Winter Storage: To Drain or Not to Drain, that is the question
Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 4,271
Likes: 6
From: madison wisconsin
Winter Storage: To Drain or Not to Drain, that is the question
Having read that awesome post about winter storage that Da Gumpmeister put out there, I have a question for all you experienced HD owners.
I've got friends that say you should store your bike with a full gas tank (with the stabilizer additive) as Da Gumpmeister mentioned.
yet others say drain your tank, it stores easier.
Does it depend on the age of the engine?
What are the pros/cons?
How do you store yours?
& to those fortunate enough to not know what winter is, It's when dry water magically falls from the sky....
I've got friends that say you should store your bike with a full gas tank (with the stabilizer additive) as Da Gumpmeister mentioned.
yet others say drain your tank, it stores easier.
Does it depend on the age of the engine?
What are the pros/cons?
How do you store yours?
& to those fortunate enough to not know what winter is, It's when dry water magically falls from the sky....
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 10,959
Likes: 2
From: Back in Oz M8
Having read that awesome post about winter storage that Da Gumpmeister put out there, I have a question for all you experienced HD owners.
I've got friends that say you should store your bike with a full gas tank (with the stabilizer additive) as Da Gumpmeister mentioned.
I've got friends that say you should store your bike with a full gas tank (with the stabilizer additive) as Da Gumpmeister mentioned.
Last edited by Wallaby; Oct 19, 2009 at 10:56 AM. Reason: mistake
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,642
Likes: 6
From: Forest Lake, Mn
GOOD ? ....
Here's the diff...............TEMPERATURE !!!
IF "cold", fill it, no air space for condensation. If you have a heated shop, grudge, or keep it in da house, like J Dub, then drain it, if you like. But IMFUO, run it 'til ALL is gone, from carb/efi and lines. No chance of 'gunk/varnish' happening, then.
Mine, 'normally', are kept in a heated shop. I actually drain 'em, cause I end up pulling everything off, to detail the scoots over winter. This year, may be different, not much work, no xtra $$ to keep a shop heated, 24/7.
BUT the post is 'basically' designed, for "COLD" storage.
Hope that 'helps'.
Here's the diff...............TEMPERATURE !!!
IF "cold", fill it, no air space for condensation. If you have a heated shop, grudge, or keep it in da house, like J Dub, then drain it, if you like. But IMFUO, run it 'til ALL is gone, from carb/efi and lines. No chance of 'gunk/varnish' happening, then.
Mine, 'normally', are kept in a heated shop. I actually drain 'em, cause I end up pulling everything off, to detail the scoots over winter. This year, may be different, not much work, no xtra $$ to keep a shop heated, 24/7.
BUT the post is 'basically' designed, for "COLD" storage.
Hope that 'helps'.
Club Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,290
Likes: 2
stabilizer
Having read that awesome post about winter storage that Da Gumpmeister put out there, I have a question for all you experienced HD owners.
I've got friends that say you should store your bike with a full gas tank (with the stabilizer additive) as Da Gumpmeister mentioned.
yet others say drain your tank, it stores easier.
Does it depend on the age of the engine?
What are the pros/cons?
How do you store yours?
& to those fortunate enough to not know what winter is, It's when dry water magically falls from the sky....
I've got friends that say you should store your bike with a full gas tank (with the stabilizer additive) as Da Gumpmeister mentioned.
yet others say drain your tank, it stores easier.
Does it depend on the age of the engine?
What are the pros/cons?
How do you store yours?
& to those fortunate enough to not know what winter is, It's when dry water magically falls from the sky....
On the motorcycle/Trike I use an outdoor fitted cover in the garage. Since mine is not heated I put a trouble light under the tarp on the floor with a 100 watt bulb. They have so much electronics, ECM, fly by wire throttle and such, I do not like the moisture environment of an unheated garage.
We have a good day or two even in the winter most months so I try to take the cover off and ride the bike/trike at least once a month. I don't take the battery out of the bike/trike, just a low amp float charger.
If you don't have a controlled temperature garage the tarp/cover with a troublelight will keep them warm and dry. Just be carefull and place the troublelight under the bike in a clear area with plenty of room around it. The cover will hold enough heat in with just a light bulb to help with some of the corrosion and keep the battery from freezng.
Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 4,271
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From: madison wisconsin
Immensely!!! I can't tell you guys how much $$$ I've saved just by joining this Forum...
I had a feeling that there was a definite reason to store her filled... now I can counter all the friendly drunken arguments my buddies & I have with the condensation/rust in the fuel lines angle... all y'all defintely rock!
I had a feeling that there was a definite reason to store her filled... now I can counter all the friendly drunken arguments my buddies & I have with the condensation/rust in the fuel lines angle... all y'all defintely rock!
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 452
Likes: 93
From: Center of Kalifornia
I bought an old shovelhead from a friend that had been sitting for 6-7 years. The gas tank was about 80% full. I drained out this old gas as it was bad. The area above the gas line on the tank wall had some rust. The area below that looked almost like new.
Keep it full as possible!
Keep it full as possible!
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,476
Likes: 5
From: Republic of Texas
I don't do long time storage on my motorcycles but I do on my generators. I always drain all of the gas out of them---I mean all. Spray the inside of the tank with a light coat of oil---not wd40---real genuine oil. Some of them sit for over a year without fuel in anything. We get cold and warm all winter with the concrete even sweating. If I need them I add fresh gas and run them till I don't need them anymore. After use I change the oil, drain the tank--fuel lines--carb, spray oil in tank and let sit. Never had a problem over them sitting but someone I know that has a repair shop makes easy money over improper stored small motors. Storing gas down here in anything is asking for problems after three or more weeks. If I was storing a bike I would do the same thing. JMO
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Supporter
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,724
Likes: 234
From: Altoona, Pa.
Agree with the full tank deal. Mess around with tractors a bit and talk with others in a forum and seems like the tractors with rust problems in the tanks are the ones left sitting without full tanks. Stabil or Seafoam a must!
