This will be my second winter with the Ultra. Last year kept her off the ground on the Sears Yellow Aluminum lift (just so tires weren't touching the ground) and put a good quality cover over it. Kept her in the back of the garage. When I took her out this sprint, the chrome needed a fair amount of buffing. It didn't pit, but it dis seem to have tiny "raised" microdots if you will. A bit of chrome polish with a tad more elbow grease than normal did the trick.

Thinking about this winter and wondering what you folks do to protect the bike a bit more. The garage is attached to the house (in fact under the house). Would spraying the bike down with WD-40 be okay? Or is there a product out there just for the "Winter Storage" purpose?

Thanks,
Joe

 

Clean & polish it real nice, add Stabil, jack it up (garage), cover with a flannel sheel and plug in the Battery Tender. Even ride it in winter on occasion, if the roads are dry and free of salt dust. Won't be long now!

 

S100 has a Corrosion Protectant that I use pretty regularly. You can just spray it on and leave it for the Winter. I've had no problems. You do have to give it a good washing to get it off in the Spring. I've had no pitting or corrosion issues in four years.

 

I neglected to mention that I wash and shine it up real nice before I put her to bed. stabilizer in the fuel as well.
I think I used the S100 corrosion stuff years ago. I think it's the one you spray on then "buff" off. If I remember, it was almost slightly sticky, like a hair spray. Anyway, did you buff it or just spray it and leave it on?

Thanks,
Joe

 

I did a combination. I buffed (or at least wiped down) the tin and smooth chrome. Otherwise, I just let it sit, particularly on the engine and exhaust. It is a bit sticky, and the hairspray comparison is pretty appropriate. It doesn't come off easily, but it does come off without a ludicrous amount of effort.

I live in northern Illinois, and Winter can get cold. The bike sits under a cover in an unheated garage. When snow hits, we drop an awful lot of road salt. That road salt gets in the air, and I like having the protectant over the bike, even with the cover.

 

Yep, sounds like the stuff I used on my Yamaha Silverado when I had to keep it in a shed for the winter (up here in MA). I don't think I need to go that extreme with my situation. Which is why I thought the WD-40 would be okay. I figured it would come off pretty easilly with S100 cleaner and still give a fair amount of protection from moisture. I didn't know if the WD-40 might hurt any non-metal parts though?

Joe

 

Like others have siad, wash and wax, stabilizer in a FULL gas tank (to reduce getting water in the tank from condensation), a battery tender, wheels off the floor, and if you use a cover, make sure it is breathable. I use a sheet. I have never heard of anyone using any kind of oil to coat a bike for storage. I would never do it.

 

Dude...

It's 98 freaking degrees here to day with 1000000000% humidity. Where in the world are you? Short riding season huh?

Seriously as other have opined, good wash and wax, stabilizer in the tank and cover with a sheet. Go out once a month and take the sheet off, wipe it down again. Course here int he suny south, we just ride em all winter.



Bubba

 

What is winter storage?

 

Winter storage? What's that? I ride mine and I live in MA.