Winter oil Service ?

abraxas

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TLDR-version: Is it better to do a service (oil +filters) BEFORE twinter or in the spring before it starts getting used again?

Longer:
Hi guys, been around for a while, mainly absorbing information, and not posted thus far. About time I ask for a bit of advice.

I am a fair weather biker living in Scotland… yes, I know. :) The bike [08 F800GS] is a weekend toy and I very seldom use it in the winter as the car is so much more sensible. I try to start the bike every few weeks and keep it on the charger when not riding it.

So, I know there are some rather involved “wintering” procedures, but I am looking for something more lightweight and the question : is it better to do a service (oil +filters) BEFORE the low-usage season or in the spring before it starts getting used again?

While I do understand that oil and filters are reasonably cheap, I don’t believe that too frequent changes are a universally a good thing. If nothing else for the environmental impact, so I ain’t doing two of them a year for the low mileage I do. :)

Any opinions welcome. Thanks.
 
I would do it in the spring.

Additionally, if you only cover low mileage ie below the 6,000 mile service intival each year, why do you change your oil twice a year?

One other idea is if you like changing your oil twice a year and the annual mileage is below 6k, you could change the oil and not the filter.

If it were me, I'd only do it once a year and just before I started riding.
 
Personally, when I lay a bike up for winter I always put fresh oil and a new filter in/on it when I lay it up - I live in the north-east of Scotland.

BUT . . . . . .

I don't run the bike at all during its lay up. I put fuel stabiliser into the fuel system and run the bike to get the mix into the carbs/injector bodies before I remove the battery and leave the tank filled to the brim to stop any condensation building up in the tank.

I then take the battery out of the bike and store it (the battery) indoors (stops the frost killing the battery) and charge it once a month on a trickle charger for about 24hrs.

I have done that with several different machines, both modern and old - 64 plated 1000 V-Strom 15 year old Africa Twin.

Works for me :thumb

SteveT

:cool:
 
Do it whenever but pack it in with that 'starting it every couple of weeks' lark

Sent from my SM-A320FL using Tapatalk
 
Phil-H said:
Do it whenever but pack it in with that 'starting it every couple of weeks' lark

Sent from my SM-A320FL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Plus 1 for Phils remark, if the bike isnt thoughly warmed up you will get all manner of condensation inside the gearbox mains etc
 
Thanks very much for the really good advice guys. Apologies, I must have not explained that well, I never intended to do the changes twice a year. It would be a crime really, with my low usage pattern, that is why I was asking for a "better" time of the year to do it.

Order of business for me then:
1) Google "fuel stabilisers" :)

2) Learn more about this "do not start it up" business. I can't really say that I enjoy starting the bike and hanging about on cold days much so it is good news, really. The bit about condensation does make sense, but is the starting/running not meant to move the oil about the engine to keep everything oil-coated and hence not rusting?

3) Good point about brimming the tank, SteveT. I never worried much about this as my GSes have plastic tanks, but I also got an XRV as a project this summer, so should really do that to the @.
Thanks again.
 
The fuel stabiliser additive is an interesting thing... but there seems to be some "snake-oil" products out there.
Any experience based recommendations guys?
 
When I have laid bikes up in the past, order of sequence has been:

Wash it if you want to.
If poss make the last trip out a decent one, say 1/2hr min.
Brim the tank before returning home.
Drain carbs (if it's a carb'd bike)
Give a light spray with your penetrating oil/lubricant of choice, lube chain etc
Park it up, (keeping tyres off the ground if it's damp concrete/soil in which case you should perhaps reconsider your layup location. )

To me, flat spotting of tyres, fuel going off, 6 month old oil corroding the inside of your engine etc just isn't an issue on a typical winter lay up. I never bothered with fuel additive, or a trickle charger.

Next season, use battery charger, check over tyres etc, prime carbs. Press button & go.

Others may have an alternative opinion.

Sent from my SM-A320FL using Tapatalk
 
Good point about brimming the tank on a F8GS, wot with it being a plastic tank :thumb. I'm on my 3rd 800cc engine F series bike :thumb

I use the fuel stabiliser that the local bike shop uses - they top up the stock bikes tanks with it, as they never know when a machine will move out of the showroom:-

Fuchs Silkoline Pro FST.

I'd also like to point out that I ride all year round - no "biking season" for me - but only use one bike during the winter months, so my other bikes (numbers may vary year on year :D) are prepped for up to 4 months of non-use in a garage into which the frost does enter, hence the battery removal.

Enjoy your @ renovation - I restored 3 of the 4 twins that I've had. Great bikes the @, only bettered by the F8GS IMHO as a true multi-tool bike. you'll find XRV.org.uk full of useful gen and really helpfull, knowledgable folk :thumb

SteveT

:cool:
 
What is this "laying up for winter" bollocks?

Ride the fu**ing thing then you wont have to worry about all this shit.

:D
 
Brilliant. Thanks for that guys. I was reading up a bit about fuel stabilisers and "some say..." that the higher grade fuel does similar thing. Will need more research on that...

I'm plucking up the courage to tear the @ apart completely. Needs the frame blasted and powder-coated. Now, pulling it apart is not a problem... finding all the bits and putting it back together later, on the other hand... :)
 
Aye. I am just too saaft... :) Should really learn to enjoy the dark, cold, dreich riding. But then I'd have to learn all about corrosion protection and that lark...
 
Unless you are going to strip it would go along with using it (pick a dry day if you must)plenty of good corrosion protection out there !Saves all the draining, filling, changing,carry on
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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