Hey everyone,

For those of us with winter, just wondering if you store your klx (empty fluids, remove battery etc) or do you keep it together and fire it up every now and again?.... and why?

I tried to ride the other day... hit ice and down i went... so if anything i think i'll stick with the trails in winter if possible! haha

 

I don't store it for winter. If I did, I would NOT start it every once in a while. Take the battery out, put it on a trickle-charger-maintainter.

Starting it without letting it get really warm will allow water condensation to stay within the engine/transmission compartment, which contaminates the oil, and can lead to accelerated oxidation of the oil, as well as metal surfaces.

Better not to start it at all, if you aren't going to get it up to operating temps for 30 minutes or more.

 

Just keep the battery charged and make sure the antifreeze is strong enough to keep it from freezing. If you start it let it run long enough to get completely warmed up, like a 20-25 minute ride.

 

I fill the tank to the top, change the oil and filter and start it once a month. When I do start it, I warm it up 20 minutes. Once a month is enough. It kinda gives me a woody.....

I find drain the tank will give more problems than a total top off. I do not use stabil. I have 3 months or 4 to wait. Its going to be a long winter, I just bought the KLX a couple of months ago.

I have 3 bikes.

If we happen to get a warm day, I will go riding.

David

 

Oh, I almost forgot! I bought my used 09 this summer, it had 45 miles on it. Original tank of gas from July 08, when it was brand-new...the owner had Red Stabil in it the entire time. I was SURE the carb would be gunked up...but, when I took it apart to clean it, I was stunned that it was sparkling clean. Made me a believer in Red Stabil.

 

I use Stabil also. Sure, the gas may last, but why take the chance? Old gas can crud up the systems. Treat it to a full tank of fresh gas (I prefer ethanol free), treat with Stabil, run the carbs out of fuel, keep the battery on a trickle, and when its a nice day...RIDE IT!

My dad would also remove the spark plug and squirt in some oil and turn it over a few times on all the motors he put away for the winter. I'm hit and miss on this one, but only on things like the lawnmower that are going away for months.

 

Gas tank full with Stabill added ride it around enough to get some of the Stabill into the carb. Then I shut the fuel petcock off with the bike still running and run it until it quits. Change the oil and filter. I hooked up the battery tender once an month and never ever start it unless I'm going to ride it. Blackheart58 is right nothing but bad things happen when you start an engine and don't ride it. Even if you let it run for 20 or 30 minutes the oil won't get up enough temp to get rid of all the condensation and acids that come from start up. Only a good 20 minute ride will get the oil up to operating temp.

 

Drain the float bowl as well. When the engine stops with the petcock closed there is fuel left in the carb.

 

Funny this thread just popped up. I just got back from a ride and still can't feel my feet. It's about 35 F here in NJ today. This is my first winter with the KLX. I topped off the gas and added the red stabil. I'm probably going to get in a 20-30 minute ride about once a month. That's how I did it with my dirt bikes growing up and never had a problem. Well actually I got our more than once a month, the cold didn't seem to bother me so much then...

I also drain the float bowl everytime I put it away. As someone else in this forum mentioned it seems to start easier in cold weather for some reason this way. It's pretty convenient that one time around my circle with the fuel off and it will just barely make it up the garage. Then I put on the choke, it'll run for another 30 seconds and that's all she wrote.

Got the bike in May and have been running it bone stock and having a blast. I'm probably going to do some mods this winter.

- Mark

 

It was about 30 degrees F here today with 4 inches of snow on the ground and I rode about 25 minutes just to see how it handled it. I still have the stock tires on it and they suck in the snow, I needed some rough ***** but I kept it on 2 wheels so all was good.