start/don't start winterized bike
#1
#2
Unless your actully going to ride it and get it fully heated up don't start it, running a few minutes at idle will not fully recharge the battery and will leave a lot of moisture inside the engine to rust internal bits.
If your worried about the battery either get a tender or if you have no power in the garage take the battery off and bring it in the house for the winter.
If your worried about the battery either get a tender or if you have no power in the garage take the battery off and bring it in the house for the winter.
#6
Start/ don't start
I use STA-BIL and a battery tender. As far as starting it goes that's debatable.
Fact is the combustion chambers are going to be very hot within a minute or two. Lets face it, it's a seriously fast moving and hot environment in there. If it runs for about 5 minutes there won't be any chance of rust in the heads. Where you stand to have a problem is in the exhaust where vapor can pool. If your using STA-BIL or some similar product you'll find they have a moisture absorbent and rust preventative in them, STA-BIL states to run the engine for 5 minutes after adding their product and put the bike away.
I wouldn't make a habit of starting it unnecessarily though. If it's properly prepped there is no reason to start it although the unexpected does happen. We had some beautiful weather in North Jersey right after Christmas. I went out to get the bike, fired it up and while I was putting on my helmet noticed an oil leak that was growing. So of course I shut it down. It had run for several minutes though and the heads were too hot to touch so I'm not worried about it. Think about the engine as you would a cast iron frying pan. Yes, I know the heads are aluminum, just stay with me. If you get that pan hot enough where you wouldn't dare touch it you can be sure there won't be any water in it to cause rust as it will evaporate.
Fact is the combustion chambers are going to be very hot within a minute or two. Lets face it, it's a seriously fast moving and hot environment in there. If it runs for about 5 minutes there won't be any chance of rust in the heads. Where you stand to have a problem is in the exhaust where vapor can pool. If your using STA-BIL or some similar product you'll find they have a moisture absorbent and rust preventative in them, STA-BIL states to run the engine for 5 minutes after adding their product and put the bike away.
I wouldn't make a habit of starting it unnecessarily though. If it's properly prepped there is no reason to start it although the unexpected does happen. We had some beautiful weather in North Jersey right after Christmas. I went out to get the bike, fired it up and while I was putting on my helmet noticed an oil leak that was growing. So of course I shut it down. It had run for several minutes though and the heads were too hot to touch so I'm not worried about it. Think about the engine as you would a cast iron frying pan. Yes, I know the heads are aluminum, just stay with me. If you get that pan hot enough where you wouldn't dare touch it you can be sure there won't be any water in it to cause rust as it will evaporate.
#7
I use STA-BIL and a battery tender. As far as starting it goes that's debatable.
Fact is the combustion chambers are going to be very hot within a minute or two. Lets face it, it's a seriously fast moving and hot environment in there. If it runs for about 5 minutes there won't be any chance of rust in the heads. Where you stand to have a problem is in the exhaust where vapor can pool. If your using STA-BIL or some similar product you'll find they have a moisture absorbent and rust preventative in them, STA-BIL states to run the engine for 5 minutes after adding their product and put the bike away.
I wouldn't make a habit of starting it unnecessarily though. If it's properly prepped there is no reason to start it although the unexpected does happen. We had some beautiful weather in North Jersey right after Christmas. I went out to get the bike, fired it up and while I was putting on my helmet noticed an oil leak that was growing. So of course I shut it down. It had run for several minutes though and the heads were too hot to touch so I'm not worried about it. Think about the engine as you would a cast iron frying pan. Yes, I know the heads are aluminum, just stay with me. If you get that pan hot enough where you wouldn't dare touch it you can be sure there won't be any water in it to cause rust as it will evaporate.
Fact is the combustion chambers are going to be very hot within a minute or two. Lets face it, it's a seriously fast moving and hot environment in there. If it runs for about 5 minutes there won't be any chance of rust in the heads. Where you stand to have a problem is in the exhaust where vapor can pool. If your using STA-BIL or some similar product you'll find they have a moisture absorbent and rust preventative in them, STA-BIL states to run the engine for 5 minutes after adding their product and put the bike away.
I wouldn't make a habit of starting it unnecessarily though. If it's properly prepped there is no reason to start it although the unexpected does happen. We had some beautiful weather in North Jersey right after Christmas. I went out to get the bike, fired it up and while I was putting on my helmet noticed an oil leak that was growing. So of course I shut it down. It had run for several minutes though and the heads were too hot to touch so I'm not worried about it. Think about the engine as you would a cast iron frying pan. Yes, I know the heads are aluminum, just stay with me. If you get that pan hot enough where you wouldn't dare touch it you can be sure there won't be any water in it to cause rust as it will evaporate.
Last edited by cHarley; 01-03-2009 at 05:03 PM.
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#8
The problem with condensation is not a case of burning moisture out of the cylinders but with moisture (condensation) that forms in the oil system when you heat and then cool the oil. It's the oil that requires ~30 minutes at operating temperature to dissipate the moisture.
#9
cHarley and Mandog are right about the condensation that can form if the oil doesn't get hot enough but my point was that sometimes it's unavoidable to start the engine. Like I said I wouldn't make a habit of running it unless it's going to be run properly but sometimes, as in my case, it was unavoidable and the amount of condensation from one short run won't amount to anything. In short, use a tender, some sort of stabilant and keep it dry.