Winter Storage

[Jruby38]

Is it better to drain the carbs or leave full with treated gas over the winter?  I never had a problem with the Valk leaving the carbs full for 16 years, but I just had a hell of a time to get my snowblower going after sitting all summer with the carb. full.

[da prez]

  I add a dose of marine stabil and fill it up . I ride long enough to make sure it is in the carbs. It is then parked and the petcock is shut off. Battery is sometimes did connected , and trickle charged.
  Bike gets a good cleaning and full service.  I do not care how cold it is , but if road salt goes down , my riding is over.

                                      da prez

[Jack B]

  I add a dose of marine stabil and fill it up . I ride long enough to make sure it is in the carbs. It is then parked and the petcock is shut off. Battery is sometimes did connected , and trickle charged.
  Bike gets a good cleaning and full service.  I do not care how cold it is , but if road salt goes down , my riding is over.

                                      da prez

I would do the same but after I turned the petcock off I would then run the bike till it died and then turn it over a few more times.

[Paxton]

QUOTE: "I would do the same but after I turned the petcock off I would then run the bike till it died and then turn it over a few more times... "

Same here. 

   

[Jruby38]

I already pulled the battery so I will use the carb drains.

[BobB]

I remove the tank and drain the carbs.  The only drawback to doing this is that the seals in the fuel rail dry out, and they may leak when you introduce gas next spring.  They only leak for a few minutes...

[Bighead]

I remove the tank and drain the carbs.  The only drawback to doing this is that the seals in the fuel rail dry out, and they may leak when you introduce gas next spring.  They only leak for a few minutes...

Might I inquire as to why you would remove the tank?

[Hef]

Have used the following procedure for many years and never had a problem: Put a half can of seafoam gas treatment to a tank of gas. Run the engine long enough to get mixture in the carbs, shut the engine off, turn off the petcock and forget about it.   

[Beardo]

Have used the following procedure for many years and never had a problem: Put a half can of seafoam gas treatment to a tank of gas. Run the engine long enough to get mixture in the carbs, shut the engine off, turn off the petcock and forget about it.   

Ditto for my bike for me and the previous owner for the last 17 years.

[mmvalk]

I also use half can Seafoam in a full tank of gas, ride for a couple of miles and then park the bike connected to a battery trickle charger been doing so for years with no issue.

I had to 'winterize' my bike in August since I had foot surgery and haven't ridden it since.  Will the Seafoam treatment keep the gas from decomposing till spring?

[Jruby38]

Seems like 50/50 dry vs wet. Bob B has me concerned about the fuel rail drying out. I never heard of that before.

[Bighead]

Yes it can happen. Usually when the rubber gets fuel on it again it will swell back up and stop leaking.
Personally I never turn my Petcock off and don't treat the gas as thes Others have stated but I can get in a ride or two during the winter.

[Gideon]

  I add a dose of marine stabil and fill it up . I ride long enough to make sure it is in the carbs. It is then parked and the petcock is shut off. Battery is sometimes did connected , and trickle charged.
  Bike gets a good cleaning and full service.  I do not care how cold it is , but if road salt goes down , my riding is over.

                                      da prez

I do the same 

[phideux]

Most mornings when I'm off, if it ain't raining, I'll ride down to the beach and watch the sun come up. It was 29 the other morning, Brisk.

Insulated Bibs, decent jacket, sweater, gloves and mask. It's gonna be 40s and sunny later, I got a squad meeting at the beach this afternoon, gonna pull out the Fat-Girl and ride up there.

What is this winter storage thing you folks are talking about? I remember when I lived in NY, the last bike I had there was my old H2. That was my only vehicle for almost 3yrs, I rode that thing everywhere, all the time. I was also alot younger and stupider then.

[BobB]

I remove the tank and drain the carbs.  The only drawback to doing this is that the seals in the fuel rail dry out, and they may leak when you introduce gas next spring.  They only leak for a few minutes...

Might I inquire as to why you would remove the tank?

My Valk is moved into my basement workshop over the winter, where I can work on it.  We do not want gasoline down there.

[Tfrank59]

Have used the following procedure for many years and never had a problem: Put a half can of seafoam gas treatment to a tank of gas. Run the engine long enough to get mixture in the carbs, shut the engine off, turn off the petcock and forget about it.   

Ditto for my bike for me and the previous owner for the last 17 years.

same for me but (1) I do ride occasionally during winter months--although looks like not much this year as cold as it's starting out, so (2) I make sure and fill up with good gas--non-ethanol--since it's going to sit for much of the season, then put in the Seafoam and take a short ride.