• Welcome Guest! If you are already a member of the BMW MOA, please log in to the forum in the upper right hand corner of this page. Check "Remember Me?" if you wish to stay logged in.

    We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMWMOA forum provides. Why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the club magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMWMOA offers?

    Want to read the MOA monthly magazine for free? Take a 3-month test ride of the magazine; check here for details.

  • NOTE. Some content will be hidden from you. If you want to view all content, you must register for the forum if you are not a member, or if a member, you must be logged in.

Spring training and sta-bil in my R1100RT

26667

the Wizard of Oz
A little winter chat.

Just for the heck of it, I note that I put Sta-Bil in my machine today. It's been on the charger sitting under its cover for several weeks, but today I let it idle a few minutes just to circulate the gas additive. It was nice to hear the sound. A hair-tad rough for just a moment after I started it, but smooth as ever for the next few minutes.

here in the northern climes, I usually gauge where we stand regarding the approach of riding weather by the proximity of pitchers and catchers reporting to Fla and AZ, but we still still don't have any snow, and tomorrow's supposed to touch 40 degrees here in Chicago. Could we ride in February this year? Certainly by first week of March, right?

Still a little light in the sky after 5:00p.

Back under the cover and attached to the charger. Hmmm...maybe a U-haul trailer and a trip south...

So...what up with you?
 
Last edited:
I won't do anything with the bike 'til February.
New brake lines this year plus all the usual stuff.
Riding in March could happen, probably not before.
 
Its always been my practice to either start the bike and ride it, or just let it sit for it's winter nap. in almost 19 very reliable years and many, many miles on my 94 RS it has served me very well. Guess I can understand the "mixing the Sta-Bil"rationale, though I have never used the product myself up here in east central Wisconsin. At the end of the season (usually December) I just fill the bike up with non-ethanol fuel, plug int he charger and let it rest.
 
Not a Rounder...

I go with the 9 month insurance plan. I'm not insured the months of December, January, and February. Sometimes, when you get the unusual very warm day in January or February, it's very tempting to ride, but I don't do it.

My bikes are stored in my daughter's garage because she has more room. I'll bring them home in March, that'll be plenty soon. I do add Stabil, fill the tanks, charge the batteries, etc.

My problem is that I bought the oilhead in September, and got the airhead completely sorted by the end of summer. Just as I got my bikes the way I wanted them, the temps dropped and the snow started to fly. Dang it!

Oh well, we're already more than halfway through January, days are getting longer. We'll have many more cold days and snow, but being the eternal optimist that I am, I can see spring and riding coming right up.
 
Winter bike stuff

I figured out that you can use the plastic car lens polish on a UV-bleached windscreen to get the nice, clear plastic back. Mine was getting so bad I couldn't see through it on a sunny day.

I've re-painted the police radio box, dashboard, controls & switches, bar end weights and the chin fender; replaced the fuel lines & fuel filter, replaced/painted all the exposed fasteners (they were all rusty), & cleaned off the 1/4" of oil, dirt & gunk that had accumulated on the engine around the sight glass.

Still to do: Replace the sight glass, black plastic side panels (when I bought the bike they were held on with zip-ties), & grips. Fix the broken bracket in the left hard case, re-tension/replace the choke cable, rebuild/replace the shocks, repair the cosmetic scratches on the cylinder heads (a legacy of being a state police vehicle) and take care of the fluids/filters.

Definitely a fun winter project :)
 
A guy on ADV says Stabil is dyed & "deodorized kerosene" from the analysis sheet. Is there any peace to be found in any fuel stabilzing product?:ear
 
A guy on ADV says Stabil is dyed & "deodorized kerosene" from the analysis sheet. Is there any peace to be found in any fuel stabilzing product?:ear

Thanks, I didn't know that. From the Stabil MSDS, is is 95 percent CAS # 64742-47-8 which is:

Low odor paraffinic solvent
Dearomatized kerosine
Deodorized kerosene

So why is it that kerosine stabilizes fuel fuel, and wasn't the product first marketed before fuel had alcohol in it?

I keep mine running and take hour long rides when the temperatures are above freezing. Just seems easier than prepping it for storage. Also, this winter and last I've had some modifications I wanted to try so the warm-ish days, above the 20s, are good for test rides.
 
Just as there has been a strong call made for analysis level information on oils available for our bikes,(see airheads thread) I'd like to see this club actually spend money getting us info on fuel related issues, to include stabilizers. IMO,the fuel problems are real. This could be directed via people like Paul & Matt, e.g.,or other techy types or scientifically oriented members to insure monies well spent.
If for an e.g., kerosene or naptha or whatever other "proprietary juice" will work, lets hear about it with some real evidence behind it. "Real gas/pure gas" simply isn't there for many of us to buy.
 
here in the northern climes, I usually gauge where we stand regarding the approach of riding weather by the proximity of pitchers and catchers reporting to Fla and AZ, .........


Wise man.

Can't wait, may have to run down and see a couple of games.
i-HMRVxr7-M.jpg
 
I've been using Startron gas stabilizer. From what my dealer guy and the product says, this uses some enzymes to break down water and stabilize the gas. It has been said this is the better solution that will keep gas or kerosene usable for 2 years or more. I have had no issues with it and use it when I store gas for emergencies or keep gas in my snowmobiles.
Go here: http://mystarbrite.com/startron/
or here:
http://mystarbrite.com/startron/content/view/12/34/lang,en/
 
Back
Top