Hi all
I am to recover the GSX for winter.
What I would do:
- Fill the tank 95% with petrol
- Connect the battery to a smart charger
- Put the bike on the center stand
- Cover the bike with a soft and light cloth for dust
Any other suggestions to keep her safe for 6 months stop?
Thank you
You've just about covered all the things I used to do when storing my Mk1 1200 Bandit for the winter.
I used to fill the fuel tank right to the very top so that there was no air gap for rust causing condensation to form. I also used ACF50 on any parts likely to corrode. In the UK the temperature could fluctuate quite rapidly. Well below freezing and then a lot warmer. This would cause the bike to run with condensation even though it was only covered with a sheet in a pretty well ventilated shed.
Sounds fine to me. When I store my bikes for the winter the bikes are throughly cleaned, dried and everything is waxed and polished. I keep them in my garage with Oxford breathable covers on both. Optimate on the batteries and a tubular 80W two foot long heater with a thermostat set to switch on at around 5/10C underneath both bikes. Also Esso super unleaded fuel (ethanol free in my area of the U.K.) topped up to the brim on each tank. Condensation is the enemy when storing over winter along with any ethanol in the fuel rotting your seals and causing rust in your tank.
Just so glad we dont have to do that shit. Winter is best riding time, gets a bit hot in Summer.
Same here
@grog over 20c is too hot to really enjoy bikes.
In Italy typical weather is warm from end March to beginning June, hot or very hot from June to end August and warm again until beginning of October.
From mid October to beginning of March average temperature (I live in North Italy) is -10 to +10 degrees Celsius, so we tend to avoid riding bikes.
I would suggest fill the tank as much as possible with the higher possible octane number petrol. Put some 2 stroke oil in the tank and run it a bit to get through the whole system. By a rag is applied with engine oil to anything that could rust.
I think I would NOT put 2 stroke oil in my beast's tank
What do people think about using Motul Stabilizer?
Quote from: Athelstanexxx on Monday, 11 October 2021, 05:37 PM
Hi all
I am to recover the GSX for winter.
What I would do:
- Fill the tank 95% with petrol
- Connect the battery to a smart charger
- Put the bike on the center stand
- Cover the bike with a soft and light cloth for dust
Any other suggestions to keep her safe for 6 months stop?
Thank you
And ride it only every second day, 😜
I bought FOLDING GARAGE (https://www.louis-moto.co.uk/artikel/louis-vci-fold-garage-corrosion-protection/10011346?list=2de10a4b1965702b0b81abfc8ae00e9a) but haven't try it yet.
Wouldn't it 'sweat' in that?
I will put a couple of bags with silica gel cat litter to absorb the moisture.
Condensation is the killer - keep it stored in a heated room/garage/area. Connect to a trickle charger, fire it up at least once every two weeks and leave it running for at least 5mins. Run it `round the block` when weather permits. Cold isn`t the problem - damp is. Oh, and don`t rely on WD40 protecting the shiny bits for long, it won`t!
Why run it up? Cold idle is the worst time for engine wear and every time it cools you get more condensation inside the engine ruining the oil.
Either ignore it or ride it
I`ve never ruined an engine yet by running it up occasionally through the winter period. A heated garage helps keep moisture at bay. Fresh oil in the spring, no problem. My ref to `running it round the block` when possible is to ensure that all the running gear is fine together with the electrics, obviously the further you go the better. For those who ride throughout winter (as I used to do) the whole issue of overwintering a bike never arises.
Same here in Lisbon
@grog and
@Hooli, no Winter shiterizing ! Just ride in the rain if it´s your thing, or wait for the next day that´ll not rain. Glad I´m in the +- middle of the globe; sometimes too hot though for the black 14 to come out.