Winterizing

I live in the Pacific Nortwest and the riding season was over about a month ago, We are supposed to have a bad winter, so I started to think about what I need to do to my 2006 FJR for storage.

Curious to know what people usually do to winterize their bike to ensure it will work properly this summer.

I hate riding in the rain or when it’s too cold

Also I may have to park it for a year due to getting deployed.

Thanks in Advance

I don't do much. I store it in an unheated attached garage from early December to late March.

If the oil is close to needing a change than I will do so but I won't dump a gallon of oil with lots of miles left in it. I give it a bath and go for a half-hour ride to make sure it is fully dry. You don't want water from washing or condensation sitting in your exhaust over the winter. I completely fill the tank with non-ethanol fuel (premium gas is ethanol-free where I live). The gas also gets a shot of Stabil. Completely full tank will reduce the possibility of condensation and corrosion.

I throw a cover over it to keep the dust off and that's about it.

I don't usually disconnect the battery but will give it a top-up charge a couple of times over the winter. I don't use a battery tender - not needed IMHO. The FJR has a very low parasitic draw unless you have something going on with your electrical system. Note: I wouldn't even bother with the top-up charge if I disconnected the battery.

(I got 10 years and 170,000 miles out of my OEM battery and it was still working when I replaced it with another Yuasa.)

I don't have trouble with rodents in my area so I don't stuff the air intake with steel wool or something but you should if that is an issue - they like to nest in the airbox. Sometimes even in the exhaust! Likewise, they sometimes get in and chew seat upholstery and wires. I think someone said that mothballs scattered around the base of the bike would deter them???

I never start it up once it has been parked! Unless, of course, there is a midwinter opportunity to go for a ride. Doesn't happen often around here. Even if it warms to above freezing, there is sufficient sand and salt on the road to keep me off it.

Fuel stabilizer (ethanol free gas is a plus), trickle charger, in garage with 300 watt lightbulb. Seattle area I can usually sneak short 1-2hr rides during the off season, sometimes longer. Its not an extreme climate although it does have its moments

I would agree with everything RossKean does, except I DO put the battery on a Smart charger. The less deep charge cycles a battery has to go through the longer it will last.

I agree.... once its parked... don't start it and put acidic condensation back into the crank.... Leave it alone until you are ready to wake it up for the season.

I have also read on a Corvette forum once that some vette owners use Irish Spring soap around their cars to keep critters away. ..... or Bounce laundry slips.

...with a topup charge every 6 weeks or so, you never get into a deep discarge situation if your electrical system is OK and your battery doesn't have an abnormally high self-discharge rate. A PROPERLY FUNCTIONING battery tender certainly won't hurt anything but make sure it is one that has proper temperature compensation.

JamesW said:

Fuel stabilizer (ethanol free gas is a plus), trickle charger, in garage with 300 watt lightbulb. Seattle area I can usually sneak short 1-2hr rides during the off season, sometimes longer. Its not an extreme climate although it does have its moments

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I'm an Eastsider. I'll add some fuel stablizer but with an attached garage, never below 45 degrees in there. Trickler charger.

And I also ride every chance it's not raining. Should be able to ride 2 or 3 times each month over the winter even if it's just around the neighborhood.

PatMitchell said:

I live in the Pacific Nortwest and the riding season was over about a month ago, We are supposed to have a bad winter, so I started to think about what I need to do to my 2006 FJR for storage.
Curious to know what people usually do to winterize their bike to ensure it will work properly this summer.

I hate riding in the rain or when it’s too cold

Also I may have to park it for a year due to getting deployed.

Thanks in Advance

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Glad to see the PNW represented here. If you are going to park for a year, someone else needs to chime in here. You might want to do a little more to make sure everything starts up okay a year from now.

My friends start their bikes up for 10-15 minutes each month just to circulate the fluids and oils a bit.

I'll probably work on my bike here and there in the off season. Already added a Givi V46 top trunk with a rack

Perfect, thanks much appreciated. I'm going to prep her this weekend, and train the wife to start her up once a month for 15 minutes and tuck her back in. Be back in in 2019.

PatMitchell said:

Perfect, thanks much appreciated. I'm going to prep her this weekend, and train the wife to start her up once a month for 15 minutes and tuck her back in. Be back in in 2019.

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502MAD said:

Once its parked... don't start it and put acidic condensation back into the crank.... Leave it alone until you are ready to wake it up for the season.

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Your Owner's Manual probably tells you what to do.

This is taken from the 2016 owner's manual, but it doesn't take into account field mice and hamster nests.

Thanks, Mac. I don't remember ever reading the recommendations in the manual! I don't disagree with what is said, but...

I have never oiled the cylinders of any bike, car or yard equipment prior to storage - not saying that it might not be a good thing but I haven't done it. I think a lot of the boats guys oil or fog the cylinders.

Never thought about plastic bags to keep condensation out of the exhaust - depends on storage conditions but our winters tend to be pretty cold and conditions in my garage are non-condensing most of the time. Condensed moisture (if any) would evaporate from the exhaust, despite the cold temperatures.

Disconnecting battery isn't a bad idea although I only sometimes do that. Usually just an occasional top-up.

Don't understand lifting the bike off the ground for the sake of the tires - with the bike on the centrestand, there really is not that much weight on the front tire at all (and none on the back). It certainly wouldn't hurt to turn the front wheel a few times but has anyone ever had a MC tire get flat-spotted from leaving it on the stand for an extended period of time? (I haven't)

I put it away clean but the minor maintenance stuff gets left until spring. (Lube brake pivots etc.) I suppose doing it before could limit the possibility of corrosion if the storage area is damp.

The are many videos on this topic over on You Tube. This is just one picked at random.

I don't understand this "parking the bike for winter" concept here in the Seattle/Tacoma area. It rarely snows or freezes and when it does go below freezing it's usually dry so there's no icy roads. So no need to winterize the FJR.

In truth, I do understand winterization because I used to never ride in the rain and kept my bikes looking pretty. At around the time I bought the FJR my mentality switched to "this bike is a tool to be used." I bought some waterproof and heated gear, quit washing the bike and started riding daily. It's incredibly freeing! As an added bonus, people think you're crazy when you're riding while temps are in the teens.

Understood, Your tougher than I am. A little drizzle or two is fine with me but when I get cold forget it. Bellow 65 and Im taking the Car with butt warmers. LOL.

Unfortunately I have to go to the other side of the world for a year, They would frown a little if I strapped it on top of the F-117.

PatMitchell said:

Understood, Your tougher than I am. A little drizzle or two is fine with me but when I get cold forget it. Bellow 65 and Im taking the Car with butt warmers. LOL.
Unfortunately I have to go to the other side of the world for a year, They would frown a little if I strapped it on top of the F-117.

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Would really mess up the radar cross-section!

1. Run at least two tanks of non-ethanol fuel through.

2. At my last fill up add fuel stabilizer (Fuel-Med) and ride home so it's in the fuel lines.

3. Change the oil and rear end fluid

4. Wash, wax and short ride to heat up the engine to burn off any water

5. Top off the tank with non-ethanol fuel and a little more Fuel-Med.

6. Store in my garage, battery tender and sadly put the cover on it.

Except for the non-ethanol part, essentially what I do.

Come Spring, Im pretty much ready to ride.

When I know Im going to burn through an entire tank

of gas I throw in a couple ounces of fuel injector cleaner.

PatMitchell said:

Understood, Your tougher than I am. A little drizzle or two is fine with me but when I get cold forget it. Bellow 65 and Im taking the Car with butt warmers. LOL.
Unfortunately I have to go to the other side of the world for a year, They would frown a little if I strapped it on top of the F-117.

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best wishes.

Fuck all that trouble. Just buy me a plane ticket and I'll come up and bring the bike to the somewhat warmer climate here and take care of it for ya. When you're ready for it, I'll ride back up and you just need to fly me back. Easy Peasy...

PatMitchell said:

Understood, Your tougher than I am. A little drizzle or two is fine with me but when I get cold forget it. Bellow 65 and Im taking the Car with butt warmers. LOL.
Unfortunately I have to go to the other side of the world for a year, They would frown a little if I strapped it on top of the F-117.

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Throw on a bigger blivit and they won't even notice.