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Winter Storage.

Netminder

New member
Although I am hoping to get another month of riding in, it will soon be time to store the spyder, I have read the manual and posts here about storing, but the one thing I am not sure I agree with is the manual says change the oil just before storing. I just had the oil changed recently and usually change the oil in my gas powered vehicles (ATV,Lawn tractor, pressure washer etc.)just before taking them out in the spring. I just think leaving new oil in all winter will not do much and might even break it down sitting for 4 months. Any thought or suggestions? Thanks.
 
I change it on some bikes, and even fill the crankcase (where I can) for real long term storage, but it seems to work just as well to use a good oil (full synthetic is best because it clings well) and get the oil good and hot by riding before you park for storage. This drives the moisture out. You can't do anything else about the moisture, because you can't completely fill the crankcase. Today's top quality oils have buffers to prevent acid formation, so the used oil is not as corrosive as in times gone by. The Spyder is dry sump, so oil doesn't sit around the engine components, allowing corrosion to form at the oil surface as it can do with conventional oiling systems. I do get in long rides for most of the winter, but in a harsh winter my motorcycles are idle for 6-8 weeks sometimes. I have never had problems...even in engines that I tore down to inspect. The ideal thing to do would be to change oil when entering storage, to get rid of acid-forming contaminants, then change again before you ride in the Spring, to get rid of the moisture and oxidized oil. With 26 motorcycles, that is a gargantuan task (and it isn't very green). My evil ways have not hurt my machines, though.
 
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I change it on some bikes, and even fill the crankcase (where I can) for real long term storage, but it seems to work just as well to use a good oil (full synthetic is best because it clings well) and get the oil good and hot by riding before you park for storage. This drives the moisture out. You can't do anything else about the moisture, because you can't completely fill the crankcase. Today's top quality oils have buffers to prevent acid formation, so the used oil is not as corrosive as in times gone by. The Spyder is dry sump, so oil doesn't sit around the engine components, allowing corrosion to form at the oil surface as it can do with conventional oiling systems. I do get in long rides for most of the winter, but in a harsh winter my motorcycles are idle for 6-8 weeks sometimes. I have never had problems...even in engines that I tore down to inspect. The ideal thing to do would be to change oil when entering storage, to get rid of acid-forming contaminants, then change again before you ride in the Spring, to get rid of the moisture and oxidized oil. With 26 motorcycles, that is a gargantuan task (and it isn't very green). My evil ways have not hurt my machines, though.
Thanks Scotty! So in your opinion, it would not hurt to leave the oil in and do a change in the spring? I know the ideal Solution is before and after, but at the price of synthetic it will have to be one or the other and I prefer after storage in the spring??
 
Lucky one

I am one of the lucky ones. I ride year around. Only get snow once in a great while. The only snow I want to see is on TV.
 
Thanks Scotty! So in your opinion, it would not hurt to leave the oil in and do a change in the spring? I know the ideal Solution is before and after, but at the price of synthetic it will have to be one or the other and I prefer after storage in the spring??
I don't even do it in the Spring anymore for my fleet, I just change on schedule, either by mileage or annually. (That does make some of them get Spring or Fall changes.) The oils are so much better these days than in my far distant youth, and the engines are so much more durable and refined. I'm not advocating that anyone ignore the manual, just saying what I do myself.
 
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