Winter Battery Maintenance

[GoldOxide_imp]

According to consensus...the battery stays in. Thanks.
I've also put a few drops of oil in each cylinder. That OK?

I'm not sure what a few drops of oil will do except sit on the piston until the next start up, and then just burn away. I believe a regular start up and 10 mins warm up which puts the oil where it is needed is much more beneficial.

There's lots of different views and reasons for doing or not doing certain things but when something works for you and gives you peace of mind its ok.

I often wonder why people do so many things for a few months storage when there are bikes/cars sitting in dealers etc for much longer periods without fuel stabilizer or tyres off the ground, I used to do all the above and more

There is the counter argument to running the engine for such a short time. You are more likely to introduce more moisture by way of condensation into the crankcase and into the exhaust as 10 minutes at idle won't be sufficient to bring the engine to full operating temperature. A fully hot system evaporates this moisture from the oil and the rest of the bikes system.

I don't know if our bikes have a crankcase ventilation valve or if it is just a regular pipe to the airbox but if they do this is a prime candidate to get gummed up with short runs too.

There is the counter argument to running the engine for such a short time. You are more likely to introduce more moisture by way of condensation into the crankcase and into the exhaust as 10 minutes at idle won't be sufficient to bring the engine to full operating temperature. A fully hot system evaporates this moisture from the oil and the rest of the bikes system.

I don't know if our bikes have a crankcase ventilation valve or if it is just a regular pipe to the airbox but if they do this is a prime candidate to get gummed up with short runs too.
I agree about the moisture. Sorry the ten minute warm up was just a ball park figure and not at idle speed but various revs. I usually go through the gears and re - oil the chain and check brakes etc while its running until fully warmed up.
That is only if the weather is so bad I've not been out for weeks of course. I like the dry sunny winter days we get so ride whenever possible

If I ride on ultra salty winter days when the salt spray and/or dust is flying, I just ensure the chain is nicely coated with lube prior to the road excursion.

[Tev62]

And as if someone was looking in on the forum this got posted yesterday about starting your bike whilst in winter storage.

https://youtu.be/-21MwnRHvl8

[GoldOxide_imp]

And as if someone was looking in on the forum this got posted yesterday about starting your bike whilst in winter storage.

https://youtu.be/-21MwnRHvl8

Good reference Tev. I think [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/member.php?action=profile&uid=3454]PB starts his CB whilst in winter storage.

[peterbaron]

And as if someone was looking in on the forum this got posted yesterday about starting your bike whilst in winter storage.

https://youtu.be/-21MwnRHvl8

Good reference Tev. I think [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/member.php?action=profile&uid=3454]PB starts his CB whilst in winter storage.

Good reference Tev. I think [url=http://cb1100forum.com/forum/member.php?action=profile&uid=3454]PB starts his CB whilst in winter storage.
Glad that you only think of it....

[DrewNJ_imp]

While I don't do much in terms of "winterizing" anymore....maybe an oil change if it's been awhile, I am a big fan of the Battery Tender Jr's. I tend to plug in all the bikes in the garage when not being ridden. I don't know if it helps, but it's super easy and I can't remember the last time I had a battery "issue".

[Cormanus]

Thanks Tev. Useful video, although I mostly get to ride all year round so it isn't an issue for me.

[Tev62]

Thanks Tev. Useful video, although I mostly get to ride all year round so it isn't an issue for me.

Yes, same for me as our climate is quite temperate.

I do tend to use battery tenders though. The 90's Triumphs have a sprag clutch weakness and a sure-fire way to wreck it is to crank the bike over on a weak battery. Once it goes it goes, a split crankcase job to repair with an updated sprag clutch. The repair is more than the bike is worth.

My last Triumph Tiger just gone used to eat batteries, two replacements in five years and it was a must to put that on a tender. Triumph dealer tells me there was nothing abnormal with the bike, I have my doubts.

The only bike I can leave for weeks and weeks without fear of any issues is the CB1100EX, which doesn't have a tender and has never needed one.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Thanks Tev. Useful video, although I mostly get to ride all year round so it isn't an issue for me.

Yes, same for me as our climate is quite temperate.

I do tend to use battery tenders though. The 90's Triumphs have a sprag clutch weakness and a sure-fire way to wreck it is to crank the bike over on a weak battery. Once it goes it goes, a split crankcase job to repair with an updated sprag clutch. The repair is more than the bike is worth.

My last Triumph Tiger just gone used to eat batteries, two replacements in five years and it was a must to put that on a tender. Triumph dealer tells me there was nothing abnormal with the bike, I have my doubts.

The only bike I can leave for weeks and weeks without fear of any issues is the CB1100EX, which doesn't have a tender and has never needed one.

I reckon the Triumph has a parasitic load? e.g. tracker or ignition disable/security feature?

It would be easy to measure the current draw at the battery while the Triumph ignition is turned off (e.g. requires lifting the +ve lead). If the draw is in the high tens or hundreds of milliampere range, then yeah - something is suckin' on the battery juice.

[Charlie Bravo_imp]

I'm a SoCal native so don't get the winter blues and my bike runs all year. Hoping to do more or less the same now that I'm living in TX. While in the army I met a guy who told the story of his bike in the basement of a house in Wisconsin. He added fuel to the bike from a metal can, spilled some gas, set the can on the concrete floor and a spark started a fire that destroyed the bike and almost burned the house down.

[Tev62]

Thanks Tev. Useful video, although I mostly get to ride all year round so it isn't an issue for me.

Yes, same for me as our climate is quite temperate.

I do tend to use battery tenders though. The 90's Triumphs have a sprag clutch weakness and a sure-fire way to wreck it is to crank the bike over on a weak battery. Once it goes it goes, a split crankcase job to repair with an updated sprag clutch. The repair is more than the bike is worth.

My last Triumph Tiger just gone used to eat batteries, two replacements in five years and it was a must to put that on a tender. Triumph dealer tells me there was nothing abnormal with the bike, I have my doubts.

The only bike I can leave for weeks and weeks without fear of any issues is the CB1100EX, which doesn't have a tender and has never needed one.

I reckon the Triumph has a parasitic load? e.g. tracker or ignition disable/security feature?

It would be easy to measure the current draw at the battery while the Triumph ignition is turned off (e.g. requires lifting the +ve lead). If the draw is in the high tens or hundreds of milliampere range, then yeah - something is suckin' on the battery juice.

I think you are right but Triumph tell me the power draw was in an acceptable range although I can't remember what they said it was but it seemed reasonable at the time. It did have a Triumph factory alarm (branded Datatool) which obviously took something. They had to wait for the bike to go to sleep which could take anything up to 20 minutes after ignition off as the bikes electronics don't fully shut down unless the bike is untouched. Owners of the previous generations of the bikes never had the same problem but they had heavier larger batteries. Penny pinching on the batteries I think.