I live in Chicago. This winter I have lost my indoor storage space for my KLR 650, and so my plan is to just wrap the bike up nice and tight in a plastic tarp and leave it parked on the curb through the winter. I have an Odyssey solid cell battery. The battery manual says that the battery is good to go down to -40 degrees F, so I am not too worried about leaving it on the bike all winter (I would like to periodically be able to fire up the bike on warmer days to get the fluids circulating). Does anyone see any problems with this?
Yes. I would remove the battery, bring it indoors, keep it charged and do not periodically start and run the engine unless you plan to ride to a full hot condition. Along Lake Michigan, winter air can be very wet. Running the engine for only a few minutes will eventually take a toll due to condensation. If you are going to lay it up for the winter, change oil, aspirate some oil into the engine, deflate the tires and protect the intake from critters. I would also add some Stabil to the fuel and fill the tank full. I grew up in Lake Bluff and routinely stored my bikes outdoors during the winter months without out incident using the above practice.
Would that be an anti theft technique?? Low pressure in the tires for the winter ain't a good thing. Parking on the curb for the winter??? Have a friend with a back yard, look on Craigslist under motorcycle for sale..... plenty of cheap motorcycle inside storage solutions.
Battery will be fine, as long as it isn't discharged. If you find it discharged, or low state of charge, get it inside and charge it ASAP. Bike won't fit in your living room, huh?
Don't wrap that bike up too tight in a plastic tarp. It's gonna trap moisture and condensation on warmer days and you'll end up with all your hardware rusted. Make sure you leave openings at the bottom for air circulation. Yes, I'd bring the battery inside.
Pull the battery. Bring it inside and put it on a battery tender for the winter. Put some STABIL the fuel tank and fill it up with fuel. If possible pull the spark plug and pour 2 or so oz. of of heavy weight motor oil the piston for the winter. Put moth balls in nooks and crannys to keep the mice and rats out. On second thought. Forget all that work. Ship the bike to me in Phx. I'll ride it randomly over the winter and send you pics. while you are freezing your body appendages off in the midwest this winter. Anyhow goog luck LLIB
and in addition drain the carb bowls, you'll thank me in the spring. Also the battery will handle very low temps. unless it is discharged, then it will freeze. Since batteries normally discharge................?
When you read that tech paper pay attention to the temperature to internal voltage drain. As the temp lowers the battery will maintain it's SOC (state of charge) better than if it is warmer. Removing it from the bike is good because it removes all parasitic drain. JJ
