winterizing the FZ6

mjg · 10-14-2009, 12:09 PM

So do any of you Winterize your bike? What's the general consensus of what to do to it? I'm debating on not fogging it this year as I've been told that since its fuel injected theres no need..I'll probably do an oil change though..Take out the battery..stabalize gas..

RJN2112 · 10-14-2009, 12:19 PM

I have the battery tender leads already installed.... I won't do anything with the electrics other than plug in the tender for about 1 week out of a month. Did an oil change, and will make a point of running the bike once a month for 15-20 minutes to make sure everything comes up to temp... that should take care of any issues with fuel. I will make a point of coating the chain with a heavier coat of oil this year, so I don't get any more surface rust.....

chiller · 10-14-2009, 12:25 PM

i usually change the oil and add stabil to the tank

Poutanen · 10-14-2009, 12:43 PM

Don't really need to winterize it like the old days. Full tank of gas with stabil, maybe clean and lube the chain. I didn't do anything more than that and it started right up no issues every spring.

ThatsRicci · 10-14-2009, 01:38 PM

I say just keep riding it as you normally do?

ster1 · 10-14-2009, 02:47 PM

IMHO, you'll want to fog it, or at least dump some oil in the jugs and turn er over a bit. If you're going to let her sit for more than a month or 3, rings can rust. The worst case is the pistons will freeze in the bores, but that takes a long time (unknown how long); better case is they only rust a little and maybe just slightly ding up the bore; best case is no damage at all. Oil makes sure, or at least comes close to best case. I dump some oil in there, crank it over a few times, add a little sta-bil, change oil, dump the radiator, and I don't do anything with the battery. My .02

dturpen · 10-14-2009, 05:12 PM

I'll be riding all winter!

kirkeb · 10-14-2009, 05:37 PM

I put Stabil in and ride once in awhile when temps permit.

coupe · 10-14-2009, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ster1

IMHO, you'll want to fog it, or at least dump some oil in the jugs and turn er over a bit. If you're going to let her sit for more than a month or 3, rings can rust. The worst case is the pistons will freeze in the bores, but that takes a long time (unknown how long); better case is they only rust a little and maybe just slightly ding up the bore; best case is no damage at all. Oil makes sure, or at least comes close to best case. I dump some oil in there, crank it over a few times, add a little sta-bil, change oil, dump the radiator, and I don't do anything with the battery. My .02

Thats way overkill

ster1 · 10-14-2009, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coupe

Thats way overkill

That's a reasonable opinion. I've been a mechanic long enough to see what happens when you don't take steps, and the bike is stored for several months. Ya can't do nothing forever, and I plan on keeping the bike awhile. And if 2 hours a year to make sure your bike is good to go in the spring is overkill, oh well...

04efi · 10-14-2009, 07:15 PM

Just a question how is moister going to get into the cylinders??? Like i see if you had a heated garage and it got cold in there i understand that but what if its always 30 or bellow??? I dont think rust will happen on the rings in about 3 months.

coupe · 10-14-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ster1

That's a reasonable opinion. I've been a mechanic long enough to see what happens when you don't take steps, and the bike is stored for several months. Ya can't do nothing forever, and I plan on keeping the bike awhile. And if 2 hours a year to make sure your bike is good to go in the spring is overkill, oh well...

Man, how have all these bikes survived so well for all these years when you know the owner/s have never gone all out like that on storing their bikes. They should be dust by now.

chiller · 10-15-2009, 08:18 AM

oh forgot to mention I put the battery tender on it ... not all the time, but my battery tender is on all the time, I have 3 bikes, so they each get 1 week of charge, then goto to the next bike, then the next, so every 3 weeks it gets a week of charge...

ster1 · 10-15-2009, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 04efi

Just a question how is moister going to get into the cylinders??? Like i see if you had a heated garage and it got cold in there i understand that but what if its always 30 or bellow??? I dont think rust will happen on the rings in about 3 months.

Moisture gets in there the same way air does, unless you live in Grand Rapids, of course. Some people call it humidity. Rust happens almost immediately on hardened steels. Take an old ring or cylinder and leave it outside overnight; I bet you see some sort of rust on it in a very short time; maybe even overnight. That's what convinced me. Unless you live in Grand Rapids, of course, I mean every bike that has ever been manufactured is still blitzing around up there. I'm going to move there. Everyone and every place is different, and opinions are like a$$holes, everyone's got one, and this is just mine. Good luck.

coupe · 10-15-2009, 10:08 AM

Winter is the driest time of the year