will my bike be ok if i dont ride it in winter?

[Maz]

Hi

Will my bike be ok if I don't ride it through out winter? It's only done 410. Miles....

Can't rode it as am doing extensive physio ready for my surgeon appointment in January...

Just worried in case my breaks cease...

Thanks all xxxxx

[Squashed_Fly]

Hi

Just worried in case my breaks cease...


You're worried in case your holidays stop?

[lolliver]

Hi

Just worried in case my breaks cease...


You're worried in case your holidays stop?

;D

Back on topic though I'm afraid I don't really know enough about bikes to answer your question.. I guess you'd have to keep the battery topped up though??

Do you keep it in a garage or outside?

[Scotty]

Your brakes should be ok if the bike is new, they're unlikely to seize, but they'll still need looking after - now that it's got cold and they've started gritting the roads you'll need to wash the bike thoroughly on a regular basis and give the brake calipers a good clean, that should be sufficient to prevent seizure. What you may find the next time you go to use the bike is that the brake pads may have lightly rusted to the disc due to the metallic content in them reacting with the water from washing. One good push will free them off and the first time you use them the disc will be wiped clean. No worries 8-)

[Ducatista]

Well I'm not an expert by any stretch but I think you need to be more concerned about the battery.
You can buy something called an optimate which charges the battery every day (a bit like the bike being ridden). They are intelligent and can apply the right amount of charge.
If you have electricity and a garage then this would be a good investment.

[spudgun]

If you can't use an optimate, just start the bike up every other weekend and let it tick over for ten minutes, should charge the battery and let the fluids move around the engine etc.

Or take the battery off for the winter and store it indoors

[njl]

One of the big sellers might be m& p have roxter brand intelligent chargers at 18.50 at the moment, Oxford or optimate proper are quite a bit more

[Maz]

Thanks! I will start her up every weekend...

I've started to notice little pieces of rust on the break disk but its to be expected. Can't wait to get on her again!

My grammer isn't my strong point lol. I find it hard speaking english let alone writing it.

;D

[Maz]

:D Brake lol

[Snowy]

Personally I wouldn't start the engine up over winter but if you do, make sure you run it so the engine gets hot. If you don't, condensation will form in the engine and rust it away from the inside which is not good. As Scotty has said, keep the brakes clean if you're riding over winter and keep the battery on an Optimate if you can. Think about some corrosion protection as well, you can do this yourself with FS365/ACF50 just keep it off the tyres and brakes.

[wiltshire builders]

Hi

Just worried in case my breaks cease...


You're worried in case your holidays stop?
That's abuse! I vote that you're banned.

[Squashed_Fly]

Hi

Just worried in case my breaks cease...


You're worried in case your holidays stop?
That's abuse! I vote that you're banned.

Lol, yeah - guilty as charged! ;D ;D

[billinom8]

If you can't use an optimate, just start the bike up every other weekend and let it tick over for ten minutes, should charge the battery and let the fluids move around the engine etc.

Or take the battery off for the winter and store it indoors


actually that won't charge the battery, on most bikes the charging circuit doesn't become active until around 5000 rpm. it will get the fluids circulating and if you take it up to the point where the fan kicks in it will help.
if the bike is stored then after you have run it up to temperature, turn the bike off, the fan might still run for a bit and then put a cover over the bike. if we get a cold snapo like last year you will need to try and keep as muich heat in the metal of the engine as you can.
check the coolant levels and strength - you don't want it freezing - ask scotty.

is the bike to be stored in a garage/shed or outside ?
if you are not going to use it for a long time and it's outside i would personally

strengthen the coolant
remove the battery and keep it in the house
cover everything including the brake discs is wd40 and fs365 - you can always degrease when you want to start riding again.
put a couple of blankets over the bike - charity shops are always a good source
then get a waterproof cover/plastic sheet and put that over the bike.
for good measure - if you have them, put the bike up on stands to prevent cold transfer from the ground damaging the tyres.

[Squashed_Fly]

Quick question - didn't Scotty's 'accident' happen because he had just water in the rad, and no coolant/anti freeze as it was a track bike?

If the system is dry completely, is that ok in the cold weather as no liquid to expand when frozen? Mine is dry now as it was all drained to do the valve clearances, and I'm not sure if it should be re filled with coolant, or of it's ok to be left dry until I want to use it again in the spring....

[billinom8]

If it's dry then there is nothing to Freeze therefore nothing to expand and crack lovely engine blocks.

Well it makes sense in my head anyway. ::)

[Jon_W]

Put a cover over it, disconnect the battery and you'll be fine.

[Maz]

The bike is outside with a cover over it...unfortunately these days they dont build houses with garadges! And only one car parking space per house!!!

[Maz]

Thank you all! xxx

[Thorkill_The_Tall]

If you can't use an optimate, just start the bike up every other weekend and let it tick over for ten minutes, should charge the battery and let the fluids move around the engine etc.

Or take the battery off for the winter and store it indoors


actually that won't charge the battery, on most bikes the charging circuit doesn't become active until around 5000 rpm.......

remove the battery and keep it in the house



Not actually true regarding not charging.
To prove it, put a meter across the batery terminals with the motor turned off - you'll get about 11.5 volts.
Start the motor and run it at idle then meter the battery again - it'll show between 14 and 15 volts, assuming your charging circuit it working properly.

Even if you remove your battery and store it inside, a battery will naturally self discharge itself to destruction after about 3 months.

The best method bar none is to stick the battery on a battery tender (Optimate, Oxford, Accumen, etc ).
Don't use a 'trickle charger' as you'll run the risk of slowly cooking the cells.

Best method of all is to ride it on those crisp, dry winter days, as long as there's not too much salt about and put the grin back on yer face ;)

[Snowy]

I would suggest 11.5v is too low for a battery in tip top condition, mine are at 12.8v after being left for a few days.

There's loads of differences of opinion on charging lead/acid, AGM and GEL batteries. Mine are AGM's and I keep them topped up on an Optimate but I still ride through the winter when the weather allows it.

[Morticia]

I've started to notice little pieces of rust on the break disk but its to be expected. Can't wait to get on her again!




Treat her to Nooj's shinny thing, it'll thank you for it

[Morticia]

Also, my sv was out of action for less than a week, and we couldn't start him...Could be cos he's older than the dinosaurs, sure, but the newer one does the same this time of year, they don't seem to like it too cold. Steve has his beast on the optimiserthingy and it's always easy to start, even though the poor boy doesn't see the outside much.

[NiteW4tcher]

my gsxr charges at 14.6V @ idle............but then again i do eat reg/recs for a living so it may not be correct

[Andybusa]

Rust on disc brakes is easy to fix, just spray with plenty of WD 40, or rub with a low viscosity engine oil............................................... ................................................ON LY JOKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ::)

[Jon_W]

If you can't use an optimate, just start the bike up every other weekend and let it tick over for ten minutes, should charge the battery and let the fluids move around the engine etc.

Or take the battery off for the winter and store it indoors


actually that won't charge the battery, on most bikes the charging circuit doesn't become active until around 5000 rpm.......

remove the battery and keep it in the house



Not actually true regarding not charging.
To prove it, put a meter across the batery terminals with the motor turned off - you'll get about 11.5 volts.
Start the motor and run it at idle then meter the battery again - it'll show between 14 and 15 volts, assuming your charging circuit it working properly.

Even if you remove your battery and store it inside, a battery will naturally self discharge itself to destruction after about 3 months.

The best method bar none is to stick the battery on a battery tender (Optimate, Oxford, Accumen, etc ).
Don't use a 'trickle charger' as you'll run the risk of slowly cooking the cells.

Best method of all is to ride it on those crisp, dry winter days, as long as there's not too much salt about and put the grin back on yer face ;)



The issue with starting the bike for a short period is twofold. First it takes almost ten minuites of riding to re-gain the charge lost through starting and second running the engine of short periods is bad for engine condition. As to disconnecting the battery, In my expierence a battery will last years sat disconnected as long as the ambient temperature is constant.