Winter Storage my K75

Hi Gang,

It looks like the cold weather won out my race to get my K75 self-serviced and accessorized in time for a fall color ride. I've mad a lot of progress but some of my parts - heated grips, risers, aux. power outlet were mis-shipped to another person so I'm a couple weeks late.

Really, no big deal as I've got my F650 to ride. So, here's my question.

What happens if I leave the tank off the bike and store it in my basement? It has just a little bit of gas in it. I could also take out my new Westco battery and store that inside too.

This way, over the winter I'll have time to shop for driving lights and emergency 4 way flashers and finish it up before replacing the tank. The bike will be covered in my garage for the winter.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks as always,

Ken

kentuvman said:

Hi Gang,


What happens if I leave the tank off the bike and store it in my basement? It has just a little bit of gas in it. I could also take out my new Westco battery and store that inside too.



Any thoughts or suggestions?



Ken

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Tank: Empty it. Gas that sits does bad things to fuel pumps and rubber. Gas in basement is not very safe, either, what with furnaces, water heaters, whatever.

I hate to say this, but even sitting dry can make a fuel pump unhappy. Maybe every month or two, give the pump a second of 12 volts just to keep it free. My BMW shop says all of the pump problems they see are the result of sitting. When I take my annual two month absence, I pour a little Marvel Mystery Oil in the tank for its final ride, just to add a little lube.

Battery: Warm basement is better than cold outside, but the battery should get a trickle charge now and then or be on a battery maintainer of some kind to avoid the sulfation that is the inevitable result of sitting.

I have made up a cord with clips on one end and a cig lighter cord on the other. I use it to take my lesser-used batteries for a ride now and then. They like it.

Just push the bike in the living room. Keeps the varmits from setting up shop on the bike and really saves on the stuff that cold and UV's attack. JON

Hi Jon - my wife will really love that!!! Kids for sure - wife, questionable!

On my K, I fill the tank to the top and add Seafoam. The battery stays on the bike with a trickle charger.

I try to ride the bike every month or two at a minimum. This keeps the fuel injectors working and clean.

I understand empty gas tanks should be treated with fogging oil before storage.

zoridog said:

I understand empty gas tanks should be treated with fogging oil before storage.

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Steel tanks, for sure.

.

Winnter storage

First off I know your winters are much more severe in Minneapolis than here in St Louis. I have never had a problem when spring freedom arrives, and itÔÇÖs time to start riding again. First off I always have my bike hooked up to a charger in summer or winter. Then I always have it covered in the garage if it will sit for a few days or more. Then I always start the bike and let it warm up to normal temperatures (about 15 minutes) at least once a week. That means opening the garage door and moving the bike to the door and starting it. And donÔÇÖt forget to make sure you have good ventilation. You might want to actually back it out of the garage completely. My garage opens at both ends, so I can open it up and get air moving through while running the bike. Prior to starting it in the winter time I might put a can of heat under the engine to give it a little pre-warm up. It takes about a half an hour a week to insure the bike is kept up to riding standards. I have never had leaky seals, bad gas, etc, etc, in the spring time. Good luck, and keep it tween the ditches.

Hmmm - Suggest you let her rest.

My experience has been that starting it up and running every few weeks or so on a K bike in winter storage.... is a bad idea.

All Ks have a sprag clutch. This is lubed - from what I can tell - by well agitated oil splashing on it. Idling does not seem to do it.

On my ancient 85 K, the PO did the weekly start thing... my sprag clutch got stuck as a direct result.

Unsticking a stuck sprag clutch is a very hit or miss proposition. You don't want to be doing it.

For winter storage, I change all the oils and filter, add stabil to a full tank of gas, go for a hot ride, hook up the charger .... and say good night.

If the gods of winter smile and it does stay warm and snow free enough - any rides I do are many miles at speed... not around the block!

Winter care

Sprang clutches will tend to rust and cause problems (starter problems) with moister. ItÔÇÖs believed caused usually by winter riding of short duration. However, of the many BMW K bikes out there and the varied mileage on each one of them itÔÇÖs hard to say if yours is going to have the problem. Sometimes 85 an earlier model K100ÔÇÖs would have a problem, but later models had different Sprag set ups which tend to correct the problem. ItÔÇÖs your bike and you decision. I prefer to keep it in running order, the risk is very small of a sprag hang up due to running it weekly. Again, just my opinion, and nothing more.

Back to the original question.

Before you empty the tank add several tablespoons of ordinary motor oil and run the fuel pump briefly. Then dump the tank to dry.

The oil will cling in the internals of the pump, keeping it quite happy, and will easily wash out in the first few seconds in the spring when you revive the bike from storage.

At least, that's what I would do.

Many years of adding Stabil fuel treatment. (napa)Oil change(Amsoil)(BMW oil filter) battery on a tender
bike off the Ground and on jacks. Covered. Thatl do ya mate..

mrich12000 said:

Many years of adding Stabil fuel treatment. (napa)Oil change(Amsoil)(BMW oil filter) battery on a tender
bike off the Ground and on jacks. Covered. Thatl do ya mate..

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Oh, I agree with the wisdom that it is best to store the bike with the fuel tank full with Stabil added - if you are parking your bike for the winter.

But he has the bike apart, the fuel tank off and essentially empty, in his basement. Not a good place to store a tank full of fuel. So how does he protect the fuel pump. That is the essence of the question, and Amsoil in the crankcase and a battery tender on the battery does not one even little thing to protect the fuel pump in his situation.

I know. guess I should read thouroghly and get my glasses rechecked paul thanks. time to get out of this office and put on the rain suit. see ya later..Michael

mrich12000 said:

I know. guess I should read thouroghly and get my glasses rechecked paul thanks. time to get out of this office and put on the rain suit. see ya later..Michael

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Go ride before it gets wet, cold, snowy, and windy up there!! "It" will be there before we know it, won't "it"?

I can store mine in "active storage" for years at a time, ie run it every summer and then put it back in storage for winter. My garage is cold and damp, so before each winter I:

* park it over a plastic sheet covered by an old rug
* give it a complete wipe down and waxing,
* change the oil and filter,
* make sure the coolant/antifreeze is up to snuff and levels are good,
* fill the tank to the rim with stablised fuel and let the bike run for a while before shutting it down,
* "fog" the cylinders and turn the engine over by hand, ie plugs out, bike in 5th,
* remove battery and Motronic computer and store in basement, 4 - 6 hours on a 1 amp trickle charger per 2-3 week period,
* plug the exhaust and intakes with oiled paper towels and masking tape, ie a barriers against critters or cold moisture laden air,
* decompress the rear shock,
* block up the engine so the front wheel is just off the ground,
* take tire pressures down to 20-25 psi
* cover with a cotton sheet
* leave it til spring.

I've had the bike for 9 seasons and just replaced the battery this year, and it's always fired right up come spring.

Thanks

I've got to go for a ride before putting this baby to sleep for the long MN winter!
Work keeps getting in the way but grateful to have work!

Friday may be a good riding day. I'll take her for a nice ride and fill her up with non-oxy premium, add some stabil and ride her home. I'll put a tenderizer on her and start this one every month so the fuel pump doesn't get stuck. Maybe even ride it on a cold and clear day but probably not due to that invisible black ice I don't want to meet!

Thanks for all your great suggestions! Bike is looking good and very accessorized - should be a nice ride from her to the TN rally. Got to have stuff to look forward to over the long MN winters!