TOPIC:

For me winter prep. is put the liner back in my jacket and get the heavy glove's out of the drawer.
With the temp. swings here in the winter I might go two maybe three days that are to cold to ride then it's back warm enough to ride.
Our forecast this weekend is a low Friday morning of 29 with a high of upper 30's/low 40's
then be in the 60's on Sunday.

60's here.
Steve

This what I try to do for winter storage. Full gas tank. If weather permitting I go to a station with pure gas. No alcohol. treat with Stabil and them add TC-W3 (found in two stroke oil) 2oz per 4 gallons of gas. Operate until carbs have the mixture in them.

I would not start and idle. It takes about 15 miles to bring a motorcycle completely up to operating temp enough to burn off any moisture. Starting a bring up to operating temps on the temp gauge doesn't include the oil in the transmission. when I bought my C14 in Dec of 08, friends would stop by to see it. starting the motor was just part of the demo. Then one day I discovered the sight gauge had white foam around it. I wasn't burning off the moisture. just a heads up for you....By the way the Stabil goes in the C14, the TC-W3 does not.

I think what I'm going to do is make the 900 completely dry. I have to re-kit the petcock anyways. Tim

Z1Driver wrote: ...........I would not start and idle. It takes about 15 miles to bring a motorcycle completely up to operating temp enough to burn off any moisture. Starting a bring up to operating temps on the temp gauge doesn't include the oil in the transmission................. Tim

I strongly disagree. I've been doing this on my KZ650-C1 every winter for the past 39 years and it has not caused any problems. You need to let the bike idle for 15 minutes or so when the outside air temperature is cold to ensure the engine is up to full operating temperature, but you are wrong about the oil in the transmission. That oil is the same as the oil that circulates through the rest of the engine, so it is not possible for it to have a different temperature. Also, I don't know which bike you have that came with a temperature gauge, but there is no temperature gauge on the KZ650 other than putting my hand on the rear section of the mufflers. Ed

The trouble that can come from running the engine is water can form in the exhaust and cause the pipes to rust out. Even running 15 minutes I would wager water is in the pipes, but Ed has had no problems, so maybe I'm wrong.
It's amazing how much water is formed running a gas engine and despite the fact the exhaust is 400 degrees or whatever, still water will be in there.

No rusted pipes on my KZ650, and mine are still the originals. For the first couple minutes a little condensation comes out of the little drain holes near the front of the mufflers, but that soon stops as things heat up. Ed

Ed, When talking about the transmission oil, the transmission doesn't get warmed up to operating temps which effects over all oil temp. Yes I know the engine and transmission share the same oil on most modern day motorcycles.

I would run the C14 long enough for the radiator fans to come on....temp gauge said it was up to temp. But still got condensation in the oil. For me no start just to start. If started it's going at least 10 to 15 miles. During the summer, no issue.
The 900, start to tinker...let run for 10-15 minutes. Got condensation in the oil.

I live in an area with relatively low humidity. I forgot to add I throw a tender on the batteries every couple of weeks or so, Big snow storm coming so I'll be doing something else in the garage.

I wonder if the reason is that the larger engines have considerable more mass (of metal) to heat up, so it takes longer to bring the oil and metal up to full operating temperature? Maybe my KZ650 experience is only normal for the smaller engines? Ed

I have a 1980 KZ 750 LTD that is used daily, and ever since I joined this forum, I have followed 650Ed advice and never had a problem with winter storage, before I used to drain the carbs and stabilize the gas, and then when spring time came, it did not start as easy as I wanted and had to clean the carbs again.

mopguy wrote: I have a 1980 KZ 750 LTD that is used daily, and ever since I joined this forum, I have followed 650Ed advice and never had a problem with winter storage, before I used to drain the carbs and stabilize the gas, and then when spring time came, it did not start as easy as I wanted and had to clean the carbs again.

WEll than keep taking Eds advise

Ed is right more often than most anyone else.

Dave

650ed wrote:

Attachment 00003b-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31-32-33-34-35-36.jpg not found

When it comes to the KZ650's Ed's got a clue I mean who else has a one owner 39 y/o unmolested bike that still looks like his.





Ed you got a smuge on your pipe under the foot peg.

Thanks! Ed