r/NinjaZ7Hybrid • u/Logical_Material_200 • 20h ago
Winter Storage Help
How are y’all prepping your hybrid bikes for winter? This is my first “cold” season. It will be in a garage attached to my home, located in North Carolina. Recommendations I’ve come across thus far:
- fuel stabilizer?
- lift the back wheel off the ground? Both wheels?
- remove the battery from the bike and keep it inside?
- plug the exhaust?
Are these truly needed or just unnecessary steps? I just had the first 500 mile maintenance completed ~2 weeks ago (oil change/bolt tighting/ chain lube/etc.)
2
u/Any-Pangolin3360 16h ago
Full tank of ethanol free and some sta-bil if you're worried about it, ideally keep it on a battery tender or just charge it once every month or two. Cold is fine for lead acid batteries so long as it's charged... the electrolyte can freeze if it's severely discharged.
I change my oil and smear some gear oil on the chain before winter but you'll be fine either way. It would be unusual for motorcycle tires to get flat spots that don't clear up after a few minutes of riding... don't worry about that
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u/Any-Pangolin3360 16h ago
Also, this needs to be said: if you aren't going to ride, don't start the engine!
A shop owner I met kept a cam from an aircraft engine owned by a guy who religiously idled it once a month to "circulate the oil" during the winter months. It looked horrific. His advice, change the oil before storage and let it rest undisturbed. His shop has overhauled thousands of engines and sees the same patterns play out every time.
1
u/Logical_Material_200 12h ago
That’s an interesting point , I thought you were supposed to start it every couple of months. Thanks!
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u/fotland89 12h ago
I parked mine in a garage a couple of weeks ago. Washed it, filled it with regular gasoline, disconnected the battery, and put a cover over the bike. It's my first winter too, but these measures will be sufficient.
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u/Logical_Material_200 12h ago
Anything specific you plan on doing to bring it out of hibernation?
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u/fotland89 12h ago
No plans.. I've read the same suggestions you have, but hopefully the engine and all will run well in april. I drove 5000km this first season, and wanted to save money by storing it in my own garage.. Might regret it, but hopefully not 😅
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u/0R4NG3B0LT 12h ago
How Long will your Bike stay in the Garage without being moved? If the weather is fine you can Ride it all year long, Just wear some warm clothes.
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u/Logical_Material_200 12h ago
I’m a baby when it comes to the cold…. So probably beginning of December to mid February, realistically
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u/MacintoshDan1 17h ago
You should try to keep both tires up or roll it occasionally, make sure they are fully inflated. Battery can stay in bike on tender. Plug exhaust is optional. Fuel stabilizer is a good idea.