Triumphrat

skromfols · 11-18-2012, 11:29 AM

I just found out that I'll be leaving Wednesday for 3 or 4 months and my America will be sitting in the garage. Since I live where I can ride all year long, I've never had to prepare a bike for an extended period of non-use, and I'm not sure what all to do.

My thought is to add fuel stabilizer to a full tank of fuel, run the bike for 5 minutes or so to get the stabilizer mixed in and into the carbs. Shut the bike off, turn off the pet cock and drain the float bowls, and hook up the battery tender.

The garage isn't heated, but it doesn't get very cold, so I don't think I need to cover the bike.

Am I forgetting anything ?

CA_NJ_USA · 11-18-2012, 03:59 PM

some suggestions:
- cover exhaust pipe openings
- disconnect battery or hook to trickle charger or routinely keep the charge...the smart charger type that shuts off and maintains the charge is best IMO. you plug it in and forget it until spring.
- check and adjust tire pressure and if you can lift the bike off the ground or put something between bike tires and ground if you think it will be cold enough.
- personally, i cover the bike just to keep dust off of it all winter and in case roof leaks... to each is own.
- a fresh oil change...i heard different opinions on that. but i prob will do an oil change myself just in case.

i'm not a pro but those are things people do and probably are in the owner's manual as well. not sure if i missed anything.

some people just do the fuel stabilizer and trickle charge and claim to have no problems...i guess you have to make that call on how much you do.

cjpeltz · 11-18-2012, 11:28 PM

A week back, I bought the Xtreme Charger (http://www.xtremecharge.com/stage_battery) for my Speedmaster. A bit more expense than other tenders but it worked like a charm. It is a pulse-based charger that will test the battery at polling intervals and re-charge if needed. It also has the SAE adapter, so it plugs directly into the SAE tender plug behind the battery.

Definitely recommend it.

BMORE45 · 12-08-2012, 06:11 PM

When it gets real cold, I just bring the battery indoors and charge it inside