How do I prepare my motorcycle or ATV for winter storage?
These days, it is critical for customers with carbureted bikes or ATV's
to use a fuel
stabilizer. Hudson Valley strongly recommends Maxima brand
fuel stabilizer. Why? The new fuels on the market are a
nasty mix of additives for automotive emissions and fuel economy, as
well as varied levels of ethanol / alcohol. These chemicals, even
after a short (1 to 2 weeks!) period of non-riding, will cause the fuel
in your carburetors to "gum up" or degrade. Serious damage occurs
to the float needles, which are the small valves that control fuel flow
into the float bowl on the bottom of your carburetor(s). Over
filling of the bowl then causes the jets inside to become plugged up,
especially vulnerable is the pilot jet and low speed air circuit.
So, what is this degradation of the fuel really? Basically,
alcohol attracts moisture from the atmosphere. There are also
several different metals inside the carburetor (aluminum, brass,
steel). Add a bit of moisture, and a weird corrosion occurs,
which is further compounded by the fuel mix.
In our experience over the past few winters here in the NY area, Maxima
brand fuel stabilizer does seem to work well at preventing the costly
repairs and downtime of your vehicle. We also recommend filling
the fuel tank as full as possible once you are ready to put the vehicle
away for the winter, to eliminate any air pockets where condensation
and then rust may form.
Once you have added the fuel stabilizer to the fuel tank, please make
sure to run the motor for 5 to 10 minutes so the treated fuel can get
thoroughly into the system.
If your carburetors are already clogged up and the bike is running
poorly, there is no recourse but to tear down the carburetors and clean
them. Generally, replacing a float needle (or all of them) is
required. Consistent use of the vehicle and fuel stabilizer will
help to prevent future problems, but even still, the problem often
persists.
Fuel injected vehicles do not seem to suffer as much from the new
fuel's, but only time will tell...
Next, we strongly recommend the use of a motorcycle
specific smart charger. Yuasa offers two versions of their
"Smart Shot" charges, both incorporate a small electronic brain that
senses the condition of the battery after a series of tests and begins
a charing process. The important thing to understand is that the
typical small automotive trickle charger lacks this brain power.
Even at the lowest 2 amp settings, an automotive charger will literally
cook a motorcycle or ATV battery in an hour. Motorcycle specific
chargers have peak outputs of 1.5 amps max, and once the battery is
charged, they go into a "sleep" mode. Periodically, the smart
charger wakes up and tests the battery. If it needs a charge, it
will give it one, up to that peak of 1.5 amps. There is no danger
of over charging! The units come with a quick disconnect pigtail
harness that attaches to the battery (as well as traditional alligator
clips), so you can attach the harness once and leave it off the side of
the bike. Then you are not forced to remove the seat to charge
the battery. Just roll into the garage and then pop the connector
on. Vehicles with wet batteries should have their fluid level
checked periodically (once per month), and topped off with a little
distilled water only.
After that, please top off your tires with air to their recommended
pressures, lubricate your drive chain (where found) to prevent rust, as
well as cables and locks. If you have not changed your oil
recently, it is good practice to do so before the winter, but not
critical if the oil is relatively fresh. Modern oils keep
contaminants in suspension better than in the past, and winter down
time and storage is far shorter as well.
If you have any further questions, PLEASE ask!!!
MORE FAQ'S TO COME!!!
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