GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

I know this post is a bit early, but I was wondering what does one do when the winter time comes around with their GS500.  Do you start it every week?  If it's too cold to ride?  Can you explain everything one should do with a motorcycle that will not be ridden much in the winter.  I am a n00b and must be prepared for when winter rolls around.  I tried searching and did not find much.

it says in your manual. i haven't read my manual yet, but i'm going back to school next weekend so i'm going to drain the gas, unplug the battery, and clean the bike up really well.

I actually prefer to have carbs full of gas... The O rings dry up and leak (much more common on the damn CVK Keikeins that my kawi's use), every month I put it in prime... and tank is full, and we could use stabil... and of course drain the tank in spring... Oil change after the last ride too... I aso douse many of the rubber parts intermittently in winter - every month or so... with silicone spray. On my vulcan especially... cos no matter what... I didn't want to get into its carbs.
Cool.
Srinath.

Just bundle up and ride her.

I'm with ^
I did it last winter, and it was great. A skirted windshield and a winter "spartin" suit and I get to ride all year round (for around $100) When it got to the 20F I'd take a couple of days off until it got warmer. One thing though. If you want that thing to start, remove the battery when not riding around. (I put mine in my closet) :thumb:

I ride mine through winter too! Since I have no other form of transport - I just don't go as far... :D

Wipe-down the fork tubes with oil a few times over winter.  You may also want to bring the bike down off the stand and bounce the suspension to do the same for the shock.

I would recommend treating the fuel with sta-bil;  parking the bike with the wheels up; changing oil at the start and end of winter;  changing the break fluid every year; and cleaning the chain after every ride.

...Winter?!  :lol:  We ride!  The rest of the year we ride, sweat and get deluged with rain.  Florida, as strange as it may seem, is good for a few things.

:cheers:

Gene

Winter here just means a little more rain.  People get freaked out when it gets below 40F.

I'd love to ride all winter.  Anybody know where to buy snow tires in 110/70-17 and 130/70-17?

Winter here means wet and windy, despite christmas cards having nice snow scenes on them.... If it does snow the country grinds to a halt!

p.s. I don't ride in ice and snow

Quote from: manofthefieldI'd love to ride all winter.  Anybody know where to buy snow tires in 110/70-17 and 130/70-17?

Probably better get a n XT bike for that. The GS isn't exactly fun to ride when it's slippery. I ride all winter, but when forecasts predict ice and snow I walk.

Someone lock this thread!  i hate winter!!!  (to be exact: Canadian winter)

anyways, i was thinking of keeping the bike in a heated garage.  If this is the case,  what winter prep-work should I do?  Can i just leave it as is with normal maintenance work?  and how many times a month would I need to start the bike in the garage?

in canada we store the bike in beer then when spring comes....oh say about august, we jump in drink all the beer and voila ready to go eh! :bs:

You just HAD to go and say the W-word didn't you!   :o

Some great info so far. Only thing I'd add is to clean your bike VERY thoroughly, then go over everything with a fine-toothed comb. Look for loose fasteners, loose connections/cables, look for cracks in things...and just check everything for wear and tear.

Winter is a great time to work on things that need doing, and giving your bike a thorough inspection at the start of storage will give you a good idea of exactly what needs to be done. It'll also give you lots of time to get it done (and come up with the money if needed).

Now....back to denying the fact that everything will be buried in snow in 4 months...   :(

Yeah! I'd love to ride my bike when winter comes too! I'm new at this so can someone tell me the best way to start my bike when it reaches -30C (-22F).  And can someone give me tips on how to keep my helmet shield from icing up too much... Oh, and is it a bad idea to ride when the snow is deep enough that it's touching the chain?

:P

Thanks proudlom, I was kidding, well for the most part.  I too would have the problem of snow up to the chain.  Other than that you could rejet rich and wear a snowmobile suit and helmet.  I don't think it would be too bad once we really get into winter and we get dry, packed snow on the roads for two monthes straight.  Plus once the snow completely takes over the roads they stop using salt, as it would only ice things up.  I can see it now...  :roll:

Hahah, that's be great  :lol:

Or you could move somewhere with a sensible climate  :P

Quote from: noodleWinter here means wet and windy, despite christmas cards having nice snow scenes on them.... If it does snow the country grinds to a halt!

p.s. I don't ride in ice and snow

it gets to around 20F here during the winter with ice and snow and Mat and I still ride during that whole time

Quote from: xaeniacI know this post is a bit early, but I was wondering what does one do when the winter time comes around with their GS500.  Do you start it every week?  If it's too cold to ride?  Can you explain everything one should do with a motorcycle that will not be ridden much in the winter.  I am a n00b and must be prepared for when winter rolls around.  I tried searching and did not find much.

Just keep ridin', just keep ridin', just keep ridin', ridin', ridin,.   :thumb:

If it's below 40 degress I don't ride. Below that isn't fun. That means November, December, January, and February are iffy months. On good days I ride. There are usually stretches of one to two weeks at a time with cold/bad weather non-riding days through those months. I don't intentionally ride in the rain either, but it got me yesterday going home. 85 degrees and rain is not so bad, 40 is awful.

Quote from: MichaelJust keep ridin', just keep ridin', just keep ridin', ridin', ridin,.   :thumb:

Thanks, Dory....  :?

Quote from: Ed_in_AzIf it's below 40 degress I don't ride. Below that isn't fun.

Well, on the way INto winter it's no fun.  But coming OUT of winter, 40 degrees is about when I start leaving my insulated overalls at home.  :thumb:

Hey what is snow I dont think i have seen it but like once where I live in georgia and hell even then there was none on the ground and what does 30 f really feel like it normally dont get below like 45 f  here and thats some cold stuff to me im used to  120 f  and 90 precent humidity   I hate cold weather but plan on riding my gs all winter long just so I dont have to make  bike payment on a bike thats just sitting there thats no damn fun.

Quote from: PITBULLHey what is snow I dont think i have seen it but like once where I live in georgia and hell even then there was none on the ground and what does 30 f really feel like it normally dont get below like 45 f  here

It's all relative.  After weeks of weather in the teens or single digits or lower, 30 degrees feels like 60.  And one time a year and a half ago it got up to 40 in winter, man that was like a tropical heat wave.  So hot, my buds and I had to go to the beach...

I'm the blindingly white guy on the left.  Yes that's really a beach under the snow

 ;)

HOLY $HIT  that looks freaking cold   you crazy yankees

Quite mad :)

The reason *I* don't ride in ice and snow is since the roads haven't been treated properly and no-one in the UK can remember how to drive in snow, riding a bike in it is asking to die... And to have your bike disolved by salt, which is put on the roads just as the snow melts....

:dunno:

We ride all  year round in Australia (Well I do ) it's winter now  :o  Just get out there & Ride even if it's onces a week :mrgreen:

Safe Riding

all the best matt:) your friend

Pluto eh?  I'll have to check into that.   :lol:

No, I don't like cold that much, but after a couple months of cold and snow, 40 degrees F and sunny feels great, and one tends to have some cabin fever by late february.  

On the flip side it has been in the 50's and low 60's here for the past week and I'm starting to get upset.  It's August for cripes sake!!! :x  At least it doesn't keep me from riding :thumb:

I ride all winter.  I try to ride at least one day per week even during the coldest months.  Last winter I had starting issues so I just stuck a heater under the GS for 20 minutes and that did the trick.  This year I have it made.  I'm getting hand guards for my DL650 so I should be good to at least 20 degrees for over one hour.  In the winter you don't see too many bikers but they sure are friendly.  They all wave.  Maybe it's just to keep warm?

We seem to be phasing out Winter/Summer and have very long springs and autumns. The biggest difference here is in June it's light from about 0400 to 2130/220 whilst at Yuletide it's light from about 0800 to 1530.
Seriously, it's tepid rain or cold rain. I ride pretty much all the time, try to avoid the ice but the local authority around here has a salt mountain and they are fairly good at distributing it. Once the roads have been salted a few times, enough to get a build-up effect it's not too bad.
The day I passed my riding test it started to snow during the test and the examiner could have called it off and I am very grateful he did'n't.

In the early eighties there was a time when I had nothing but a bike to ride...it got old quick...don't love ridin' in the cold. Love the little GS, cool forum.

C.......