Hibernating the bike for the winter...

[Crying Freeman]

Eventhough the weather in the NYC area has been mild lately, I'm planning to hypernate the bike for the winter this weekend. Already changed the oil and coolant. Will give the bike a quick ride, gas it up with Stabil, clear the carbs and unhook the battery.

Hopefully it will be a short winter so I can install new plugs and a UNI performance filter.

[pefrey]

Are you storing it inside or outside?

If you are storing it outside I'd try to get the tires up off of the ground. Also, try to fill up the gas tank as much as possible to prevent condensation inside the tank.

[Crying Freeman]

The bike will be in my garage and have front/rear stands...thanks...

[pefrey]

If you are unhooking the battery, bring it inside if the garage will be cold. Batteries don't appreciate the cold much.

[kilika2]

I also suggest taking the chain off and soaking it in clean oil over winter. I follow a lot of the stuff in this thread.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2240&p=24171&hilit= ... ger#p24171

Chris.

[Crying Freeman]

Is the below step still a requirement if we're adding stabil? Can we just run the engine with the petcock turned to the off position?

You will also want to drain the float bowls on carbureted bikes by
unscrewing the small screw on the carb float bowl. Any fuel left in the
bowls for more than two months will turn into a jet-clogging sludge that will
cost you an expensive carb overhaul in the Spring. If you have a fuel
injected bike, you can skip this step and move on to the next.

[kilika2]

I have mixed feelings about running the carbs dry. It makes the orings dry out. I really haven't had to deal with that much because every year that I have had my bike I've taken the engine apart. But now that I think about it that means I sit my carbs somewhere in the garage with no gas in them. hmmm.

[Crying Freeman]

I have a friend who used to own a 1999 FZR 600 and running the engine with the petcock closed is sufficient to clear the carburetors of fuel.

Thanks for your input...

[Crying Freeman]

The FZR 600 is covered and hibernating...see you guys next spring!

[Crying Freeman]

A few more weeks and the FZR rises from hibernation...minor winter mods include flush amber signals (used the original 3 wire sockets) and shorter rear amber/blue signals...also installed a rear brake light flasher for safety reasons...