Cold weather starts

[LukeSkyWalker]

During the "off season" in Illinois, I like to start my rocket at least once a week and let it come up to temperature. I usually do this on a day when the temperature is in the 30 + degree range. We've had a cold snap and I'm looking at single digit temps.
I'm using synthetic oil in the rocket but, do I have to worry about dry starts in the extreme cold?
Should I have any concerns about the battery during this cold weather?
Any information or advise would be greatly appreciated.
The Rocket is kept in an unheated garage.

[KuzzinKenny]

Hi, if the bikes sitting for a while i would get an Ulitma battery charger and leave it connected. take the plugs out and squirt a little WD40 down the bores and put the plugs back. put a cover over the bike, something that doesn`t absorb moisture. if its a stone, concrete floor put an insulator ( wooden blocks ) under the tyres and side stand just to keep it the same hight. theres no need to keep starting it up as your just making more condensation in the engine, you need a good run to clear that.

hope this helps !!

KK

ps make sure the anti-freeze is OK !!

pps the WD40 or similar is to stop the bores corroding from moisture in the bores.

[ This message was edited by: KuzzinKenny on 2006-02-19 09:00 ]

[Pig9r]

Good tips but I have to question the WD40, (a solvent), wouldn't that wash away any oil that may be remaining in the cylinder making it worse? I have heard of putting a teaspoon of oil in each cylinder.

[Hondax]

The Rocket owners manual is pretty specific on storage procedure. Page 97 of the manual is devoted to long term storage. As far as the cylinders go, remove plugs, place 5ml motor oil in each hole, push starter button for a few seconds to coat the cylinder walls with oil, and replace plugs.

[LukeSkyWalker]

I saw the blurb in the owners manual about long-term storage.
I'm looking more so in terms of cold weather starting...not so much of longer term storage.

I typically ride the bike year round...weather and road conditions permitting.

Back in the day, starting bikes under cold conditions were very hard on the starters due to heavy, thick oil.
But today with the advent of synthetic oils, those situations (I think) are a thing of the past.

I haven't removed the battery from the bike.
Will starting the bike once a week and running it for 15 - 20 minutes allow the battery to be charged enough?
Or
Am I causing more "issues" when starting and running in cold temperatures?

Most, if not all, of my HD buddies do not start their bikes at all due to the damage caused by dry starts.
Does the Rocket fall into that same danger zone?

[Diego]

> I'm looking more so in terms of cold weather starting...not so much of longer term storage. [snip]
I haven't removed the battery from the bike.
Will starting the bike once a week and running it for 15 - 20 minutes allow the battery to be charged enough?

Probably, but it's not the ideal way.

Or am I causing more "issues" when starting and running in cold temperatures?

Not so much because of the cold itself (although that is a factor), but because it may not be enough to cook out water vapor that contaminates the oil when it's running rich the first few minutes after startup.

> Most, if not all, of my HD buddies do not start their bikes at all due to the damage caused by dry starts.
Does the Rocket fall into that same danger zone?

If you're using the recommended oil, one week is no more a dry start than 24 hours is, for all practical purposes. You could go a month without significant concern about moving surfaces not having an oil film.

My advice would be to get a good battery tender and skip the weekly startups as long as you're able to actually ride a couple of times per month or more. Consider fuel stabilizer if it's likely to be more than a couple of weeks between rides.

[drtim]

Typical Flatlander.... Just kiddin' bro (Cheesehead humor)
Store it away untill April, don't mess with it, your doing more harm by starting it and letting it run for a while. As stated earlier in thread, you won't burn out the moisture caused by starting it. Go get some fuel stabilizer and storage oil from your local outboard motor dealership. Pull one plug from each cylinder, spay in storage oil, bump engine over a couple revs (don't start), re-install plugs. Dump stabilizer in fuel tank (make sure it's rated for injection). Pull the battery.
Yes , even synthetic oil takes on the consistancy close to honey at 40F degrees.
It's very hard to put your bike up for the winter, I know all to well.

[Hondax]

For what its worth I have two 75KW John Deere Diesel generators. The manual says to run them for a minimum of 45 minutes about once per month to completely burn out any moisture and condensation.