How do you store your bike in winter?
 

Just like the title says...

I had a guy call me today, who was a bit of a pain in the ass the last time he spoke to me...3 months ago. Anyway, this guy has a Ducati Sport 1000 he keeps it down here and spends about 4-6 weeks at a time traveling. So he told me that his tank is expanding...for a third time (in case any duc owners don't know, Ducati is replacing all fuel tanks on their bikes as they expand of of the frames). So he called me today about 3 months after we replaced the tank that it is loose again.

So the question arose, how do you store your bike when you are not around? He told me that he fills the tank with fuel and puts stabil in it. I told him that he should drain the tank and vent it. He then said, "well, I used to do it that way until I started doing research on line and calling other Ducati dealers to ask what is the best way to store a bike for long periods." Their answers were to fill the tank and add stabil.

So, I ask you guys. How do you store your bikes when your riding season ends?

thanks

On EFI machines (my bikes), I've always filled the tank and added Stabil. On carbed machines (lawn mower, snow blower, etc), I've always drained the tank and then ran them until they died, to get the fuel out of the lines. I have never vented a tank, though. Bikes have vents built in and the fuel cap will let pressure vent automatically. At least all of mine have done that.

jtemple gotz it right, drain carbs, stabil efi. None of mine really get stored anymore though. The lawnmower is about it on winter storage.

Yep, each bike gets ridden at least once a week, never has a problem with a bike not working because it sat

Yep. I store the lawnmower, weedeater, leaf blower, pressure washer. I'm mowing every 4 days. So I'm ready for storage weather.

Thanks for the feed back...looks like i've been out of the northeast for way too long, haha. I've always drained the tank on my machines. of course i moved from the northeast when EFI was not on bikes yet.

living in FL there isn't much of a need to winterize your machines.

And as far as venting on Ducati's go, their venting system sucks

I have a garage and ride it for most of the year so I don't have to worry about it BUT when I used to have to worry about it I filled the tank and added Stabil.

I own a boat and for the winter I fill the tank and add Stabil and also a few other things.

I've always filled the tank and put Sta-bil or Seafoam in it. Never ever had a problem.

When your riding season ends, our riding season really begins.

word for word

I usually get the chance to ride the bike once or twice over the winter too

Full tank and Stabil in everything from the classic to the mower

Geez, it looks like I finally did something right for a change. :D

Oh, I forgot to add battery tender. All my bikes sit on a battery tender for winter.

The track bikes will get stabil and the battery will go on a tender, either in the bike or in the house, gotta love the attatched garage :rockwoot: the aprilia will go on a charger for any lon gperiods of downtime but may or may not throw in fuel stabilizer, I figure Iwill get those couple of winter rides in and will refill the tank each time.

The biggest difference is that we are storing in winter. He's storing in 90*+ heat. Could just leave the gas fill poped open.

Yeah, and cover it with some cloth and a zip tie or something to keep the crap out.

This is how I like to store mine...
http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/p...rds-Fire-1.jpg

Yeah there ya go. But I didn't mean all the way open. You know when you push down the lid/cap... and it latches but not completely closed... yeah like that.

:boobs:

You said it earlier: the issue with the Ducati plastic tanks is two-fold: wrong choice/blend of plastics allowing deformation when subjected to high stress over time. The added stress is usually because the vent valve sticks, allowing pressure to build in the tanks when hot, which encourages deformation. Ive had two newer monsters with the tank issue...both riders store their bikes for long periods with the tank full. I think this issue would go away if Ducati would fix the vent valve in the cap.

When you crack the cap when the temps are hot, they nearly blow the cap off. I've seen metal tanks bend and deform during hot weather when the vents stick, and I've seen the tanks collapse during cold weather when the fuel and trapped air condense.

That's awesome!

I do nothing.

What's winter?

Went I lived in Tennessee there was snow and ice who you trying to kid acting like you live in new mexico on somethin:?:

I'll keep the battery hooked up to the tender and put stabil in the fuel. On those rare days it's warm enough on a weekend afternoon, I may bundle up and go for a ride - but it's not often.