muffler... But I think the Vision is safe on that side.

Congrats on actually thinking about winter storage, I've seen a lot of bike owners in my part of the world skipping that part and wonder every spring why their bike doesn'T start...

Louis

[Josh M]

I usaully change the oil before and after storage.  Petroleum jelly?  That must be a pain to wash off in the spring...  If the bike is stored in an area where the rodents will use it as a hotel/diner/food storage area, put some moth balls around the bike.  

  Josh

[Venture]

Okay, it sounds like the concensus is wet storage over dry storage. That sounds like a plan to me. As for location, I'm fortunate enough to have a garage thats dry and actually stays above the freezing mark (barely). Thanks for all the input guys.

[GA_Wolf]

Also don't forget to put it on the center stand and block the frame up so that both wheels are off the ground to prevent the tires from flat-spotting on you!

[QBS]

Add a can of gasoline dewaterer to the tank as well.  Leave the battery connected to a Battery Tender Jr.  Cheers.

[admin]

I would be very careful with a "de-waterer"
most are composed of alchohol and in fact will attract water
especially in any kind of humidity.
they are designed to mix gas and water and to be burned
in a very short period of time.
my own personal recomendation would be to avoid it and stick with a gas stabilizer.

just my 2c

-Ron