Winter storage...carbs

[msb]

First, some background. I've had my 99 Interstate  going on 20 years, and have put on all but about 3000 of the overall 200,000 and counting km on it myself. For the first 8 years or so I didn't ride as much as i do now since my daughters were still at home during part of that time and my work schedule also didn't allow for a lot of long distance riding. I would take it off the road for about 4 months during the Winter, even though our Winters here are comparatively mild to the rest of Canada. Always stored in an enclosed garage, I would fill the tank up , run the carbs dry and drain them,  and put Stabil in the tank, do an oil change and other minor maintenance,  and leave it on a battery tender. Each Spring I would run a tank or 2 with Seafoam or similar cleaner . When I started riding more after that and continuing up to this day, I still took it off the road for a few months and did other maintenance, but  I stopped draining the carbs and instead started running the bike up to operating temperature in the driveway or just around the neighborhood if weather allowed at least once per week in order to keep everything flowing and the carbs from drying out.To this date, the carbs have never been worked on or physically cleaned...just synced a few times and had Seafoam, etc run through them each Spring. The bike still starts and runs good and I typically get over 30 mpg running through a tank at " normal" speeds.
Question to those who store their bikes for a few months each year, or who are knowledgeable/experienced in physically cleaning/rebuilding these carb systems..which of the above two Winter storage methods do you think is best or use, and are there other important steps that you do personally?
I figure I've done well (maybe a bit lucky?) with not having any serious carb issues all these years running mostly on E5 or E10 87 octane gas. Within the next year whether they show a real need for it or not, I will pull the carbs and have them rebuilt regardless, just because it's probably time and perhaps I've just gotten used to a "little less than optimum" performance. It'll be interesting to see what kind of shape they're actually in...I'm sure there's some gunk in there.

[Beardo]

With 200,000km…whatever you’re doing is working.  Your bike still runs very strong(despite all the chrome weighing it down), you’ve accelerated a few times with me behind you on my Wing and I had to really gun it to keep up.

There may be recommendations for “better” things to do, but what you’re doing is obviously working. I wouldn’t fix something that isn’t broken…but I guess if you have the right person go through your carbs, it shouldn’t hurt.

[Bagger John - #3785]

What I've done since the early 90s on non-FI bikes; specifically, the GL1100/1200/1500 series:

Warm the bike up, run to a nearby gas station. Top the tank with 87 octane; ride back home. Change oil and filter, remove plugs and squirt a tablespoon of oil into each cylinder. (Fogging oil works too.) Drain carbs and leave the drain screws open. With plugs inserted in their caps and resting on the heads, crank the engine over until the oil pressure light goes out. Install plugs, remove battery, add Sta-Bil Marine formula to the gas tank.

I'd already washed and detailed the bike prior to this, so a wipedown with metal protectant on all exposed chrome and raw aluminum surfaces is next, then it is rolled into storage with a breathable cover placed over.

Unless I'm planning to ride during all four seasons (which simply isn't happening with a Valkyrie here in Ohio) I do not leave them in a running state with fuel in the carbs for an extended period of inoperability. Nor do I start them once in a while. My C14s are kept service-ready (fresh oil change, Sta-Bil conditioned fuel and on a Battery Tender) so if I feel the need to ride I can do so without risking gummed-up carbs. I'd do the same with the Valkyries if road salt wasn't an issue: Drain the carbs each time out then store the bike in a bike bubble, connected to a tender.

[Knapdog]

I use a product called Ethanol Shield which I suppose is similar to Stabil. I just pour 30ml in to a full fuel tank, Rick the bike a bit and start the engine for 5 mins.
I tend not to want the O-rings to dry out by draining the carbs.
As a new Valk owner I'll be treating it as I do with any other bikes I've had. Winter time here, anyway for me, is a bit of servicing and an excuse to get out in the garage.
I normally wait until the Spring before changing the oil.
My guess is the vast majority of Valk owners love and care for their bikes which is another reason for so many high mileage examples,.
I can't think of many other high mileage examples as the Valkyrie. Brilliant, and there's mine with only 13,000 miles, which I appreciate is not necessarily a good thing.

[Bagger John - #3785]

I tend not to want the O-rings to dry out by draining the carbs.

Been doing this since 2000 with my Valkyries and have not had a problem, save one bike whose prior history was probably more "parked" than "ridden" prior to me purchasing it. Upon rebuilding those carbs (in 2011), no further issues.

I normally wait until the Spring before changing the oil.

Not a good approach. Used oil is acidic and will attack metal parts. (Read up on this). If the bike will be laid up for an extended period of time, change the oil and filter and don't fire the motor until such time that it can be ridden regularly.

[Knapdog]

I tend not to want the O-rings to dry out by draining the carbs.

Been doing this since 2000 with my Valkyries and have not had a problem, save one bike whose prior history was probably more "parked" than "ridden" prior to me purchasing it. Upon rebuilding those carbs (in 2011), no further issues.

I normally wait until the Spring before changing the oil.

Not a good approach. Used oil is acidic and will attack metal parts. (Read up on this). If the bike will be laid up for an extended period of time, change the oil and filter and don't fire the motor until such time that it can be ridden regularly.

That's an interesting thought.  I'll see what I can find.

My brief research appears to show the "acid attack" is more likely to occur on bikes where the oil has done higher mileages. With most of my bikes doing 1000 miles or less per year, including an annual oil change, which is a bit over the top, I'm not too concerned about leaving the oil in until Spring.
With my cbf1000, which I use for continental touring, I change the oil before I go and when I return. That bike still only does around 5000 miles in a year and I'm really not concerned with modern oils about leaving it in over the winter.
If I was doing proper mileage I'd probably have a different view.
I've certainly learned something.