WINTER STORAGE BIKE PROTECTION

[Roger Ditchfield]

MOTORCYCLE WINTER or LONG TERM STORAGE ADVICE
This advice is mainly for storage in unheated or semi heated premises or outdoors but it worth employing some of the actions wherever the bike is kept. These are IDEAL recommendations but I realise it is not possible for them all to be followed by some riders but the more that can be implemented the better.
1) Totally drain the carbs where applicable and close off the fuel tap or disconnect the fuel line from the tank.
2) Add additional antifreeze. Reset density before starting the bike
3) Add additional oil. Reset level before starting the bike
4) Seal off the exhaust pipes at the canister ends
5) Seal off Carb/Injector body intakes
6) Spray WD40 on casings and exhaust header pipes.
7) Disconnect Battery or frequently use trickle charger
VTR Owners are advised to add heavy oil or light grease into the FRONT CCT by removing the 8mm bolt at the end for access. Replace it after this process
If you do not intend to do any of the above but choose to fire up the bike on a regular basis then it is essential that the bike is run up to Normal Running Temp- stopped for 15 mins and then brought back to NRT before shutting down altogether.
START UP and WARM UP PROCEDURE AFTER STORAGE.
1) Check all fluid levels.
2) With the “RUN” button in the OFF position, so the engine cannot fire, turn the engine over for at least 20 seconds. You may need a spare battery or jump leads from another battery as you need sufficient charge left in the battery to proceed immediately to the next stage.
3) With the “RUN” button in the ON position and using the choke attempt to start the engine.
4) Allow to run on “tick-over” for a maximum of 10 seconds then slowly and gently raise and lower the revs to a maximum of 3,000rpm do not “snap” the throttle. Continue like this until NRT is achieved and then switch off the engine.
5) Wait 10 minutes and re-fire the engine. Immediately continue raising and lowering the revs as above to a maximum of 6,000rpm until it reaches NRT. Switch off engine
6) Re-check fluid levels. The bike is ready to ride

[lloydie]

great bit of advice

[seb421]

Thanks for the knowledge and info

[VTRDark]

I have always been quite diligent in the way I start my bike up in the morning/day for the first time as most wear and tear to an engine is created by the metal to metal contact before the bike is warm and oil has starting flowing properly through the system. I never snap the throttle open and bring the revs up slowly and have warned others of this in the past and the damage they are creating. I then leave the bike running until the temp needle starts to read something before going on my journey.

Quick question, I don't understand why you say to switch the engine off once fully warmed up and let the bike sit for 10-15mins and then bring the bike back up the running temp before switching off again. I don't understand the reasoning behind that apart from expansion and contraction and possibly it takes some stresses off metal components.

Nice one Roger I found that very useful and informative.

(:-})

[seb421]

I have always been quite diligent in the way I start my bike up in the morning/day for the first time as most wear and tear to an engine is created by the metal to metal contact before the bike is warm and oil has starting flowing properly through the system. I never snap the throttle open and bring the revs up slowly and have warned others of this in the past and the damage they are creating. I then leave the bike running until the temp needle starts to read something before going on my journey.

Quick question, I don't understand why you say to switch the engine off once fully warmed up and let the bike sit for 10-15mins and then bring the bike back up the running temp before switching off again. I don't understand the reasoning behind that apart from expansion and contraction and possibly it takes some stresses off metal components.

Nice one Roger I found that very useful and informative.

(:-})

It's amazing how ignorant some people are with regards to engine wear at start up,

Eddie at work has ruined and i mean ruined two car's in a few years race starting them from cold at 3am, you would think he had the best shag in the world waiting at home he can't leave fast enough, when i told him he's doing significant premature wear to his engine wheels pinging away from cold he genuinely had no idea, he thought you just turned the key and went

The Civic was wombles in no time and this New Corolla is now not sounding very good at all, poor bloody engines lol

[BigVeeGrin]

Great advice. Makes me want to tuck her up for winter.

Do care engines need warming up so much those days? I was told by a Nissan engineer that it's fine to start, pop your seatbelt on and pull away, kind of gently. For a diesel he said boot it as soon as it fires. Yet modern bikes need warming up before riding I'd always believed.

[seb421]

Great advice. Makes me want to tuck her up for winter.

Do care engines need warming up so much those days? I was told by a Nissan engineer that it's fine to start, pop your seatbelt on and pull away, kind of gently. For a diesel he said boot it as soon as it fires. Yet modern bikes need warming up before riding I'd always believed.

I would still believe that there is going to be expansion and contraction in all engines new and old,

mate has a 350Z they say you can boot that from like 15 seconds in, wombles that.

That Toyota collora was spanking new, it sounds wombles now after a year of hard starts every start from cold

[VTRDark]

And don't forget that when cold the oil has all sunk to the sump and thickened up, so on initial start up there is very little oil higher up on engine components. Very little residue left behind on surfaces. It takes time for this oil to reach back up there and thin out enough to run through the system thoroughly and all oil passageways.

This is going to be the same principle for any engines where oil is involved and you have metal to metal contact. The only way I could think a way around it is if the cam lobes and other parts are Teflon coated. Or have some other way of lubing them up on initial start up.

(:-})

[grinner1969]

Thanks for the advice, taken on board

[fabiostar]

good advice sir.

[sirch345]

I've been meaning to say "thanks" Roger for posting this

Chris.

[VTRDark]

I've been meaning to say "thanks" Roger for posting this

It's only taken you two years

(:-})

[sirch345]

I've been meaning to say "thanks" Roger for posting this

It's only taken you two years

(:-})

you can't rush a good job Carl

Chris.

[Jamoi]

I'll be implementing these steps very shortly

Good write up