Is there any harm in getting a bike out for a ride on the nicer days during the winter, especially early and late winter? It will be stored in my garage and is ready to go, full tank of gas, stabilizer, cleaned, battery tender.

Just wondering if once I put it up, if it has to stay that way until many warm days ahead. I would commute to work, 45 mins each way, fill it back up with gas and add a bit more stabil. Anyone see a problem with this?

 

As long as you ride it long enough to get it fully warmed up you'll be OK. 45 minutes is good.

 

Your surposed to store it with clean oil in the engine and a new filter,iv'e often wondered if the MoCo tell you to do this to sell more oil and filters,they say laying up with dirty oil is not good as carbon surposedly eats into the engine, but i often wonder just how much damage it does.

 

That's what I do, already had to add gas and stabil once. Hope to have to do it many more times.

 

I take short rides during the winter when there is no snow or ice and it is above 40 degrees. I have never used fuel stabilizer or changed the oil for winter either. No problems with my bikes.

 

When I bought my 07 FLH I was able to ride it at least once a month during our winter months up until last year. Last year it was just too cold to ride it. Winter riding never did it any harm.

 

In Michigan you get less riding in the winter. But even in Massachusetts, I never winterized. The best thing for any vehicle is to get it out on the highway as much as possible during the winter .... charge up the battery real good, flush the tank and evaporate all that moisture out of the engine oil.

 

There's probably a grain of truth in that, but I wouldn't want to miss out on any rides just because I don't want to "contaminate" fresh oil until the riding season begins, whenever that is. If it means my motor lasts 98,000 miles instead of 100,00 I will take that chance. MoCo will have to sell those extra filters and oil to someone else.

 

I concur. Just wanna make sure the engine gets hot enough each ride to dissipate any moisture in the oil.

IMO you don't even need the Stabil if you'll be riding every couple months or so.

Good luck and have fun, Mark H.

 

Michigan Harleys are built a little different. once you put them in storage you must keep it there for the winter.it's like a bear getting awakened out of hibernation too soon, the bike will act differently and unpredictable and will seek Salmon from the nearest stream