How Do I Winterize My WR250F ?
- Thread starter ZekeWard
- Start date
colorado-high
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- Jul 4, 2000
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I always drain the tank and carb.Put a few oz. of oil in the cylinder and kick it over to lube the cyl., piston and valves.Also store it at TDC you do not want a valve open over the winter.Drain the oil and refill.I clean,lube and adjust everything that I can get to,so in the spring all I have to do is change oil again, gas and go.
pursang262
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- Jul 22, 2000
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To properly winterize a dirtbike, you need to install heated grips and studded tires.
I suggest sending it here to South Florida:)
Setting the piston on TDC is a very good idea, however you must make sure to do this on the compression stroke, not the exhaust stroke. I find that Stabil works very well, with gas lasting about 1 year without problems. You could use fogging oil spray like on an outboard, however with a plated bore, there is no risk of rust in the bore anyway. Also, the engine has titanium valves, so these will not corrode either.
Chris
Setting the piston on TDC is a very good idea, however you must make sure to do this on the compression stroke, not the exhaust stroke. I find that Stabil works very well, with gas lasting about 1 year without problems. You could use fogging oil spray like on an outboard, however with a plated bore, there is no risk of rust in the bore anyway. Also, the engine has titanium valves, so these will not corrode either.
Chris
If you slowly kick the starter, you will soon find it gets hard (compression stroke). take the plug out and put a LONG length of wire down the hole. continue turning the kick leaver until the wire comes all the way up (on 50mm or so). You are now at TDC - all valves closed. putting a bit of oil down the plug hole is a great idea, to be sure. Also, leave the cap off you fuel tank to allow the petrol fumes to escape. if you don't, the fumes will seep through the plastic and will bubble your stickers.
it sure must be hard to pack your bike away until spring, especially a new one.
it sure must be hard to pack your bike away until spring, especially a new one.
- Oct 28, 2001
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I've read to either drain the gas completely, including the carb, or put Stabil in the gas and top of the tank as much as possible. If you do top off w/ Stabil, run the bike for a few minutes to get the gas w/ Stabil into the rest of the fuel system.
Personally I topped off the tank and drained the carb. In the spring I'll drain the tank and use the old fuel in my leaf blower. Seems like even a little bit of fuel left in a drained tank would varnish and gum up, so I opted for the full tank route.
I've also read to reduce the air pressure in the tires to around 6psi, put the bike up on a block so that the suspension is not loaded.
Personally I topped off the tank and drained the carb. In the spring I'll drain the tank and use the old fuel in my leaf blower. Seems like even a little bit of fuel left in a drained tank would varnish and gum up, so I opted for the full tank route.
I've also read to reduce the air pressure in the tires to around 6psi, put the bike up on a block so that the suspension is not loaded.
- Jul 31, 2000
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winterize? what's this you speak of?
here in chilly southern ohio we just ride em, but of course if I were to put mine away (which I might this year, it's cold...) I'd be sure to put the bike on a stand, add some MMO to the cylinder and tank, spray the whole thing down with WD-40, lube the chain properly, lube all the cables, test the coolant to make sure the cooling system can handle extreme temps (only if storing outside), and maybe just skip all these steps and do some donuts in the snow ;)
here in chilly southern ohio we just ride em, but of course if I were to put mine away (which I might this year, it's cold...) I'd be sure to put the bike on a stand, add some MMO to the cylinder and tank, spray the whole thing down with WD-40, lube the chain properly, lube all the cables, test the coolant to make sure the cooling system can handle extreme temps (only if storing outside), and maybe just skip all these steps and do some donuts in the snow ;)
Dudes, Store your bike in the winter??? come on, what are you going to do when you call out from work cause of the snow? I dont you will have to worry to much about the coolant if it will never get below 50 degrees either. Finding TDC is easy as has been said but I would skip the straw in the spark plug hole thing, when you kick it over and can go no furter with out using the decomp lever, your close enough to TDC and your valves are closed. Useing Stabil is a great idea, otherwise, youll have to drain the tank and the carb. I know some people when storing a bike, for a long time, will over fill the crank case with oil, to the top, to keep the tranny gears from rusting from moisture.
I also recomend plugging the exhaust and removing the seat and air box lid. Little rodents LOVE to make a home in your bikes airbox for the winter and they seem to often think that your airfilter makes very nice and convienent nesting when shredded up, I have tried blocking the airbox off but ultimatly, they git in there, the best defense I have found is to leave the airbox lid off and the seat off and then its not to their liking, NO ROOF!!! Maybe a plastic bag around your air filter to help keep moisute out too.
I also recomend plugging the exhaust and removing the seat and air box lid. Little rodents LOVE to make a home in your bikes airbox for the winter and they seem to often think that your airfilter makes very nice and convienent nesting when shredded up, I have tried blocking the airbox off but ultimatly, they git in there, the best defense I have found is to leave the airbox lid off and the seat off and then its not to their liking, NO ROOF!!! Maybe a plastic bag around your air filter to help keep moisute out too.
Dudes, Store your bike in the winter??? come on, what are you going to do when you call out from work cause of the snow? I dont you will have to worry to much about the coolant if it will never get below 50 degrees either. Finding TDC is easy as has been said but I would skip the straw in the spark plug hole thing, when you kick it over and can go no furter with out using the decomp lever, your close enough to TDC and your valves are closed. Useing Stabil is a great idea, otherwise, youll have to drain the tank and the carb. I know some people when storing a bike, for a long time, will over fill the crank case with oil, to the top, to keep the tranny gears from rusting from moisture.
I also recomend plugging the exhaust and removing the seat and air box lid. Little rodents LOVE to make a home in your bikes airbox for the winter and they seem to often think that your airfilter makes very nice and convienent nesting when shredded up, I have tried blocking the airbox off but ultimatly, they git in there, the best defense I have found is to leave the airbox lid off and the seat off and then its not to their liking, NO ROOF!!! Maybe a plastic bag around your air filter to help keep moisute out too.
Oh yeah, if your storing it for a long time, also using a zip tie to take a bit of preasure off the clutch to prevent the pack form rusting or freezing togeter but not enough to cause the springs to compress. Ive had to pull clutch packs on bikes that were stored for years out and wach the disk apart from the plates, oil them and reinstall them.
Honestly the only thing I would do to a bike that was going to be stored for a year is stabil the fuel and secure the exhaust and intake from rodents.
I also recomend plugging the exhaust and removing the seat and air box lid. Little rodents LOVE to make a home in your bikes airbox for the winter and they seem to often think that your airfilter makes very nice and convienent nesting when shredded up, I have tried blocking the airbox off but ultimatly, they git in there, the best defense I have found is to leave the airbox lid off and the seat off and then its not to their liking, NO ROOF!!! Maybe a plastic bag around your air filter to help keep moisute out too.
Oh yeah, if your storing it for a long time, also using a zip tie to take a bit of preasure off the clutch to prevent the pack form rusting or freezing togeter but not enough to cause the springs to compress. Ive had to pull clutch packs on bikes that were stored for years out and wach the disk apart from the plates, oil them and reinstall them.
Honestly the only thing I would do to a bike that was going to be stored for a year is stabil the fuel and secure the exhaust and intake from rodents.
I disagree with lowering the tire pressures for long term storage. I've found that by increasing tire pressures and using armour-all on the sidewalls only, you will avoid your sidewalls drying out and cracking over the winter. I usually put in 25-30psi over the winter..... as temp. decreases your psi will come down too. Just don't forget to lower the tire pressures in the spring...and definitely do not get ANY armour-all on the knobs or treads of your tires! or you'll have a squirely first ride in the spring.
Dave
Dave
Dave
Dave
