Tires and Cold Concrete Floors

[Mad_Dog603]

Well my RT is all tucked away for a long winters nap.. my question is.. now that I have done everything to be done.. I was wondering about the tires on the cold concrete floor of my garage..

Any thoughts on if it would be better for the tires to be resting on some plywood slabs rather than the cold concrete for the winter? I plan on periodic starts and moving the Spyder around during those.. but..

Just wondering if I am over-thinking the storage..

[redflasher]

Well my RT is all tucked away for a long winters nap.. my question is.. now that I have done everything to be done.. I was wondering about the tires on the cold concrete floor of my garage..

Any thoughts on if it would be better for the tires to be resting on some plywood slabs rather than the cold concrete for the winter? I plan on periodic starts and moving the Spyder around during those.. but..

Just wondering if I am over-thinking the storage..

I'm goimg to say no on both starts and move arounds, or plywood. I have never done either one for many many years with no ill effects.

That said, I'm sure someone on this forum will disagree with me and say otherwise.

[Bob Denman]

I set mine up on the pads cut from old carpeting...
I have always started my bike up about once every three weeks... It's probably not good for it, because they never get fully warmed-up...
But it makes me feel better, to hear it run!

[Gray Ghost]

As far as starting and moving your bike around a bit, you are better off putting it on a battery maintainer.

[Mad_Dog603]

As far as starting and moving your bike around a bit, you are better off putting it on a battery maintainer.

Oh its on a maintainer.. got the end of year/first service.. cleaned.. polished.. etc.. now the wait for warmer weather..
Thanks!

[FullCircle]

Start ups do more harm than good. Most people don't let the vehicle run long enough to fully warm the oil and burn all the moisture out of the exhaust system. I think you're better off to fill the tank with gas, add stabilizer let it run long enough for the stabilized gas to circulate though out the fuel system, and hook up a battery tender.
I work out of state months at a time and I've did this for years, I've had good results using this method. My vehicles always start as if I had parked them the day before.

[jaherbst]

Down here in Tucson we just ride em year around!

Bring em down to az for a winter vacation. They will love you forever and promise never to break down again.

Jack

[cuznjohn]

i just put my bike on a battery tender and walk away. just make sure you have a full gas tank. starting the bike is a bad idea because the motor never really gets up to operating temp and you can form moisture in the engine.

[Orange Spyder Man]

Down here in Tucson we just ride em year around!

Bring em down to az for a winter vacation. They will love you forever and promise never to break down again.

Jack

Same here in So Louisiana... our winter appears a day or 2 at a time... its cold here today... 42 degrees... but tomorrow fall weather will return suppose to be in the high 60's... man I think I gonna ride tomorrow !

OSM

[Chupaca]

on what makes you feel good...your fine with the regular storage steps..clean oil and filter, battery tender, full tank with stabilizer. The carpet pads are good idea but then the weight on the tires is little just keep pressure up (goes down in cold weather). If you move it and start it up ( run it till the fan comes on and run the rpm's up and down a bit once warm)...

[garb55]

I set mine up on the pads cut from old carpeting...
I have always started my bike up about once every three weeks... It's probably not good for it, because they never get fully warmed-up...
But it makes me feel better, to hear it run!

Spyder therapy

[DrewNJ]

Its a kind of "piss or get off the pot" thing.
Either start it up and actually ride it, or leave it alone.
Concrete floors vs. Plywood vs. Carpet etc etc make no difference.

[PW2013STL]

i just put my bike on a battery tender and walk away. just make sure you have a full gas tank. starting the bike is a bad idea because the motor never really gets up to operating temp and you can form moisture in the engine.

100%. Unless you can ride it until it hits full oil temp. In cold weather that will be about 20 miles, or until the fans cycle on and off two times (per BRP) it does more harm to your motor. No need to started it until you are ready to ride since you stabilized your gas and have a battery maintainer hooked up..

If you need a Spyder fix before summer you can always sit on it and go veroom veroom

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

on what makes you feel good...your fine with the regular storage steps..clean oil and filter, battery tender, full tank with stabilizer. The carpet pads are good idea but then the weight on the tires is little just keep pressure up (goes down in cold weather). If you move it and start it up ( run it till the fan comes on and run the rpm's up and down a bit once warm)...

.....But I would get all weight off the tires or pressure them up to at least 45 lbs. to prevent any possibility of flat spotting ...............I'm fortunate in that I built my house with an 8 ft. wide ramp into the basement .............Mike

[Mad Mac]

I've stored quite afew recreational vehicles in my time and like alot of you people it's a full tank of fuel w/stabilizer,then run it till it's at operating temp to burn all the condensation out of the pipes and muffler and to circulate stabilizer,fresh oil/filter change,plug battery tender in.then pump tires up to about 50lbs.(due to the fact that it gets below 0 here in wisconsin)then give her a big kiss and say"see ya in spring" and I've had no after winter issues with any bike or boat.

[ottawa-rider]

I just cut some pieces of cardboard from a box to lay under the tires.

Very little fuss and better than nothing.

[Bob Denman]

Spyder therapy

You go that right!!

[Plyrod38]

Here in central North Carolina, we usually get some opportunities to ride every month. If the temp is above 40F, and there is no mess on the roads, we'll ride. It was different when we lived in Pennsylvania, New York, and Rhode Island.

The Spyder is on the battery tender whenever it's not being ridden, no need for any additional winterization.

Hopefully we'll be able to ryde after this current cold spell moves on.

[lightnin leeRoy]

I agree with not starting it unless you ride it 20+ miles. It was 5 degrees F today and I took my Lightnin' LeeRoy for a 30 mile ride. It has been over a week since I pulled her out of the garage, she wanted to go in a bad way. There was several patches of ice on my side street, but had a great ride.
Next week temps should be around 15 or and then I'll ride her a little farther.

[scott16119]

I wouldn't worry about the tires being on concrete. I know many disagree with starting an engine periodically. I've done it all my life with motorcycles , snowmobiles, cars, lawnmowers, snow blowers, about anything that has an engine.. I don't go starting it when it's -20 or anything, but if it's a nice winter day and I'm in the mood I will run it for a few minutes. If it's nice enough I'll ride the Spyder a mile or two. Does it do it any good? Probably not. But I disagree that's it's going to damage anything.

[Netminder]

Tires on plywood here, but that just a personal thing and everyone has there own way of doing things. Think the most important things were mentioned above, gas stabilizer, lube things , etc.

[4 MARIE]

Wonder no more ! You ARE overthinking it. Treat your fuel, put it on the battery tender, and do a complete preflight in the spring. Spend your winter energy keeping your walks and porch clean.

[Art Mann]

I sure don't understand about putting plywood or cardboard or anything else under the wheels. It is a machine. It doesn't experience cold or any other sort of discomfort.

[SNOOPY]

I sure don't understand about putting plywood or cardboard or anything else under the wheels. It is a machine. It doesn't experience cold or any other sort of discomfort.

This is more the thought of causing flat areas on the tire or dry rot caused by concrete drying out a tire. If we were talking 3-4 months or more I would say lift the tires off the ground w jacks, other than that I doubt you would notice any harm.



...unless of course you were just being funny. Lol

[cuznjohn]

This is more the thought of causing flat areas on the tire or dry rot caused by concrete drying out a tire. If we were talking 3-4 months or more I would say lift the tires off the ground w jacks, other than that I doubt you would notice any harm.



...unless of course you were just being funny. Lol

just remember the flat spot will only on the bottom, so just ride on the tops