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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: phire on October 20, 2005, 07:41:24 AM

Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: phire on October 20, 2005, 07:41:24 AM
This is my first winter and it's coming up awful fast. When do you guys normally winterize your bikes? I wouldn't want to winterize it too many days to early and miss a few good days to ride! Although, I'm afraid that's probably what's gonna happen anyways. :(
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: porsche4786 on October 20, 2005, 08:32:02 AM
I don't know if I will ever fully winterize my bike, I will try to ride it every day when it isn't too wet.
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: octane on October 20, 2005, 09:20:11 AM
Winter storage? What's that? Fill the tank, add a little Stabil, drain the bowls...and be ready for a nice day to ride.
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: Roadstergal on October 20, 2005, 09:41:14 AM
Winter storage?  What's that?  Put gas in, ride, repeat.
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: JMyrick on October 20, 2005, 10:20:26 AM
QuoteWinter storage? What's that? Put gas in, ride, repeat.

:lol:  :lol:  Must be nice to be on the left coast
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: My Name Is Dave on October 20, 2005, 10:23:18 AM
Quote from: JMyrick
QuoteWinter storage? What's that? Put gas in, ride, repeat.

:lol:  :lol:  Must be nice to be on the left coast

Yeah, but the wet part of the left coast. It's not exactly the OC here. I mean, I look like I belong on the show, but that's it.

Dave  :cheers:
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: WAP on October 20, 2005, 10:29:31 AM
I try to squeeze in as much riding into the season as possible, so I plan on putting the bike into storage right before the first major snow fall. I've made it to around the middle of november the last couple of years. Weather predictions being what they are, however, it rarely works out as well as planned.
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: Alphamazing on October 20, 2005, 10:30:33 AM
Winter? What's that?

Today's high will be 92 degrees; tomorrow will be 85 degrees.
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: porsche4786 on October 20, 2005, 10:35:03 AM
Quote from: AlphaFire X5Winter? What's that?

Today's high will be 92 degrees; tomorrow will be 85 degrees.



jerk....your lucky!
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: Alphamazing on October 20, 2005, 10:47:22 AM
Yeah! Come move to Texas! We've got plenty of hot weather and plenty of beer!
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: Badger on October 20, 2005, 11:03:33 AM
So...does this go on every year around this time?   :lol:

From cold climate: "How do I prepare for the winter?"
From warm climate: "HA! Never!"  :nana:
From cold climate: "A$$"  :nana:
From colder climate: "You don't know what cold is, bucko!  Around here, hydrogen turns to a solid at room temperature and I still ride year round."
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: Alphamazing on October 20, 2005, 11:05:02 AM
Yeah, pretty much. I like to gloat about the warm weather because right now Texas has a bad name and there isn't much to be proud about in our current state of affairs. It'll change in a few years though.
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: Roadstergal on October 20, 2005, 11:07:24 AM
Quote from: BadgerFrom cold climate: "How do I prepare for the winter?"
From warm climate: "HA! Never!"  :nana:
From cold climate: "A$$"  :nana:
From colder climate: "You don't know what cold is, bucko!  Around here, hydrogen turns to a solid at room temperature and I still ride year round."

:lol:

That's about the size of it...

OK, I amend my previous post to  "Put gas in, get waterproof gear, ride, repeat."
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: Cal Price on October 20, 2005, 11:12:50 AM
Like a lot of other people I don't do winter storage I do winter riding. This winter might be a bit different though, after several false dawns I am hopeful that my second bike the "project '81 Yamaha will be available to me, my dillema is should i winterise and cover one bike of should I use them both, perhaps alternate weeks or something, i don't know what's the best option, any thoughts  ???
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: Roadstergal on October 20, 2005, 11:14:54 AM
Alternate!  Just make sure each of them get a good warmup a week, to keep the battery charged and the engine going.

Actually - I didn't ride my SV for almost a month last winter; there was black ice on the roads and it was just cold and nasty, so I stayed on the F650.  I did take it out when I realized how long it had been, but it was all happy.
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: JMyrick on October 20, 2005, 11:31:36 AM
I just bought a rainsuit from First Gear it looks like it will work out good.
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: Catcams on October 20, 2005, 11:32:54 AM
When they forcast snow or steady tempatures under 32F
Title: may
Post by: The Buddha on October 20, 2005, 12:14:26 PM
I usually do winter storage around May 25th of each year ...  :?
Cool.
Srinath.
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: Cal Price on October 20, 2005, 03:06:02 PM
Srinath, you moved to Oz! I hope your cricket allegance has not changed!! :dunno:  :dunno:  :thumb:
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: RedShift on October 20, 2005, 03:30:55 PM
IMHO, anybody in North America below the 40th parallel or on the west side of the Rocky/Cascade/PickYour Mountains do not really know what Winter is.

Around here we have it relatively light, but with Mother Nature dumping snow and other forms of liquid & solid precipitation, droping ambient temperature to as low as -20F, not to mention Public Works spreading salt to create a cold brine solution, Winter is no place for a motorcycle.

I typically prep the bike shortly after Thanksgiving (~ 28-Nov) and unwrap it around 15-Mar.  In between we may get the odd sunny day in the 40's, but they don't stay long, and there's too much salt dust and too many brine puddles to avoid.

In the UK the GS500 has the reputation of being easy to rust.  I've seen what chloride attack does to Aluminum, so I avoid exposure 'til rain and snow melt removes all obvious salt.

That's my reality.  Others may vary...
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: calamari on October 20, 2005, 04:46:56 PM
I am still waiting for my first experience on rain  :x
damn mother nature!
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: RVertigo on October 20, 2005, 05:03:34 PM
Quote from: subcI am still waiting for my first experience on rain  :x
damn mother nature!
It's kinda funny...  I was doing the same thing.  I bought a new jacket that's supposed to be 100% waterproof...  I wanted to test it out and see if it really is...

It didn't rain for two weeks...  I was starting to get mad that it wasn't raining.   :lol:

It finally rained like hell...  Yup.  It really is 100% waterproof.   :mrgreen:
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: spirit33 on October 20, 2005, 10:23:27 PM
Where I live we don't 'winterize' our bikes. the worst we get is bad rain and strong winds. we don't get the crazy snowstorms like you do over there. :dunno:
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: Phaedrus on October 21, 2005, 09:13:13 AM
Last year I put the bike away for the season right around, or a little after, Thanksgiving. This year I am going to have it put away a little sooner for non-weather reasons. Last year, I brought it out sometime in early April I believe.
Title: WHEN do you guys begin winter storage?
Post by: dhgeyer on October 21, 2005, 12:06:32 PM
I started riding again, after 34 years, in July, 2002. I've ridden at least once in every calendar month since then. Obviously much more in non Winter months. The last two Januaries I've only ridden once each - as the temps were below 0 Fahrenheit most of the time, and never got over about 20.

I won't ride unless the roads are clear of ice and snow. I don't worry about salt water from the melt: I just hose the bike down afterward. This has not caused a rust or corrosion problem as yet.

I don't know if I'm going to ride this Winter or not. I may put it up for the Winter in the next month or so.  But, I say that every year.