Winter Storage - Garage or Cargo Trailer

[603Penguins]

For winter storage, would it be okay to store the Spyder in an insulated, unheated garage which sometimes is very humid from snow and salty road grime melting off the cars and snowblower? Or, would it be better off in a colder, dryer environment such as my cargo trailer?

[RayBJ]

I ride year-round but when idle, the RT sits in an unheated shed. Only lived thru 1 winter but the RT faired well and started every weekend without incident. If the RT was to go into hibernation, I would winterize and leave on the tender in the shed.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I ride year-round but when idle, the RT sits in an unheated shed. Only lived thru 1 winter but the RT faired well and started every weekend without incident. If the RT was to go into hibernation, I would winterize and leave on the tender in the shed.

..... If the battery is removed ( best option ) or dis-connected .... the dryer it is the better ....Humidity is NOT your friend. .... Annnnnd once it's shut -off for the winter ... DO NOT re-start until you take it from hibernation ..... good luck .... Mike

[canamjhb]

And.... .... There is good reason why we have large aircraft storage fields here in the Arizona desert. Low humidity! Here's what I would do if given your options..... Try to find a way to get power into your trailer. Keep a battery maintainer (not a trickle charger) attached to the battery. Or remove the battery. Treat the fuel with a preservative and top off the tank. Get a dehumidifier and leave it in the trailer. The dehumidifier I am thinking of is the kind I used for many years on my boats. They are usually about 3 inches high by about 14 inches diameter with a metal base and plasty cover with lots of holes. They have a low power draw and put out a low heat which circulates and dries the air naturally. You should be able to find one at any good marine chandlery. Good luck..... Jim

Edit for additional info. Look up Davis Air Dryr Marine Dehumidifier. I used these for many years with never a failure. On my twin diesel 43' boat I had 4 of them in various locations for 8 months at a time unattended.

[2dogs]

Cargo trailer with battery tender as mentioned above. Gas won't go bad over the winter but letting it sleep with a full tank, not a bad idea.

I've heard about this but I've never done it myself. Drain the gas tank down to just under a 1/4 tank and then overdose that with fuel treatment and fire it up to get that mix into and throughout the fuel delivery system. Then shut it off and top off the tank. Otherwise, the treatment only treats the fuel in the tank and not the entire system. Just a thought.

[Deanna777]

Your cargo trailer.


Put fuel stabilizer in the fuel tank, ride the spyder a short distance to get the fuel stabilizer into the fuel system, then put on a battery maintainer, may be put some moth balls around the spyder,so you don't get any small animals making nests.

After that Do not start your spyder until spring. Change the oil and etc. before you put the spyder into hibernation.

Also,


Deanna

[Saluda]

Have used our unheated shed for snowblowers, generators and the Spyder for many years with no issue. It is dry, use a tender and moth balls. For what it's worth.

[Mikey]

Shed or trailer, witch ever will give you fast exit in spring to ride, the rest of the items said are real good ideas if you can make them work for you! Defiantly do some thing with the battery, tender, remove to the house and keep it charged, what ever works!

[cravenfun]

I've use my enclosed cargo trailer for years to winter my HD with no issues. And you know how much chrome is on them. I put side vents in the trailer and leave the roof vent cracked open for circulation / venting.
Had a friend put a HD in one of those outside small plastic storage buildings, big mistake, corrosion city on the bike, no ventilation in the small plastic storage building and his bike was ''sweating'' in there like crazy.
I just installed a 120v outlet in the trailer wired to a plug outside so I can plug 'n play the battery maintainer. Spyder is gonna be in the garage with the snowblower this year and the HD is going back into the trailer.

[WDAVEY]

I also recommend the cargo trailer with adequate ventilation. One addition I have used in the past is a "marine bilge heater" these are 120 VAC pancake heaters with a small fan. They are UL rated for continuous use in an engine compartment on a boat (no explosion risk). Boaters use them when leaving boats in the water for the winter to keep the engine room dry.

[Little Blue]

Lots of good tips on winter storage.
For me, I use a cargo trailer and do the tips.

[fredgal]

i have a heated garage, i keep it around 40-50 degrees,, NE PA. i filled my tank with non-ethenol gas and its on a tender, might get in a couple more rides,