Out after winter storage.

[HxH]

Good Spring day all, Just resurrected my bike from winter storage, some changes done before and while in shed.

New front and rear shocks, standard non-Esa types, rear was bust, front was at same mileage, hence double change.
New front spot bar and new twin front Ali /eBay spotlights.
New indicator cancel lever - A true god send from Motorworks shop, a game changer, as i don't like the system on this old bike.
New Link pipe with lower bracket sent by Motorworks, did not ask for the bracket, but they are brilliant when it comes to customer service.
Newish Delkevic stainless steel oval exhaust with baffle in, had this on my Gtr1400 looks great in my opinion and a lot lighter.
Decals from eBay put on last year, confesses it hides a little mark on the right side panel.
Some images taken today. I also took a wee video but seems its too large for site. Was naff anyways.

 

[rovert57]

New indicator cancel leverDo they do something similar for the horn switch as I never seem to find it when needed ,

 

[Bravo]

Winter storage?
What the fuck is that?

 

[DrFarkoff]

Winter storage?
What the fuck is that?

Plagerised but Sooooo right!!

 

[Bravo]

When this picture was taken in January it was 3.5 degrees when i left home,my Mrs came along too.
That's all I've got to say about winter storage.

 

[Welly]

Winter?. Keeps you sharp

 

[Bravo]

Winter?. Keeps you sharpView attachment 396244

Hard-core

 

[HxH]

After a bad scooter crash aged 16 on black ice, commuting to my work. I left bikes alone until frost lifts and Mercury rises higher above freezing temperatures.
Those that tempt fate riding on snow packed roads on 2 wheels, with ice sheets hidden underneath, more than likely have frozen brain cells, or less between ears.
These days I no longer commute to work, and gladly sit in a warm free bus into town, or in a cosy 4 wheel vehicle, less likely to fall over on any ice covered corner unseen, until felt.

 

[TLSgazza]

I don't go out in the winter anyway more because of the salt on the roads.
I do usually head off somewhere in the winter to ride in a warmer climate for a few weeks though to get a bit of riding in.
A friend who rode just a few times on his 1250 is regretting it a little now as his rear caliper is seizing and the disc is fucked.

 

[HxH]

I don't go out in the winter anyway more because of the salt on the roads.
I do usually head off somewhere in the winter to ride in a warmer climate for a few weeks though to get a bit of riding in.
A friend who rode just a few times on his 1250 is regretting it a little now as his rear caliper is seizing and the disc is fucked.
View attachment 396468
View attachment 396469

I agree with you, Too much salt is put down on the road up North Where I live, not much sand, and most paths are like skating rinks, seldom salted, so even getting out my driveway would be an issue. It very easy for me to store my bike and tinker on it, for 4 months of the year.
I don't envy 2 wheeled riders out on cold days, if you do not see a bobby on a police bike that kind of tells you something also. That It's unsafe.!

 

[dashfixer]

I think laying a bike up for long periods no matter what you do to it, does it no good. It seems to me that a lot of the problems people get on their bikes are due to lack of use. All machines like regular use, if not things deteriorate. I used to do a 280 mile commute every weekend and a daily 30 mile in between and I had few problems. Bikes now got near 100k on it but has regular maintenance and is ridden every week all year .

 

[ThreeDawg]

I get no pleasure riding in winter here in the Highlands, and I have no commute.

Of course you can take a bike off the road over winter if you prep it properly - wash, dry really thoroughly, change fluids, lube pivots, polish etc etc. I haven't ridden my 1100 for six months (been in Aus riding there on a twin cam for five of those, lucky me) and the bike is absolutely fine. Ideally I would turn it over by hand occasionally, but I wasn't here. I don't think a bike should be started up in storage.

 

[TLSgazza]

I think laying a bike up for long periods no matter what you do to it, does it no good. It seems to me that a lot of the problems people get on their bikes are due to lack of use. All machines like regular use, if not things deteriorate. I used to do a 280 mile commute every weekend and a daily 30 mile in between and I had few problems. Bikes now got near 100k on it but has regular maintenance and is ridden every week all year .

Not strictly true . I don't use mine for 3+ months every year. Dec Jan feb and a bit of march.
I don't touch it in the winter apart from a quick battery charge usually about the end of Jan.
It has now covered 148.000 miles.
2 batteries.
Original clutch.
Original alternator.
Servo abs original and still working.
Original starter motor.
Engine has not been touched apart from normal servicing.
Second set of main coils, secondary are original.
Gearbox untouched.
2nd set of brake discs.
Calipers have never been rebuilt.
Fork seals are original.
Final drive rebuilt twice.
Shaft replaced under warranty 105.000 miles ago.
Fuel pump did pack up at about 98.000 miles along with the controller.

It has had 11 or 12 fuel strips though
Getting the bike covered in salt all winter won't do it any good at all.

 

[botus]

the gits in maidenhead put salt down three times in March hadn't rained for two week before, nor did it again for at least another week its been almost bone dry for 6 weeks - and the whole place was already covered with 2" of that that crap - they have gone utterly insane in the last 4 years

I don't think there were ANY conditions this winter where black ice would have formed around here - but at least 25,000 cars have rusted away - which was the plan

 

[rovert57]

I think a lot on here have done their time riding through snow and ice in winter ,when the bike was your only form of transportation it’s nice to have a choice , but winter riding in adverse conditions does sharpen your riding skills.

 

[Engineer]

I think a lot on here have done their time riding through snow and ice in winter ,when the bike was your only form of transportation it’s nice to have a choice , but winter riding in adverse conditions does sharpen your riding skills.

That'll be me then - although this Winter I have been riding less than normal as I have gone down to working 3 days a week and can use public transport for my commute.

 

[dashfixer]

Not strictly true . I don't use mine for 3+ months every year. Dec Jan feb and a bit of march.
I don't touch it in the winter apart from a quick battery charge usually about the end of Jan.
It has now covered 148.000 miles.
2 batteries.
Original clutch.
Original alternator.
Servo abs original and still working.
Original starter motor.
Engine has not been touched apart from normal servicing.
Second set of main coils, secondary are original.
Gearbox untouched.
2nd set of brake discs.
Calipers have never been rebuilt.
Fork seals are original.
Final drive rebuilt twice.
Shaft replaced under warranty 105.000 miles ago.
Fuel pump did pack up at about 98.000 miles along with the controller.

It has had 11 or 12 fuel strips though
Getting the bike covered in salt all winter won't do it any good at all.

Perhaps you've been lucky. But after spending the last 49 years maintaining aircraft for a job and bikes for a hobby I still stand by my statement. With aircraft, even though we carried out anti-det checks regularly, bringing an aircraft back to service after a short lay-up would raise many problems. Long term lack of use was even worse. Oil drains from seals and bearings, condensation starts corrosion, corrosion leads to fatigue, failures and seizures. Machines like regular use, especially internal combustion machines.

Getting a bike covered in salt doesn't matter as long as you clean it properly afterwards and look after it.

 

[Santa-2512]

What is this winter storage you speak of??

Is that what they called wimp-Itus , i heard its usually accompanied by a dose of big girls blouse

Guess your never going to do the double, triple , or quadruple hard event

 

[Pukmeister]

Guess your never going to do the double, triple , or quadruple hard event

I couldn’t even manage a weekend in a pub field without a month dying of flu/covid/whatever it was.

 

[TLSgazza]

Perhaps you've been lucky. But after spending the last 49 years maintaining aircraft for a job and bikes for a hobby I still stand by my statement. With aircraft, even though we carried out anti-det checks regularly, bringing an aircraft back to service after a short lay-up would raise many problems. Long term lack of use was even worse. Oil drains from seals and bearings, condensation starts corrosion, corrosion leads to fatigue, failures and seizures. Machines like regular use, especially internal combustion machines.

Getting a bike covered in salt doesn't matter as long as you clean it properly afterwards and look after it.

I have been lucky with all 5 of my bikes then that I do exactly the same with. The others barely do a few thousand miles between them throughout the nicer months.