Winterize — what are your plans?

[Treps]

Treat the bike with ACF50 and keep riding

[Christoph]

I live in Iowa so it's comparable to Wisconsin weather. I never use oxygenated gas, I keep things lubed  properly, the T7 has a nice battery tender hook up so I plan to use it. 

I have heated handgrips on order and will add moose handguard covers to go over the stock handuards for extra protection (really great for $30).

I plan to ride as much as possible this winter so I don't think I really need to do much else.

If its too nasty for the T7 I will ride my DR650. The DR650 aka the Donkey is my go to apocalypse bike. 

My challenge to myself is to ride everyday this winter and have pretty much not missed a day since the start of this pandemic. 

[gone2seed]

73,

If ya got no idea how cold you can get and still keep going.

   You got no idea.

[T7MapleLeaf]

Reviving an old thread here, but this is (surprisingly) the only thread in the internet about storing a T7!

 

Manitoba winter is generally unridable from October-April (Even May sometimes).  So storage from Nov-April usually.  My plan now is to follow the manual and fog the cylinders+stabil a full tank.  Firing up the bike for 30 mins in -30c ever 30 days would probably do more harm then good.  

 

Does a modern engine in a relatively dry winter really still require cylinder fogging?  Its really only a negative since plug changes aren’t a quick job on the T7. 

[TimmyTheHog]

2 hours ago, T7MapleLeaf said:

Reviving an old thread here, but this is (surprisingly) the only thread in the internet about storing a T7!

 

Manitoba winter is generally unridable from October-April (Even May sometimes).  So storage from Nov-April usually.  My plan now is to follow the manual and fog the cylinders+stabil a full tank.  Firing up the bike for 30 mins in -30c ever 30 days would probably do more harm then good.  

 

Does a modern engine in a relatively dry winter really still require cylinder fogging?  Its really only a negative since plug changes aren’t a quick job on the T7. 

My OWN rule of thumb: if you are storing anywhere near moist(ly<-if you are Canadaian you get the joke), open wet area, where salt/brimes are near, I would fog the cylinders.

 

Don't have a T7 (yet), but my other bikes, I do them thru air intake and just spray for 3~5 seconds while you are cranking the engine over WITHOUT actually starting it (AKA, disconnect the leads).

 

The bike should suck enough those foggy goodie juice into the cylinders.

[T7MapleLeaf]

20 hours ago, TimmyTheHog said:

My OWN rule of thumb: if you are storing anywhere near moist(ly<-if you are Canadaian you get the joke), open wet area, where salt/brimes are near, I would fog the cylinders.

 

Don't have a T7 (yet), but my other bikes, I do them thru air intake and just spray for 3~5 seconds while you are cranking the engine over WITHOUT actually starting it (AKA, disconnect the leads).

 

The bike should suck enough those foggy goodie juice into the cylinders.

Is Cranking with the leads disconnected is bad for the ignition system? I thought you always had to ground the leads out with plugs in them if cranking.

[TimmyTheHog]

1 hour ago, T7MapleLeaf said:

Is Cranking with the leads disconnected is bad for the ignition system? I thought you always had to ground the leads out with plugs in them if cranking.

cranking the engine over without the lead connecting to the spark plug, all you are doing is running the starter which in terms turns the crankshaft and move the piston therefore suck air in and with the fogging juice with it.

Without the plug connecting to the lead, you are not providing the electric current to fire the plug which runs the engine.

For a short moment,  you are not sucking in that much fuel to flood the system especially with FI system.

Def don't do something like 30 seconds...

 

Hopefully that makes sense?
 

[Dan M]

1 hour ago, T7MapleLeaf said:

Is Cranking with the leads disconnected is bad for the ignition system? I thought you always had to ground the leads out with plugs in them if cranking.

You are correct. The spark is looking for ground. If you don't give it a short path it may jump through the coil tower and could damage the coil.

[TimmyTheHog]

7 minutes ago, Dan M said:

You are correct. The spark is looking for ground. If you don't give it a short path it may jump through the coil tower and could damage the coil.

for long term, yes

at least with my experience and the guys who taught me, for a short 2~3 second burst isn't going to kill them...

 

EIther way, its my way and I am sticking with it

[Dan M]

It all depends on the condition of the coil and you can often get away with it.  However, once a new path to ground is formed, that is where the spark is going to go.   I owned an auto shop for 36 years and have sold enough ignition coils to take the precaution.

[T7MapleLeaf]

As an electrician/EET background, an expanding/collapsing field is nothing to mess with.  Not sure about shooting fog spray through the intake into the throttle-body and sensors too. 

 

But back to topic though, I think its easiest and best for me to just take out the plugs and shoot a spray of fogging juice.  Will give me an excuse to do the side panel mod for easier access to the plugs! 

 

A carb thumper with plastic tank is so much simpler to drain out and take the single sparkplug out to fog haha!