Living in eastern north carolina, ethanol free fuel is widely available due to the high number of boats. Ethanol free 93, 90, and 89 are all within 15 miles of the house. We ride all year and plug into tenders every time after riding.
Living in Las Vegas we have a lot of gas available. We even had raising fuel at the pumps, at some stations. 93 octane is what I use in my 03 V Rod, 20-50 wt. Harley Davidson synthetic in my crank case and I change it every 2000 miles when I drain the oil it still looks good, I change the oil in my Tahoe and Lexus every 3000.
Unless you plan on doing maintenance on your bike that requires an empty tank, NEVER store your bike for winter with anything other than a FULL TANK that has been stabilized. A full tank will prevent condensation from rusting the inside of your tank and keep condensation to a minimum. The moisture in the tank comes from the air in the tank, the less trapped air, the less trapped moisture and less exposed internal surface area you rust. Make sure you run the bike long enough to get stabilized fuel completely through the fuel system before the long winter nap.
Hi 👋 Foo , Great territorial, I’ve had three Harley Davison’s, everyone of them, I’ve had linked up to a battery saver, and I change my oil at least twice three times a year, I sometimes do anywhere between five and 8000 miles each year, depending where I go on the European rallies, when I may not change my oil, change all the oils, you look after your bike and it will keep you going out on the road years after years, Cannot say the same for females, 😂, all I do is use you, you spend money on them to look after them, they scam you
In our area, storing a bike with an empty fuel tank will cause the tank to rust. I change oil at regular intervals, but I lay down between 12,000 and 15,000 miles. I rarely use ethanol. If you start the bike in the winter, make sure you run it until it is warm (when you cannot hold your bare hand on the rocker cover) Good video. A bit of prevention is always a good thing.
I change the oil once per year. I put the bike on a battery tender junior during the winter months. If we get warm days in the winter, I'll ride. Eastern PA gets a few nice days during the winter.
Once a year regardless of miles. Mine is carburetor so I run Lucas fuel additive which has a lubricant every time I fill up so no ethanol damage whatsoever n my Harley over 30yrs old n run only 93 octane n never a problem, but I do drain out the float bowl when I store, but leave in all fluids in case we have a warm days here in PA. I also use sta-bil in case of long term n again never had a problem starting it in the spring 😊
Hello to everyone! I’d like to share my storage method here in Pennsylvania. I’m 54 and have ridden my entire life. Currently I have two wonderful Dynas and a Honda Monkey. First off, a warning from experience: battery tenders can and do malfunction! I recently had a four year old tender that stuck on the charge mode and nearly cooked one of my batteries before I noticed the smell. After asking around my circle of friends I found that I am not the only one to experience this. The electronics do wear out. So here is my method. I change my oils when they are due. I use synthetics. I don’t change just because it’s the off season. I don’t treat the fuel in my bikes either…I start each of them once per week and let them reach temperature. I move a tender between the bikes when I’m in my garage. I will never trust a tender again after what happened. A battery costs about $150.00. I could have lost them all in a fire, along with my home. I believe that if the bikes are run periodically while I sip a beverage all is well. Just my two cents. Take care!
I'll throw on a battery tender once a week for an hour or so. I did alot of reading on this subject and found its actually good for the battery to naturally discharge a little bit. then top it up. Also no fuel stabilizer. I run my 2 bikes once every week or two to operating temperature. This is also good for the valve train as some springs won't be compressed for 6 months at a time.
Pretty interesting I've been riding motorcycles from Dirt bikes, crotch rockets and then Harley's for 40 years and I live in an area where the average winter is 25 to 55 degrees and on some days its in the 60's and all I've done to my bikes when I'm not riding them is start them up for 10-15 minutes let them idle and then give them a little rev and shut them off and I've never experienced any problems with my bikes ever. I keep them on a battery tender in between rides regardless of weather all year round and again never had any types of problems with any of my bikes. Hmmm? maybe I've just been lucky all these years or maybe this stuff only pertains to below zero weather??. Regardless thank you for sharing and ride safe.
Worst thing to do to an engine is start it up and just let it get warmup and then shut it off condensation will build up inside the engine. If you’re going to start it up take it for a spin.
An important part is when you shut it down for winter, that you shut it down hot. If you have been riding in cold weather chances are your oil and top end have allot of moisture. I add a bit of 2 stroke oil to the fuel, no 'stabilizer'
I use stabil marine 360 and double the amount and run bike so it's through the whole system. It conditions the fuel and fogs the cylinders to prevent rusting. I put away with fully charged battery and if doesn't start in spring I put new battery in 💁♂️
My bike is never down for a month. I have a saying. I get dressed in the morning. Walk into my garage get my bike and myself ready to ride. I open my garage door and say. I’m going riding today as the door opens and this is what I’m riding in. Rain 🌧️ Shine what ever it is. I throw my leg over and go riding. I’ve been doing this for over 55 years. Back when I was young I got in to habits. Change my oil every 2500 to 3000 miles. No matter what!!
I lived in Upstate New York for more that 34 years. Rode a motorcycle for the better part of those years. I've always changed the oil on the bikes before storage and every 3,000 miles no matter what. I figure oil is inexpensive considering what could happen and the cost associated with any issues due to oil breakdown. Also treated the gas wit stabil or other additive like sea foam. Always had a tender on the bike and had no issues for the first ride of the new season. Good lick out there and ride safe my brothers.
I change my oil every 3000 miles on my '99 Heritage Springer. I also run non-ethanol and store it for 3 months. She runs like a dream. Evolution motor is bulletproof.
Thank god I can ride year Round .. southern GA.. Brunswick…. Grew up up till 4 yrs ago in way northern Indiana.. from basically Nov to May no Ridin’ some days you would get lucky in spring .. but most days in those months it’s a nope…1 big reason I moved south lol…
I fill up with recreation fuel and either bring my battery inside and tend it or just put a tender on it. It sits for 4 months since I live in Michigan. I left gas in a carb bike, and it turned to crystals in the petcock.
I usually change my 3 hole oil in the Evo every winter. Montana gets to -40f where I live plus we average 10-20mph winds so the wind chill gets down to -60f. I check for leaks. Stabile in a full tank to the lip almost. Expansion is minimal here. Run out carb. Change Air Filter. Check tire pressure. Lift underneath. No tarp. No covers. Too much moisture trapped. Strap down. Wax...
Wind chill is for humans, it doesn’t affect mechanical things. If it is 20 F outside, and you are riding down the road, every part of your bike (excluding engine and exhaust and nearby things getting heat from engine) are going to be exactly 20F.
I store my bike in a heated garage... I run Amsoil Quickshot fuel additive to combat ethanol. I also run Amsoil octane boost. I have had no issues. I also use a battery tender whenever it is not ridden. I get 5-7 years on my battery. I change my oil once a year regardless of mileage. Peace of mind. I also keep the tank full of fuel to eliminate moisture in the tank. Great video :-)
Hey dude - Fortnine did a video on this. In Ontario we have the Moto-Master Sta-bil - and only a few of the others. In the states you could prob find these all - minus the Sta-bil. All I was going to say is Sea Foam is marketed well - but apparently doesn't perform to the hype. If you've seen this - cool - but I just thought you may be interested - considering it's getting close to storage time again... I do understand though - we each have what works for us. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-chsGBhB5g7o.html
I like changing my oil before I put it up , had my bike serviced this week @ 4,000 miles , use synthetic oil , I will get a few more weeks of riding hopefully I always put in a dose of seafoam at every fill up and now I will put a heaver dose at my last ride for the season , thank for some great content , you do a great job !!
Yeah , In the off season, before It’s laid up for Winter, oil change, to minimize acidity, full tank of tank of the highest available octane usually 93 here in Las Vegas, and the required amount of Gasoline Stabilizer. And connect the Battery Tender, keep a eye on it Regularly.
Great video. Most of the time my bikes are plugged into tenders, I always use premium and try to follow what the manufacturer recommends by adding a tablespoon of engine oil into the cylinders. I’ve also put the bike in a high gear and rocked it back and forth to get the oil pump to distribute oil into the engine. Starting your bike in the winter with a heavy oil it’s not a good idea. If you do not have a heated garage. The engine needs to reach operating temperature to burn off the moisture and if you just start it for a bit to hear it running, then turn it off, you are not burning off the moisture in the engine and this can cause rust.
full to absolute top with Amsoil fuel stabilizer ties Aired up battery on my battery tender of course and wash and waxed oil don’t need charge I never have 4 months plus here in upstate NY
Oil builds up acid in oil over the year. 🤔 Must Change at least every year! Old oil sitting over winter can cause premature failure of engine. Not immediate failure, but failure none the less.
Pretty interesting, I've been riding motorcycles from Dirt bikes, crotch rockets and then Harley's for 40 years and I live in an area where the average winter is 25 to 55 degrees where we get 4-6 inches of snow on some days and on some days its in the 60's and all I've done to my bikes when I'm not riding them is start them up for 10-15 minutes a few times a week and let them idle and then give them a little rev and shut them off and I've never experienced any problems with my bikes ever. I keep them on a battery tender in between rides regardless of weather all year round and again never had any types of problems with any of my bikes. Hmmm? maybe I've just been lucky all these years or maybe this stuff only pertains to below zero weather??. Regardless thank you for sharing and ride safe.
It's good to winterize if it's going to sit for months and months on end, but for sure use the battery tender. That will greatly extend the life of your battery, I get 6 to 7 years out of batteries keeping them on the tender when the bike isn't in use. I mean like if I ride Sunday and won't get it back out till Tuesday, not like come home and plug it in for an hour and leave again.
Personally, I change my oil every 2500 miles. I use Amsoil. Also found extended battery life by leaving on a tender when either not riding for more than a week or if temps are below 40 F.
I do 6,000 kms which is about 3700 miles and use Amsoil also; however, on my 2021 Street Glide, on my 2nd bike which is a 2009 Rocker C, i also use Amsoil but i never get more that maybe 1,000kms a year, its a secondary bike only used when going to a show N shine or a bike night so i only change the oil every couple years. On my wife's 2009 Tri Glide, she is lucky if she averages 2500 kms a year which is 1500 miles, i use Amsoil and change every other year. Riding here in Calgary Alberta Canada we pretty much stop riding in late October to early November (if lucky) and wont get out again until April (maybe late March) so i only change her oil every other year but im always using 100% synthetic Amsoil As far as a tender, we put our bikes on a tender after every ride, just a habit and we will get great life out of the batteries, easy 7+ years, in fact, ive changes the batter once on my 2009 Tri Glide and 2009 Rocker C
I put about 16k-18k miles a year. I change oil twice a year. But I also use Quicksilver. Also my last fill up before storage will be full tank of non ethanol gas with seafoam or stabile. You want almost a full tank of gas to keep seals moist and no rust in tank.
Skip the stable in the fuel. Ride it out till you’re close to empty then add sea foam top it off then ride it for 3 to 5 miles. That gets enough fuel and sea foam mix in the cylinders and kills the ethanol. I ride enough miles in a season to change the oil out 3 times a season. I hear a lot of people say they don’t have time to ride which is an excuse to not ride to the store or work. Get the oil hot enough to evaporate any water that may collect in the crank case.
Who puts their motorcycle in storage? Wait, I know. They’re called “Motorcyclist”. Me, I ride year round. Even when temperatures below freezing. We’re called “Biker”! And I change oil 3 or 4 times a year (every 5K miles) per Service Manual. 🏍💨🏍💨
@leonwilcox-tp2jg I’ve rode with snow. The reason I missed about two weeks was because I couldn’t get my bike out past the snow. Kept falling down. 😂🤣 🏍💨🏍💨
I'm the north island of New Zealand, so we can ride all year round...I run motul 7100 full syn in my 110 and change it out every 2000k...the oil isn't cheap but neither is the engine..
Since I've grown up and moved on to a Wing, I have no concerns as the tank is plastic and the rest of the fuel system is pretty much at modern automotive levels.
Here in Phoenix, AZ, winter IS the riding season. The 115 degree heat during the summer makes it impossible for me to ride. Also, no matter what some website says, you cannot get ethanol free gas in AZ. I have 4 motorcycles, all carbureted, and when riding season starts coming to an end, around the middle of May, I completely drain the fuel systems on three of them, and pour in a gallon of TruFuel. The bikes run fine on it, it is ethanol free, and it has a life span of about 2 years, unlike the 2 months with ethanol gas. All my bikes are stored indoors. Having that TruFuel in them makes it possible for me to start the engines up, run them for several minutes, put them in gear and use the clutch, circulate the oil, spin both tires and use the brakes, etc., so that all parts that are supposed to move get moved several times during the summer. I also do all the maintenance on those three bikes during the summer, so the bikes are ready to ride when it starts cooling down. I keep the tires aired up and battery maintainers on all of them. I have a 1989 Kawasaki Vulcan 750 that I bought new, and it has always been done this way. It now has 118,000 miles on it and still runs like new. I do have one bike I ride through the summer, but only between midnight and 6:00 am. Only time it's not too hot. I have never seen any "fuel stabilizer" that actually did anything. I can't say for sure that it didn't, but I never noticed anything different. I don't ride EFI bikes, but the best thing you can do for them is to remove the tank, turn it upside down, pour out all the gas (turn the tank this way and that way, make sure you get it all out) put the tank back on and connect the fuel line, pour a gallon of TruFuel into the tank, start it up, and let it run for several minutes. That will flush out any ethanol that is still trapped in the fuel lines and injectors. You have to get ALL the ethanol out, not just most of it. Change oil once a year??? I definitely don't recommend that. I change the engine oil in all 4 of my bikes (three of them are Harleys) every 3,000 miles. Primary and transmission oil can go a bit longer, because it doesn't get contaminated like engine oil. I ride all my bikes close to or more than 3,000 miles a year. Since I have 4 bikes, I try to put a few thousand miles on all of them every year. That can be difficult, because I only have a 6 month riding season. I like to change the oil just before putting them away for the long hot summer. Oil is not cheap, but it's a lot cheaper than an engine. And leaving contaminated oil with acids in it sitting in your engine all summer can cause damage just like ethanol can damage the fuel system.
living in sw arkansas, i can ride most of the year. personally, i do the 3 hole oil change every winter (january / fedruary) just so i know it's done, in case i put a lot of miles on it over the summer. i installed new tires in roughly july of 2022, because i bought the bike may of 2020 with 17,500 miles, and it had 26,000 miles on then. it currently has over 28,000 miles on it, not bad for a 2012 fatboy. keep crank'n out the vids.
Michigan. Top off the tank with the usual Speedway premium and add Sta-bil. Lift it off the garage floor, plug in battery tender. Always good to go in the spring.
I heard the stabil actually rusts the gas tank even more. I watched a youtube video that shows it and the conclusion was to just fill the tank to the top where it has no room to absorb water! 🤷🏼♂️
Southern Michigan, I fill tank all the way up with premium (or 110 if possible) , spray WD40 on whole bike minus seat, put battery tender on and cover. In spring, powerwash. Bike is 18 years old and looks brand new, WD40 keeps rust from forming and rubber stays subtle, the full tank keeps condensation from forming. We do this to store our snowmobiles also, works great 👍
I change my oil motor and primary every 750 miles, use Amsoil. Yea I know, but I can afford it. XL1200CX. In Vegas, so no hard winter. Also check tire pressure every week.
I put my bike away last November, and didn't get to ride once this year. I think I'll put it in the house and start a tear down for a new oil pump (02 Twin cam).
I use full synthetic Mobil 1 V Twin 20w-50 motor oil. 4.5 qts, about $55 in oil in the engine. 2 riding seasons or 5000 miles, which ever comes first, before it gets changed. My M8 motored bike sits garaged all the time, and covered. Bike is tendered, all the time. Expensive lithium battery in there. Fuel tank is always stored topped off, to prevent condensation inside the fuel tank, just as you would in an airplane.
Mine gets changed at 5 k. Easier to keep track of via the odometer. I start mine up and run them until warm every week unless I ride them. Battery tenders are used too.
I change my oil in my 03. V Rod every 2500 miles I use Harley Davidson 2050 synthetic it now at 70,000 miles. Oil always looks clean when I drain it. I also change the oil every 3000 miles in my 2002 Tahoe and my 1992 LS 400 Lexus. I also use full synthetic in these vehicles. They have never leaked one drop all well both have over 100,000 miles on them. Some people say it’s a waste I said it’s peace of mind. I’ve owned all these vehicles since they were new. It’s nice knowing what I have. I also use a fuel stabilizer in my Harley in the winter, I use ethanol 93 Octane only.
BIG G'day GixxerFoo from Down Under 🇦🇺🖤🧡🖤 Great advice & an overlooked topic. I to believe leaving the battery tender on to keep the Cold Cranking Amps at the correct level & also increasing the life of the battery too. May all your days be Harley days🖤🧡🖤 Safe travels 🙏♥️🐾🐾🇦🇺 🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤🧡🖤
Live in New England always put stabilizer in tank run synthetic in 3 holes take battery in and let charge put bike on blocks so tires are not sitting in same spot for months always lube cables put marvelous mystery oil in jugs thanks for info 🤙🇺🇸
Everyone has their "ritual" for winter, so here's mine, for a 2005 1200 Sportster Roadster that has 84,000 miles on it. Change the oil in both places. It's not good to let it sit with last year's oil all winter. Block off the air cleaner inlet. Use a handy oiler and lubricate the three Heim jounts that allow the engine to move around. Lubricate the swingarm pivots too. Use a fuel stabilizer no matter what kind of fuel you use. Running the carb dry allows the seals to dry out and they will leak next spring. I dump 2 ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil in each cylinder and rotate the engine by hand to distribute the oil and to find the spot where all four valves are closed. This takes the pressure off the hydraulic lifters and valve train, preventing collapsed valve lifters and the hammering that it causes until the lifters pump up. Plug into a battery tender. Store the bike in a garage, heated if possible. You can buy a cover for the bike that will keep the dust out and breathe. Buy a motorcycle jack and lift it up. Use the handy oiler to lay a bead of oil around the tops of the fork tube sliders. This will prevent the seals from drying out. Wash the bike and wax it, including the chrome. This keeps moisture out. Moisture will pit your chrome.
Zero real gas available around me (South Jeresy). I add stabil, fill up the tank, and drive the 5 or so miles back to the garage. Never had an issue with any of my motorcycles or mowers come Spring. I always change the oil in late Fall, no matter the mileage. Full synthetic, usually Amsoil or Mobil Vtwin. I also give them a good cleaning, toss a tender on them, and an indoor cover for the winter.
A lot of those so called ethanol fuel treatments don’t do much if anything to prevent phase separation. Some might help preserve the gas, others are probably snake oil. And unfortunately there is no easy way to turn off the parasitic draws like clocks and security .. which really complicates battery health in storage if they aren’t trickled on occasion.
Great video Gixxerfoo! I leave the oil in mine. I am in Alabama, so it is usually a short winter or I get days during the winter I am taking my bikes out anyway. One thing I don't recall you saying is it is also a good practice to take your bike or bikes outside and at least fire them up and let them come up to temperature at least once a month or preferably every two weeks. This way the cylinders don't dry out. I also use a 90 octane ethanol free gas over the winter months just to keep things clean.
Yes I don't worry about any of this stuff. I always leave the batteries to the bikes hooked up to the battery tenders year around and even when it's too cold to ride or snowing I will open the garage doors and let both of them run for at least 30 minutes. Even if it is cold I will bundle up and go for a short ride. Been doing this to every bike I ever had for my entire life and no problems whatsoever.
Love this guy. Thanks for the enthusiasm. I ride all year round except for the first 364 days😅. Actually most days I'm out. But finding non-ethinol is like trying to find a needle on the moon. The most available protectorate is fuel treatment additive. Apart from that I'd have to go to another nation to get a zero Ethanol. But hey, I'm in the UK. Not in the EU.
Same in Scotland , I can find no station that sells zero ethanol fuel , 5% being the lowest , I believe it is going to get worse as ethanol content is increased over time .
We've already had snow here in Northern Nevada .... Record highs the last couple days Only 87 octane gas here without ethanol. Wish I could find higher octane ethanol free
Bah! Screw Sta-bil. I have run Sea Foam in my last tank of fuel for the year, parked them in my heated garage over the winter (Norther Minnesota) for 40 years. Never had a problem.
Yes. I put clean oil at the end if the summer always cause i go to cozumel for 3 months ,, I've neverbout additives in the tank and haven't had any problems, flstci, 06 But I think I will now, thanks for the heads up
I'm With you on the Oil, I'm Retired now and have some health issues so i barely do between 5000 and 7000 miles a year, but my bike is back on the road like religion mid-March to 1st week in April and it gets anything and Everything on that 1st service all 3 holes oil synthetic, lube cables, adjust clutch, lube neck bearings, check primary tension, belt tension, brakes, motor mounts, and more and that is usually all my bike needs in the year till it's tire time
Hey gixxerfoo. I store my bike for the winter and every couple of weeks I fire it up for a few mins. At least this way it's not sitting for 4 months doing nothing. It seemed to work ok for me
all gas in calif. has ethanol in it . start the engine once a month and go ride it , that's what jackets/ chaps are for . buy a battery tender charger, they are designed the leave on as the voltage drops it turns on to bring the volts up, then goes to float mode .
Thank you. I wish I saw this earlier. My bike is in Hawaii, but I had to store it for a year and despite using Stabil ethanol took its toll. It ruined the liner in the tank, rusted, and all the other components of the fuel system including the fuel pump, filter, and regulator. I had no idea that ethanol was a killer like this. It took a week to clean out and prep the tank for new sealer. Then all the other components that were replaced two years earlier. Hard and expensive lesson for me. Now as hard as it is to find non-ethanol gas, I use the pure gas app and won’t put nothing in but non-ethanol. The only problem is it’s 89 octane here In Hawaii.
There's actually a little truth to that. It has to do with the amount of moisture in the air. Air compressors concentrate that moisture and unless you have your own compressor you're at the mercy of whoever takes care of the compressor where you fill the tires. That moisture will corrode the wheels and rims from the inside where you can't see it. That said... Winter air has far less moisture than summer air. Replacing the summer air with dry, 40 or 35 degree air before you put the bike up for the winter will significantly reduce the moisture in the tire/wheel and reduce the corrosion potential.
Live in CT, occasionally ride in winter. No real gas available. Use fuel treatment year round. Stabil in fall and winter. Put battery conditioner on if haven't ran for a few weeks. 2 hole every 2500 with mineral. 3rd every spring no matter mileage. This one 53000 on it going strong . Always starts.
I have to park my bike (Indian challenger ) all winter. I change the oil before storage (full synthetic) use stabile and a battery tender. I try to start the bike every couple weeks
Worst thing to do is start your bike. No way to get all the components up to full operating temp. Youre introducing moisture and shutting it off with it still inside with no way to boil off. Stabil, tender and leave it alone
I should have added that my bike is in a heated shop. I wouldn’t start it if it were in cold storage. The only reason I started it was to get oil circulation in the engine because I was too lazy to put fog in the cylinders.
10/20/2023---Just got my 2020 FXST 107 M8 switched over to ethanol free fuel last week. I live in Ohio and the winters are usually non ridable for 3-4 months each year. I use a HD battery tender 100% of the time and my 3 yr old battery still tests at 100% (Health) and delivers 370 CCA on a 315 CCA rating. My first oil change was at 1,000 miles, then 5,000, 10,000 and 15,000 with currently 18,000 miles on the bike. At 10,000 miles I switched from HD 20w50 Syn 3 oil to Mobil 1 V-Twin 20w50 full synthetic oil. I will let it go to the 5,000 mile recommended interval of 20,000 miles for my next change because I feel the Mobil 1 oil is THAT good. It'll be next season but that is OK. On HD oil the engine was very noisy with what seemed like piston slap. That all went completely away with the Mobil 1 oil at the 10,000 mile change. I couldn't believe the difference that a brand change could make. I send my oil off to Blackstone laboratories for analyzation at each change. The 10,000 mile change had quite a bit of copper in it but at 15,000 miles the copper dropped like a rock and they noted it all washed out, no abnormal contaminants remained and the engine was finally broken-in. My power train is bone stock.
Thought sure you would debunk the myth of starting the bike up every few weeks to warm it up. Once winterized, leave it sit. I do like the idea of having fresh oil in it for long storage.
Why make simple when you can make it complicated? I live in Montreal. I put some stabilizer in it and fill it up. I let it run for 15 minutes and that is it. Did this with my old carb bikes and fuel injection
On my 2015 Road Glide Special here in New Mexico our winters are not too bad. We get about 10 months where you can ride. In terms oil changes I change mine every 3000 miles with a full synthetic regardless of time.
I drain my tanks before a long nap, and run the engine on some ethanol free 4 cycle fuel from a can. (Small engine fuel from Menards) I then run until dry. Then I use fogging oil in the tank and carb.
I store the bike in the winter in the garage with a tender on it and change all 3 holes in the Spring regardless of miles. Just so I have piece of mind. Oil is cheaper than an engine.
Good video, thank you. I'm 58 years old and ridden my whole life. My current ride is a 2022 Harley Street Glide Special, I'm from Toronto Ontario - Canada, we get some nice days in the winter where it's cold but the roads are dry and salt free and I'll ride with all my heated gear (socks, pants, jacket, gloves + heated grips) As long as it's 1 degree Celsius (32 degrees to my American friends) I can still ride nice and warm. I love the looks and comments at red lights - I tell them I'm toasty warm, they think I'm insane. I use my full face helmet in this cold to avoid a frozen face, just no other way to do it (I use a pin lock snap in on my visor as well to stop fog up, game changer) I change my engine oil 20/50 OEM I don't use synthetic no need for me, and I change it at 4,000 kilometers. I do primary and tranny both at every 8,000 kilometers. I have 2,500 kilometers on it since last oil change and I'll leave that oil in it until I hit my limit early next spring. I use fuel stabilizer as well, but if I get nice days and ride more, I add more as the fuel goes down and always park it full to the top with gas. When I know it will be a month of no riding (January, February...) I also raise it on a lift to avoid flat spots on the rubber and remove load on the suspension. I liked @brentgeorge2114 point on the tender, I plug it in every time it's parked from September onwards, I never thought of his concerns and they are valid. Here in Canada I'm told no need for synthetic oil, I don't know, I feel changing it every 4,000 kilometers which is 1/2 the mileage the manual suggests is just fine. The oil vs synthetic is something I think this winter I'll look into more. Ride Safe wind riders. EDIT just after this I Googled which Canadian gas does not have ethanol and found this: "Which gas in Canada does not have ethanol? Shell 91 octane V-Power and Chevron Supreme 94 octane gasolines have no ethanol in them." I have never given any thought to the ethanol part, I thought Canadian gas was just "gas" so thank you GixxerFoo, now I'll make sure I ride this whole tank of ethanol gas (I always used Petro Canada premium 94 Octane which is the highest you can get here in Ontario to my knowledge) to empty and only use Shell or Chevron. It is my experience that an old dog like me who thinks they know everything about bikes, cough cough...can still learn something new every day, thanks for this video.
I live on the Border of New Hampshire and Maine, and some years i ride year round, others not so much, i'm 64 been riding since i was 5 years old, and here is my winter prep and storage. 1. starting in mid October i put STA-BIL360 in every fill up and Gumout Fuel system cleaner as well. This gets both flowing thru the system as i ride in Oct/Nov/Dec. My bike is plugged into a battery tender year round when in my 12x12 shed, my shed has no heat but holds a pretty steady temp except on super cold nights, when i get those i cover the bike, and for decades my bikes start 1st time everytime in March
Thanks brother were I live we ride All year Round it would be hard not being able to ride my bike. To be honest I would move to a new area just to ride. All the best from New Zealand 🇳🇿
I ry to ride it every month but you know it depends where you live. I love to ride when it’s in the 50,s or even lower. I like being able to wear my leathers & gloves. Heck there was many times we have to scrape the frost off the seat to go too the next stop. Mid 50’s is perfect! I also use my Battery Tender but not all the time.
I just spent 4000 on a storage for 2.4 years it leaked out all over my black wrinkle paint on my primarys fuel injectors...had a liner put in a fuel pump omg ..what a freacking mess
Oil change is down to the individual conditions. Wipe the dipstick on a clean white kitchen towel. It should look and smell like fresh oil. Drain some into a glass jar and check how dark it really is, it'll hold a lot of carbon in solution which can be abrasive and isn't an effective lubricant. I'm not of the opinion that synthetic is ideal for engines intended to be run on mineral oil, even if it does seem logical. Roller bearings need to roll.
There's been a lot of studies out there in fancy labs on oil. The best study in my experience is a full tear down and measuring wear with a micrometer on the work bench in the garage.
Just get some of that cheap old style automatic transmission fluid for cars and put about a cup per gallon of gas in your gas tank, run it into the carbs or injectors and forget about it. In the spring it may smoke a bit but so what? It's a good fuel injector cleaner. It's the best fuel injector cleaner I've found. I have 30 year old injectors in my bike, and I've tried a lot of fuel injector cleaners. None made the bike run so well as ATF did. I believe it's good to run that stuff through your gas a few times a year. I don't believe it's a fast cleaner, just a good cleaner. It's said that stuff is full of detergents and it won't hurt anything.
I have always run ethanol free fuel. I also use a stabilizer just in case. I always keep my bikes on a battery 🔋 maintainer at all times including while in storage. For the entire time. I also change all my fluids no matter what. I don't get that many miles a year however if you can't afford 1 oil change a year maybe you shouldn't own a bike! Hahaha!!! I also completely wash and detail the bike along with a polish and wax. All chrome gets treated as well. All leather too. Bike goes on a storage jack. The air suspension is drained. I take the tires down to about 8 or 10 psi to relieve the pressure there as well. I also fog the cylinders too. System works great for me! I also use tank and fender service covers as well as a breathable indoor storage cover too.
What about having the bike sit on the tires in the same spot? Does it cause a flat spot on the tires. Especially in heavier bikes. I was told to move the bike every other week just a foot or so to "spread out the weight."
I usually dump half a bottle of redex into the full tank of my 23 year old sv650 then run it before leaving it over winter on an optimate battery tender. Do a start and engine warm up maybe every 3 or 4 weeks. My first battery lasted 16 years. I've never had any carb or fuel problems at all in those 23 years and the carbs have never been stripped or cleaned, as the bike runs so well. Another tip is to put some clingfilm (plastic wrap) over the exhaust tip with a rubber band (after its cooled) as this keeps moisture from entering the engine through the exhaust valves and possibly rusting the piston rings. I've an oiled air filter on the intake!
That's a good point, it's really a catch 22 on motorcycle tanks being metal. Best bet is fuel treatment and not let it sit for years and years. Empty tank maybe a light coat of fogging oil if it's going to sit for years and years.
Living in New England last 10 years definitely use a battery tender, add Sta - bil to gas, but change oil at regular intervals using full synthetic. Try to ride as much as possible in the winter weather permitting.
