I'm about done riding for the season (yes, I'm a wimp - I hate getting too cold). How best do I winterize my TTR-250? Right now my plans are to keep the oil and gas in and start it up every day or two. If I do, does it matter how long I keep it running? I've been just running it long enough so I can take the choke off without it stalling. Will that do more harm than good?
Winterizing TTR-250
- Thread starter jfurniss
- Start date
Deeler
Member
- Feb 19, 2000
- 43
- 0
I'm no expert, but I think that starting and idling for a few minutes every few days is not the best way to treat the motor. I assume your bike is indoors?
Why not change the oil, drain the tank & carb and leave it high & dry for the winter? I've stored bikes in that manner for years with no problems.
For added security I put the bike on a stand, lock the front wheel to the garage wall and remove the rear wheel - make it damn near impossible to move.
Deeler
Why not change the oil, drain the tank & carb and leave it high & dry for the winter? I've stored bikes in that manner for years with no problems.
For added security I put the bike on a stand, lock the front wheel to the garage wall and remove the rear wheel - make it damn near impossible to move.
Deeler
velosapiens
Member
- Mar 18, 2002
- 170
- 0
i'm no expert, but i believe that warming it up only for a few minutes will not warm it up enough to vaporize any moisture or other bad stuff in/around the engine. what i do with my streetbike is change the oil, fill the tank to the top, run it until the floatbowls are empty then drain them some more, add some Sta-Bil, then douse everything in wd-40 and park it inside. then i worry about it in the spring. what i'm trying to avoid is a) rust in the tank, b) drying gas leaving varnish in the carbs, and c) corrosion anywhere else. you don't have to worry about rust in the tank at least. if it makes you feel better, hook up a battery tender every couple weeks for a day.
-mw
-mw
TexKDX
~SPONSOR~
- Aug 8, 1999
- 747
- 0
My regiment is pretty simple, plus it keeps the bike ridable for when one of those midwestern heat spells blows in in February.
Fuel - get a container of Sta-bil at the local wal mart or auto parts store. Put the recommended amount in the tank, slosh it around, and run the bike around for about 5 minutes to get the stuff into the carb. It is best to do this with fresh fuel, so if the bike has already been sitting with fuel in it a few months, drain the tank and dump it in the car. Re fill with fresh fuel. Add the Sta-bil. Run the bike.
The Sta-bil will not hurt the bike should you choose to ride it some in the winter.
Battery - your TTR has a lead acid battery in it. Again off to Wal Mart - they sell a battery maintainer for $17. It is on the wall of batteries back by the auto check out - new item recently I believe. Install this on the bike, or add alligator clips to the leads and just clip it on. If your garage freezes, it is best to move the battery inside, so take it off the bike. Keep it on the maintainer any way you cut it. The slow discharge of the battery without it causes it to deplete its mineral and shorten the life of the battery. Float it full with the maintainer and it will last longer.
Engine - change the oil before storing it. The old oil has corrosive elements in it from running and the fuel. Put fresh oil in the bike, run the bike to circulate it. In the spring, it is best to replace even this good oil before riding the bike as part of your de-winterizing procedure. The heat/cool cycles the bike experiences just sitting causes condensation to form in the motor and adds water to the oil.
Bike - It is best to get it off the tires. Put it up on a crate stand or lift stand. Reduce the tire pressure down to about 5 pounds, and be sure and pump them up if you decide to take it out for a winter blast.
It is also good to cover it if you can. The car will drag in a certain amount of salt and other chemicals from the street. As the water evaporates, some of this becomes air borne and will land on the bike. These corrosive elements are not good for the metal or plastic.
Good luck and take care,
Fuel - get a container of Sta-bil at the local wal mart or auto parts store. Put the recommended amount in the tank, slosh it around, and run the bike around for about 5 minutes to get the stuff into the carb. It is best to do this with fresh fuel, so if the bike has already been sitting with fuel in it a few months, drain the tank and dump it in the car. Re fill with fresh fuel. Add the Sta-bil. Run the bike.
The Sta-bil will not hurt the bike should you choose to ride it some in the winter.
Battery - your TTR has a lead acid battery in it. Again off to Wal Mart - they sell a battery maintainer for $17. It is on the wall of batteries back by the auto check out - new item recently I believe. Install this on the bike, or add alligator clips to the leads and just clip it on. If your garage freezes, it is best to move the battery inside, so take it off the bike. Keep it on the maintainer any way you cut it. The slow discharge of the battery without it causes it to deplete its mineral and shorten the life of the battery. Float it full with the maintainer and it will last longer.
Engine - change the oil before storing it. The old oil has corrosive elements in it from running and the fuel. Put fresh oil in the bike, run the bike to circulate it. In the spring, it is best to replace even this good oil before riding the bike as part of your de-winterizing procedure. The heat/cool cycles the bike experiences just sitting causes condensation to form in the motor and adds water to the oil.
Bike - It is best to get it off the tires. Put it up on a crate stand or lift stand. Reduce the tire pressure down to about 5 pounds, and be sure and pump them up if you decide to take it out for a winter blast.
It is also good to cover it if you can. The car will drag in a certain amount of salt and other chemicals from the street. As the water evaporates, some of this becomes air borne and will land on the bike. These corrosive elements are not good for the metal or plastic.
Good luck and take care,
