Hibernation

[furious_blue_imp]

My CBR250R is the designated: wet/damp weather bike. If it gets road spray muck on it, a quick hose down with S100 and it's restored to presentable shape.

The CB1100 requires a spotless appearance (my preference).. it would be too much work to be constantly cleaning it !

 

[cmyk_imp]

Mine is sitting (covered) in a car port, but I have access to a heated garage to store it in. I'm really debating whether or not to ride it through the winter. I can use some of my bicycling winter gear to layer up and have felt fine riding at sub-40 temps. My only concern is salt. I don't want to get any on any part of the bike. That alone would be worth storing it.

If it's sitting in the cold and started every couple of weeks, is it necessary to keep the tank completely filled all the time, or is that only a requirement if it's going to be sitting for weeks/months?

 

[ClassicVW_imp]

Tank should be filled to 95% or greater while stored to reduce the chance of condensation forming inside. Gas stabilizer is a must for storage as short as 3 weeks. Modern fuels start turning to varnish in as little as 3 or 4 weeks.

Just starting a bike for a couple of minutes every few weeks while in storage does little good other than reassure you that it will start. Now, I'm talking about 'in storage' and running it 'for a few minutes', as opposed to taking it out for a normal, 'real ride' every couple of weeks which is much better.

 

[the Ferret]

Ive always felt the best storage is fill up the tank, put 1 1/2 to 2 oz per gallon of the tanks capacity of either seafoam or stabil and then ride it for 10 miles to get treated gas into carbs or fuel injectors. After that either park it with a battery tender for the duration of storage, or get them out and ride them at least 10 miles every time you start one up.

Our CB's are air cooled so you don't want to start it and just let it run for an extended period of time, so if you can't ride it long enough to burn the condensation out of the pipes, it's better off just to let it sit. At least that is my opinion and practice.