How bad is the cold weather for my bike?

[martincito]

Hi guys,

I have my GS in a heated garage across my apt in Hoboken. I got a weekend place in Pennsylvania and planning to keep the bike year around over there.
It will be in a non heated workshop. I'm a little concern about the extreme low temps during the winter. I'd like some advice before giving my garage space in Hoboken.

How bad is for the bike to spend the entire winter at freezing temps?

Thanks,
Martin

[nail24fac]

Just don't stick your tongue on the handlebars when they're cold. Heated garages are for wusses. Take the battery out and put it inside on the charger off the concrete floor. New fluids before storage and cover the exhaust exit. Watch out for field mice.

[brentw1]

it has no coolant, if you are going to start it run it with lower viscosity oil,
the battery is the only real issue, the brake fluid won't care,
you should have the servo brakes, you should flush them every year anyway.
the air in the tires should be good though.

[tm1100s]

The 'battery off the concrete floor' thing goes back to when batteries were made with wood cases and glass cells and continued to the use of hard rubber cases. This no longer applies with the polypropylene case material in use today. It's normal for a battery to discharge wherever it's stored. Of course, if you drop the battery onto concrete then, yes, it probably will be damaged.

[ricky racer]

Originally Posted by nail24fac

Just don't stick your tongue on the handlebars when they're cold. Heated garages are for wusses. Take the battery out and put it inside on the charger off the concrete floor. New fluids before storage and cover the exhaust exit. Watch out for field mice.

Regarding the charger, make sure it's a battery maintainer not charger. If you keep your battery on a charger all winter, you'll cook it.

Regarding the field mice, with a cover over your bike and moth balls in a couple of dishes in strategic locations around your bike, you can help make mice look elsewhere for a home.

[PFFOG]

All good advice here, and agree it is no problem. My bikes have never had the luxury of a heated garage.

I don't pull the batteries, but do plug in a battery tender for a day or two a couple times a winter. You could leave a tender on too, if you will not visit in the winter. Don't bother starting unless you are going for a ride. Put it on the center stand to unload the tires and suspension. toss a cover or tarp over it and put some mothballs out as advised if mice are prevalent, not sure it helps, but it can't hurt.

[PFFOG]

Further research shows peppermint oil is as effective as moth balls, and it sure smells better. The mothball small lingers for months and is pretty unpleasant, peppermint may linger, but it smells better.

[martincito]

Thanks guys for the advice. I'll move it soon.

[AZ-J]

I don't need a heated garage. My garage today is over 77F which we are outside.

[omg1010]

Originally Posted by martincito

Hi guys,

I have my GS in a heated garage across my apt in Hoboken. I got a weekend place in Pennsylvania and planning to keep the bike year around over there.
It will be in a non heated workshop. I'm a little concern about the extreme low temps during the winter. I'd like some advice before giving my garage space in Hoboken.

How bad is for the bike to spend the entire winter at freezing temps?

Thanks,
Martin

Oh dear, thats very bad for your bike. It will not support freezing temps. You need to add antifreeze to your engine and it is strongly advisable to wrap the bike in a heated blanket. Otherwise it might get severely damaged.

Brgds
Oliver

[bradzdotcom]

get a second or third mortgage.
add another room to the house.
you'll also need an air conditioner, heater, humidifier, un-humidifier, some aroma therapy candles, an audio system to play the sound of your voice constantly, a bean bag chair for visits....

or flush fluids, park it, toss a good cover on it, add some strategically placed mousetraps and come back when things warm up.

[nathanmargolis]

Interesting someone brought up mice. In Houston, no concern about freezing temps in garages as most attached garages do have insulation (or most of the newer houses). I have never had problem with mice eating electrical insulation but have known others to have boat wiring harnesses and appliance wiring in storage units be destroyed by mice. Co-worker had $3K of interior wire harness damage in a BMW car a few years ago in his garage attributable to rats. If you do not have pets, put out those mice killer pellets. I do that in the garage and attic.

[dee jones]

No room in the workshop, so these guys camped out in the front. They are ready for spring and a good cleaning.