not "downunder"....... I ride every day of the year.

 

Yeah it does. I ride all Winter if the temps aren't that cold. Below 25 or 30 I may not go, but try to ride as much as I can if the snow isn't to deep. It's the heat and humidity of Summer that I don't ride in. I install my heated grips in late November.....

 

I ride all year. I try and drive when it's going to snow or be less than 0ºF.
Heated gear and a windshield go along way to keeping me warm. Studded tires keep me upright. All the folks gawking at me keep me amused.

 

You really don't need to do that.

Modern fuel stabilizers work pretty well. Your better off adding stabilizer, filling the tank (filling the tank after adding stabilizer helps mix it) and running the bike a bit. The shut it off and turn off the fuel supply.

Leaving the tank drained is an invitation to rust. If there is a temp fluctuation air will enter the tank through the vent and the water contained there in will condense on the steel and pool at the bottom. Draining the carb can have similar problems as air can enter though the vent hoses and condense on the cold metal. I had a long term storage CB400F that ruined it's carbs this way. Now, for multi year storage I remove the float bowls.

In really cold winters where I do not ride at all I usually try and pull the bikes out and start them once over the winter and run them for 15 minutes. I do this mostly as I like to hear them run, but it also cycles fuel through the fuel system and carries away any solidifying fuel before it has the chance to complete its journey varnish. With modern stabilizers it's not really a problem, though. I just like to hear them run. It reminds me of Summer. Also, there is nothing better than a ride, however short, in deep winter to remind you of why, exactly, it is you ride motorcycles. Buy a heated vest and get out there!

Putting straight Seafoam in the carbs isn't something I would do. I am not sure what's in there but I wouldn't soak my carb parts in it for months at a time. It's probably a solvent, and a carb wasn't designed to be in close contact with it for months. If it will dissolve fuel solids and varnishes it's probably dissolve o rings and plastic given enough time.

Do not over think this. I live in New England and we have as long a winter as anyone in the lower 48. Some years I never even put in fuel stabilizer, I just start the bikes and run them for 15 minutes on the patio. I've never put any bike on a stand and never had a problem.

Some people love the ritual of storage and want to do all they can for their "babies". If they like it, fine. It's part of owning a motorcycle, I guess.

 

I store about a dozen pieces of equipment every year and never had a problem. Used stabilizer once and everything ran like shi t until I flushed it out, so never again.

 

I store stuff for up to 6 months or longer and never used anything. Never had a problem.

 

I never worried about flat spots, never saw where any manufacturer mentions it these days, but I do use stands.

Harbor Freight has

A great swing arm stand It fits all three of my bikes as set - swing arm with is pretty much the same on all. No spools or gimmicks just set the width of the pads and do it.

Then there is the standard MX style track stand:

Or the MX lift:


Make your choice for $30. Maybe less with a coupon from their ads.

I have two of three styles, the Harbor Freight track stand, the first one from HF and the last one is a self-fabricated unit.

 

Yeah, almost forgot. If you click on the "My Bike" link in my signature below, you'll see the jack I've had for 15 years or so. I love this thing, especially when I work on my bikes. I have a few pieces of 2x4's screwed together that I use under my KLX which will get the seat as high as my chest. You can get these anywhere. Harbor Freight, Sears, etc, even seen some real cheap used on Craigslist. At 52, I don't lift my bikes anymore....

 

For the record, I bought my stands for space in my shop and to have one to toss in the car, for times I transport the bike to some place to ride and I might need to work on the bike between rides.
If I was worried about flat spots, which I'm not, I'd just air up my tires.
At home I use a Craftsman motorcycle lift made for a Harley's weight, it's burly. No idea on cost, a friend gave it to me. One of the best gifts I've ever received.

 

Yep, that's exaclty what I have I was saying that's in my pictures. I use it for a lot more than my bikes.