just bought a brand new kawasaki vulcan 900 custom about a month ago has about 100 miles on it im putting it away next week for the winter in a heated garage probably wont take it out until march.do i or dont i leave the gas tank full and if i do leave it full should i add stabalizer or not? also i have the tires on some indoor outdoor carpet is that ok or should i put it on some plywood or something else? i know that i need to remove the battery but whats the difference between the tender and a charger arent they the same? i already have the charger that was recommended in the owners manuel is that good enough? any advice is appreciated.

 

Put stabilizer in the gas and then top it off. Run it enough to get the gas mixed with stablizer throughout the fuel system.

Keeping the tank full reduces the amount of air in the tank. Air contains some moisture. Though it shouldn't be an issue in the heated garage, changes in temperature could cause condensation inside the tank, so that's the reason to keep it full. No air, no moisture.

IMO, the tires will be fine on the carpet. The ultimate is to have both ends on stands, raised up, so there's no chance of flat spots on the tires. In my years of experience, however, I've never done this and I've never had a problem.

A battery tender is a charger that monitors the level of charge in the battery and turns itself on and off as needed. The advantage is you attach it at the beginning of winter and go away and forget it. If you use the charger you already have to bring the battery up to full charge once or twice during the winter storage, that will be 98% as good as a tender, again IMO.

In other words, if you didn't already have a charger, I'd consider the battery tender. Since you already have one, it's probably not worth it.

Of course the proper winter storage procedure is to keep riding it. But that's another topic.

 

good info listed motociclista.

I only vary mine in my climate to fit my needs. I drain all gas and fuel bowls where applicable. Use stands front and rear to keep the tires off the cold flat surfaces (Track bike). The carpet should be good enough though. The battery is pulled and set on the wood surface with the Optimate. The street rides, just ride every few days and you should be golden.

 

Use the charger for 6 hours once per month. A tender can be left connected.

Change the oil and filter before lay up - don't leave old contaminated oil in the motor all winter. No need to change it again next spring.

Keep the garage cool. It's best unheated to minimise any chemical activity, such as the spread of rust or tarnish. Keep it dry and well ventilated.

Fuel tank should be full to minimise any chance of condensation, but it's good to have the rest of the fuel system dry. I've never needed to use satibiliser, but it depends on your local fuel. I ride all winter anyway.

On a carb'd bike, run the motor until it stalls with the fuel tap 'off' to empty the carbs. On an EFI bike, run it dry, then fill the tank but don't switch on the ignition again or you'll prime the pump and injectors.

Clean, polish, adjust and lube everything that needs doing and cover it with a dust sheet.

On this particular bike, I think I'd want to get around 1,000 miles on it and complete the break in before putting it away.

Rob

 

A good point I neglected to mention.

On the EFI bikes, some fuel pumps don't respond well to being run dry. And even if you run it dry, there's some gas residue in the system which could gum up small orifices, especially in carbs. That's why I prefer the stabilizer route. YMMV.

 

yeah, not fond of running a pump dry either.