Opinions please, I haven't been out on the bike now since end October and the ways things are going it's potentially going to be another couple of months before I can get out for a long ride (at the moment too much road salt on the road and it's bloody freezing) I have the battery connected on a trickle charge, should I start the bike and let her idle for a while or just leave be ? With the temperatures being so cold at the moment is it wise to warm the oil up and then get very cold again ?
if I have a running project on go I always run it through a heat cycle every 2 weeks . I once left my 1150 efe project for a winter at my old house (damp garage) and never started it . when I took head apart in the spring to fit bigger lift cams it was a pitted mess inside . I either run an up or turn them over regular ever since.
Personally, I run mine up every month (more often if I want to annoy my neighbours) I always run it up to temperature (not just on and off) and then restart it when warm too. The only year I didn’t was last year as I had a trickle charger but the battery was still buggered. I guess like anything there’s reasons for and against. Just go with what you feel is best
When I put away for winter it gets an oil change so no acid in the oil, then do not start again until riding it again, You can turn over with the kill switch on just to circulate the oil a bit now and then
More importantly what fuel if any do you have in it, how old, and have you put a stabiliser in it. Zip to be gained by running it, just downsides. Most modern fuel will start to separate after a month or so. Always leave mine brimmed with Esso Super Supreme, it has no ethanol in most parts of England, and also add Honda fuel stabiliser and run it through the system, brimming the tank can stop corrosion internally if you have a metal tank.
I’m so lazy I just leave it mainly. I push it a few inches back every few weeks to stop the tyres distorting.
I start mine up if I remember too, run it up until the fan kicks in, then let it cool down a bit then ill turn it off. I do this just because I feel the need too really, condensation is the obvious problem . Luckily my garage is like another room of the house and the temperature is reasonably steady as I have heating in there!
Every year we over think this. So I keep it simple. I brim the tank with super, leave them on charge and cover them up until it's time to bring them out of hibernation. No going back to start them mid sleep, it's not good for the engine.
What I do is put a nip of two stroke oil in a full tank and that's it for winter , do the same for the old Blade but start it once over winter and run up to full temp or go for a ride to stop the carbs gumming up . The oil helps to lube the carbs . It's up to you what you do ,,,,,,,,,,,, its your bike
I've never worried about the fuel, I fact I think most years it goes away with very little in the tank. Always do a trip in the car with a fuel can for some fresh stuff when it comes to starting time. Garage its kept in is always a fairly decent temperature so cant see any negative effects occurring. Tend not to start it over winter unless I've done some work on it. Oil/filter change at the start if the season so first start probably follow that. Crank it over with kill switch triggered to get the oil pushed around a bit then wake the street up with a mega cold start.
Never had a problem Bazza ,,, two stroke oil acts as a stabul . Carbs with premix never seem to gumm up . Spill petrol and see what it leaves behind when it evaporates, ,,, that why I stopped draining off the carbs You'll know this using cut off tools in your job
