Accu during winter: to keep, or to dismount?

[Zubatka]

My Dakar 2004 is stored in unheated garage. Peak winter conditions: down to -30 C, humidity up to 90%.

I've heard about 2 opposite approaches:

Dismount accumulator for winter, as it keeps its lifetime

and

Keep accumulator on your bike, and once in 2-3 weeks run it for 15-20 minutes to warm up oil and engine itself, prolonging lifetime of engine.


What do you think, which approach is better for Dakar and why?

 

[Timolgra]

Both methods have their advantages.

If you decide to leave the bike without running it in that amount of humidity, I'd remove the battery and seal the intake and exhaust.

You'll probably get lots of advise which you may already know of, such as squirting a little oil into the bore via spark hole and turning engine over a couple of times before sealing it up.


I used to work as a marine engineer and each year had to 'winterise' dozens of boat engines this way


It sounds like you're already aware that if you start it, you need to get it up to working temperature before switching off, otherwise you'll be causing a condensation build up. If it were my bike, this is what I'd do

 

[tosh23]

As above

 

[Zubatka]

Some say, that while starting, engine works in unsufficient greasing conditions, risking with shorter engine lifetime.

I think the best way keeping a mechanism is to let it working.

So what is better for engine (=bike)?