Motorcycle storage in the North?

[catdaddy300]

I am moving to Wyoming for about a year or so starting the 20th and i own a motorcycle. I was thinking about taking it with me. I dont know anything about storing a bike in a snowy environment (dont have that much in Texas). Would i need to store it inside a building during the winter or is it ok to just leave it outside and use it as a base for a snowman. This snow thing will kinda be new to me so any info helps.

[diggerdan11]

I know lots of people that leave there motorcycles out in the snow with no problems. I would suggest covering it with a good tarp. Of course in Wyoming you want to make sure you strap it down good or it might blow away.

[SS6.oh]

I live in Mn. If you store it in a heated area you don't have much to worry about except maybe adding some sta-bil to the fuel and disconnecting your battery. If you are going to store it in a unheated place then I suggest .... Removing to battery and bringing it in the house so it doesn't freeze, if it's liquid cooled drain the cooling system and fill with a mixture of anti-freeze (between 50/50 and 70/30), fill the tank and add stab-bil to the fuel and Close peckock (if it has a mechanical one), and if you have stands store it on stands. And Try to resist the urge to start it up. Just let it sit all winter.

[SS6.oh]

Also not a bad idea to drain the carb(s) if applicable but at minimum run it with the sta-bil for a few minutes before you tuck it in for hibernation.

[2003_SuperSport]

I live in Mn. If you store it in a heated area you don't have much to worry about except maybe adding some sta-bil to the fuel and disconnecting your battery. If you are going to store it in a unheated place then I suggest .... Removing to battery and bringing it in the house so it doesn't freeze, if it's liquid cooled drain the cooling system and fill with a mixture of anti-freeze (between 50/50 and 70/30), fill the tank and add stab-bil to the fuel and Close peckock (if it has a mechanical one), and if you have stands store it on stands. And Try to resist the urge to start it up. Just let it sit all winter.

I too live in MN and have a family business in performance motorsports... Do the formentioned above, make sure your coolant is atleast 50/50 mix so it wont freeze and crack you block and coolant system 50/50 is a good year round mix but no more than that because it will gel up if to much anti-freeze is used with water... Do not start up in the winter, you can buy a motorcycle cover for under $50, DO NOT USE STA-BIL unless its going to sit 3 months or less... in MN it will sit 6 months or longer and STA-BIL will Gel up and cause nightmares for you if it sits longer than 3 months... I have seen it hundreds of times in marine engines and motorsports like fourwheelers, motorcycles, and snowmobiles... Sta-bil is a decent product for short term storage but thats it... It may not cause problems everytime but when it does it will plug up the carbs and fuel system... run your gas down to less then 1/4 tank and add seafoam and run for 5-10mins to alow it cycle through and then you wont have to drain the carbs or fuel system... I'd recommend seafoam for a stabilizer, any part store will have it... You can drain the oil and replace with new stuff if you want... heated storage is best but if it must be outside make sure the tires are off the dirt or grass and at minnimum put it up on wood or tarp to prevent weatherchecking of the tires and freezing to the ground...

[Stitches040]

Do a quick Google search for Indoor Storage in the area your moving to. I know around here, there is a lot of old mills, that offer climate controlled storage year round.

Winter storage, usually 6 months runs $300 for a car. A bike might be a tad cheaper, since smaller.

 

Worth a look, especially at that price ...

[SS6.oh]

I too live in MN and have a family business in performance motorsports... Do the formentioned above, make sure your coolant is atleast 50/50 mix so it wont freeze and crack you block and coolant system 50/50 is a good year round mix but no more than that because it will gel up if to much anti-freeze is used with water... Do not start up in the winter, you can buy a motorcycle cover for under $50, DO NOT USE STA-BIL unless its going to sit 3 months or less... in MN it will sit 6 months or longer and STA-BIL will Gel up and cause nightmares for you if it sits longer than 3 months... I have seen it hundreds of times in marine engines and motorsports like fourwheelers, motorcycles, and snowmobiles... Sta-bil is a decent product for short term storage but thats it... It may not cause problems everytime but when it does it will plug up the carbs and fuel system... run your gas down to less then 1/4 tank and add seafoam and run for 5-10mins to alow it cycle through and then you wont have to drain the carbs or fuel system... I'd recommend seafoam for a stabilizer, any part store will have it... You can drain the oil and replace with new stuff if you want... heated storage is best but if it must be outside make sure the tires are off the dirt or grass and at minnimum put it up on wood or tarp to prevent weatherchecking of the tires and freezing to the ground...

 

Seafoam is also a great product. I'd guess the issues mentioned with the sta-bil are more related to using the wrong formula sta-bil. Particularly when using ethenal blends. They have several formulas including a ethenal treatment . Ethenal in itself causes huge problems after it's been sitting. It's hard on seals and gaskets and it absorbs moisture Fairley quickly which is most likley the root cause of the issues that people try to link to sta-bil. This is why I always use non-oxy fuel In all of my small engines and powersports toys. There are some trade offs but they are better than dealing with ethanol issues. And to clarify ... I store stuff with a full tank of fuel on anything that has a uncoated metal fuel tank....Which a lot of motorcycles have. The more empty space there is in a uncoated metal fuel tank the more space there is for condensation / moisture to build up inside. With the un even temps of a uncontrolled environment like sitting outside the more likely the chance of condensation building inside the tank. The cycle of some warm days and some cold days will create that effect. This is the same reason it's best to just let the bike sit all winter. I know it's hard to do but if you did start it up occasionally you would be warming it up and then shutting it off. Once you shut it off and let it sit again it will cool down (of course) and this could create condensation inside the engine. Things that don't have a good coating of oil could potentially corrode and rust in the engine. And of course the more obvious reason to try and resist the temptation of starting the bike would be cold temp starts in general are a big cause of wear. Yes I realize It's unavoidable a lot of the time but don't start it if you don't have to

[catdaddy300]

Thanks for all the info guys it helped alot! This is going to be interesting

[jsanders347]

I don't know what kind of motorcycle you have but if you like it at all I wouldn't let it sit in the elements if you don't have to. I've heard terrible things about stabil. I'd stay away. A trickle charger is something I would invest in. I definitely wouldn't want my bike outside in the Kentucky winters. Or the rain.

[catdaddy300]

I have a Yamaha R1