Winterizing a SH
 

Since the weather will be getting colder in about a couple of weeks and the snow will hit NJ I don't want the SH to get all gummed up when I try and revive it next Spring. What is the best way to winterize the motor so it will be good to go?

I assume to drain the gas and reserve, I already run Stabil in the gas tank.

I would also assume to drain the oil and maybe flush the system.

Radiator?

Battery on a trickle charger off the cycle?

Please do a search. There's tons of information on this topic already on the forum.

Hell winter means put the jacket liner in........ :D

im topping up the tank with some high test, running some stabilizer through it, putting her on a race stand and using a trickle charger,and thats gonna be it for me

guess I have to go buy some race stands. Darn, more toys LOL

If you don't get stands, at least put the tires on cardboard.

So what does cardboard do to the tires to resolve the problem?

Now I have it on particle board, the garage has a busted up unlevel floor, mostly dirt.

it keeps your tires from getting concrete rot.

Full tank of fresh gas with stabilizer run through the carbs for a few minutes.
Clean chain and lubed.
Fresh oil.
Proper tire inflation.
Wheels off the ground(on stands).
Fully charged battery on battery tender.
Plug exhaust pipes(al'a dirtbike).
Lube all cables.
Coat any surface that may rust due to condensation. Don't forget to wash it off in the spring.
Put a soft cover(sheet) to keep dust off but not allow condensation to accumilate.

Damn, I should have locked this fukker up when I had the chance.

What, may I ask, is "concrete rot"? I thought tires were designed to be on concrete?

Ever wonder why there aren't piles of rubber along side the road from all the tires wearing down?

Did I mention this topic has been touched on once or twice before?

hahahah!

If the tires sit on concrete long enough, they will start to form hard spots and become brittle.

thank you.

I thought that only happened with bias ply tires?

i stored my mustang in my garage for about 8 months with no issues tot he tires, at the same time the place i used to store my car had the floors covered in thick tarp for probably that reason.

hyper-sleep:
stands, drain carbs, oil change, battery tender

wake me when its spring:rolleyes:

Sorry Toccsmay, but NJ doesn't count as being cold. Although if you're from Florida then I guess it is.

I found this interesting blog on the net. I will assume he's in the know!

Tires should be stacked no more than 10 high on wood or cardboard if possible. Keep them dry and out of direct sun or extreme cold as well.
For racing tires that are properly stored, I like to see them no more than three years old. It does not mean that they are junk and need to be disposed of if they are over three years old but the rider/racer needs to know that the tire may not perform exactly as it was designed to perform. The compound will tend to harden a little.
Compound cracks can occur in ALL brands of tires and are the results of the tire freezing and them being stressed. This will result in small cracks on the surface of the tire. These cracks are generally not deep but you should always consult your Pirelli vendor before using. Avoid using tires with any deep cracks in the sidewalls. I have rarely seen a Pirelli with this issue though. Kevin Graham
Orion Motorsports Inc
U.S. Mid West & Canadian Pirelli Racing Distributor

The Bridgestone rep in Canada also suggests keeping the hyper sport tires inside a warm building and off the concrete. As funny as it sounds, the extreme cold can crack the tires. In May of this year, he showed me a brand new tire that was returned and it had a half moon shaped crack approximately 10" long. It wasn't just a hair line crack either. The dealer was sure that it was frozen and then dropped i.e. stressed. Had someone told me prier to that, that tires can crack, I would have thought they were on crack.
I lived in Northern Ontario were winter starts early and stays late and all I ever do besides ensuring that it has antifreeze (-40), is remove the battery and periodically trickle charge it. I've had carbureted and injected bikes and in 35 years of ownership, I've never experienced any problems with gas or anything else and neither has any of my friends. As a matter of fact, some have had issues with gas stabilizers. I also have a 20 year boat, a chainsaw, a generator, a lawnmower and a weed wacker and they are mistreated the same way and they keeps on ticking year after year.
The beer is another story. It's never around very long to go bad but you have to watch that it doesn't freeze.:cry: