Winterizing my GS500F

[barry905]

Three months ago I had my hip replaced and one of the side effects was that I have been unable to ride my bike ever since (I have ridden my wife's bike - a CBR250 - but mine is a little too heavy). Before I stopped riding I filled it with gas and then basically just parked it.

Let three months elapse and now it's time to put the bike away for the winter. SO now I have a tank full of old gas without stabilizer in it. I will of course run the bike before I put it away, but not enough to use a whole tank of gas. So my question is should I:

put stabilizer in the tank, shut the petcock, run the motor until the carbs run out of fuel; or
drain the tank and run the motor until the carbs run out of fuel; or
drain and refill the tank with gas and stabilizer, shut the petcock, run the motor until the carbs run out of fuel, and the open the petcock; or
any other procedure.

For my other gas powered engines I normally just drain them for their winter/summer break, but the GS500 manual says to  fill the tank, so I've always done that. But this case is different, and I'm not sure of the logic in filling the tank.

Any help would be appreciated.

[yamahonkawazuki]

Tbh ive not filled tank entirely, however i would start the bike every so often. and let it run for a few minutes. then shut her down.
Aaron.
then come springtime shes ready to roll

[Alan_nc]

Filling the tank keeps it from rusting (you get condensation in the unfilled portion).

I'd go ahead and put gas treatment in - it will mix with most of the gas.  I'd also shut the petcock and run the carbs empty.

Might want to think about putting a trickle charger on the battery.  They usually extend the life of the battery by several years.

Sorry you have to put it up.  In NC we just ride all winter.

[Suzuki Stevo]

Personally, I leave fuel in the bowls all the time, Battery Tender Jr, double dose of MMO or Sta-Bil, I store my bikes indoors, my last 28 bikes have never failed to start in spring.

[Daeouse]

• Look into engine fogs. They may help prevent issues within the cylinders.
• An oil change may be useful to ensure all potential contaminants are removed.
• Be sure that your storage place is vermin-free, apparently they love to make domiciles in airboxes and under tanks.
• Fuel stabilizer is a must, like the others have said.

[Big Rich]

Have an empty gas can around? Drain the gas from the GS tank and put that gas in your car / truck. Then go to a gas station for some fresh stuff in the empty can, add some stabilizer, and then put that gas in the GS.

Start the GS and let it warm up (or take it for a short ride). When it is parked for winter, drain the float bowls of all gas. If there's nothing in them to gum up the jets, you don't have to worry about them in the spring.

[barry905]

Thanks to all for your replies. Now I know why you leave the tank full I will do that. I was a little concerned about leaving the carbs empty over the winter, but that seems to be an acceptable option. I will definitely change the gas and add stabilizer to the tank.  I was planning on changing the oil and I will remove the battery and trickle charge it in the basement over winter. It gets down to -30 Celsius at times here, so the battery is kept in the warm.

As for those in NC, that just makes me jealous. I started riding in the UK: with no real winter there I used to ride year round. Then I moved here (Ottawa, Canada) and can only manage to ride from mid-March to beginning of December (although I got to ride on Boxing Day last year).


Again, thanks to all.