Help me ride through my first New England winter season

[Darkstar]

I want to park and ride outdoors this winter. Here's my plan, let me know if it makes sense:

- Remove any rust and paint with high heat BBQ paint
- Apply ACF50
- Keep tank topped off
- Keep battery indoors when not riding
- Start it up once a week and ride, at least 30 mins, spray salt off when I return and cover
- Buy the right winter gear
- Continue to run 15W40 oil, because it's rated for 10F, and I have already have a case of it. OR is it really worth running 10W30, which is rated for as low as -4F?

[sledge]

If its laid up a thin film of light grease on the fork tubes and bright-work won't hurt*  Neither will a piece of duct tape stuck over the key-slots and tape a plastic bag over the end of the pipe to keep the moisture out.


* This DOESNT include the brake discs !

[Watcher]

*Heated* gear is a miracle!  If you can't afford a whole suit, heated grips alone are a welcome addition.

Check tire pressure often.  Maintain chain often.

And be VERY careful in turns until your tires warm up.  A cold, salt soaked road can be pretty slippery.

[Darkstar]

Thanks, what are your thoughts on the oil?

[gsJack]

I rode year around here in NE Ohio in temps down to 20F for 30 years as long as streets were free of ice and snow and splashed thru much salt water.  Got fooled a couple times when streets that were just wet in early afternoon were frozen later in the day.

My 02 GS went 100k miles on 15W-40 oil year around and only required a couple jumps each winter to start.  Once started it would restart all day and at least a few days after in the coldest weather without a jump.

[Darkstar]

awesome, thats good news. thank you!

[Big Rich]

Run some type of fuel stabilizer as much as possible in case the bike does get parked for awhile. And there's no actual "need" to fire up the engine over winter as long as everything is taken care of.

[applecrew]

Proper winter gear: 

I'm pretty tolerant of cold weather, so YMMV...

I invested in a pair of Gerbing electric heated gloves... plugs into my electrical system. The single best investment I ever made for winter riding. I also have an insulated goretex bib-overall from Klim. The rest is just layers... and there are a few...
Oh, yeah... WOOL SOCKS are the bomb!

I'm good down to 15 degrees F, at which point my feet start to get cold on my 50-mile commute (each way).

In the heart of the winter, I would switch to 10W-40 for ease of starting and keep the battery on a tender. Never went longer than a week without riding to work... except in 2011 when we got 70 inches of snow in February...

You can do it... if you are determined... Good luck!