No one around my house cares one bit, so...

[PortlandZinMan]

Had the bike for 2 weeks - had two additions I had to have before I detailed and put the bike away for the winter. The Battery Tender (wow, that was hard) but my real sense of accomplishment was that Honda Center Stand. Took an hour, but thanks to the advice here, I managed it. Had to do the spring twice (ratchet strap method) when I discovered only the small spring hooked at the top... So while no one here will particularly care as well, at least you understand my satisfaction. Thanks for reading...now back to your regular discussions on wind screens, oil and seats...

 

[DCTFAN]

I care.
But the rear seems awfully close to the floor.
If you push down the rear of the bike so that it touches
the floor, do you think you can work on the front tire?
If yes, it may be just the photo angle.
I do care, so there.

Oh, what type oil do you use? WHY?

 

[dduelin]

Had the bike for 2 weeks - had two additions I had to have before I detailed and put the bike away for the winter. The Battery Tender (wow, that was hard) but my real sense of accomplishment was that Honda Center Stand. Took an hour, but thanks to the advice here, I managed it. Had to do the spring twice (ratchet strap method) when I discovered only the small spring hooked at the top... So while no one here will particularly care as well, at least you understand my satisfaction. Thanks for reading...now back to your regular discussions on wind screens, oil and seats...

The springs can be easy or hard.......I breezed thru the Honda stand install on my 2012 but when I installed one on my 2015 I had a devil of a time and had to resort to other method of hooking the springs up top and bottom with the stand's pivot bolt only slipped through one side of the frame then levering the stand to line up the other pivot hole.

I know one thing - I really like living where I can ride all year long. I can't imagine the feeling of buying a new bike then storing it for months. I guess it makes the first ride of spring that much better or something like that.

 

[Old Can Ride]

The part of the country you live in does affect the amount of riding time you are able to obtain from mother nature each year. However, the time you do get is some outstanding roads of this county. The longer one RIDES the sooner the water cooling vest in the summer and the electric clothes in the winter, becomes so much more important than shiney chrome accessories. Soon the only motorcycle riding noise you want to hear is the tires wearing out on the road. It soon all comes down to what really matters -- RIDE --.

 

[670cc]

I know one thing - I really like living where I can ride all year long. I can't imagine the feeling of buying a new bike then storing it for months. I guess it makes the first ride of spring that much better or something like that.

The common thinking is that winter is the time many of us living farther north cannot ride. And that is often true due to ice and snow on roads. But frankly, summer heat can be just as brutal as winter cold. My bikes sometimes sit idle in hot summer periods. I would rather ride on a warm winter day at 45 or 50*F, than a typical sunny summer 90*F day. But at least in the summer you can try to get out early in the morning before the heat builds up. Spring and fall are the best riding seasons for the midwest.

Do people in Florida or Texas put their bikes in storage for the summer?

 

[zirconx]

Nice work!

 

[Old Can Ride]

The common thinking is that winter is the time many of us living farther north cannot ride. And that is often true due to ice and snow on roads. But frankly, summer heat can be just as brutal as winter cold. My bikes sometimes sit idle in hot summer periods. I would rather ride on a warm winter day at 45 or 50*F, than a typical sunny summer 90*F day. But at least in the summer you can try to get out early in the morning before the heat builds up. Spring and fall are the best riding seasons for the midwest.

Do people in Florida or Texas put their bikes in storage for the summer?

I 100% agree with you. I ride a lot more in the winter months. We do ride year round, just hydration problems in the summer heat. I have never storied a motorcycle ever never in any month!!!!!!!! Just keep on keeping on RIDING!!!

 

[Woody]

I know one thing - I really like living where I can ride all year long. I can't imagine the feeling of buying a new bike then storing it for months. I guess it makes the first ride of spring that much better or something like that.

Living in Switzerland, I clearly don't expect to be able to have the right conditions to ride all winter. Having said that, as long as the roads are dry, free from ice, and the temperature is not Siberian, I fully intend to use the bike instead of the car on short distance commuting needs (shopping, gym, excursions into town). Since this is my first year on a bike (three months under my tyres, so far), I can't tell if I might go a few weeks without the chance to ride or several months. As I hear a lot about people "winterising" their bikes, is there any risk if the bike sits there for a month and a half without being ridden? It is parked in an underground parking where the temperature should not drop below zero.

 

[Deleted member 5383]

winterize? inot in my experience, other than keeping the tank pretty full of non-ethanol fuel if possible, and using a battery maintainer when practical.

 

[PortlandZinMan]

I care.
But the rear seems awfully close to the floor.
If you push down the rear of the bike so that it touches
the floor, do you think you can work on the front tire?
If yes, it may be just the photo angle.

The rear wheel is at least an inch off the ground - I can lean on the back seat and the front wheel comes off the ground. Good?

 

[PortlandZinMan]

I 100% agree with you. I ride a lot more in the winter months. We do ride year round, just hydration problems in the summer heat. I have never storied a motorcycle ever never in any month!!!!!!!! Just keep on keeping on RIDING!!!

I draw the line at "Snow and Ice"... Grin!

 

[DCTFAN]

The rear wheel is at least an inch off the ground - I can lean on the back seat and the front wheel comes off the ground. Good?

I haven't measured, while I had mine, but maybe someone will chime in,
but one inch off the ground sounds insufficient. Just putting on rear knobbies will reduce that to 1/2 " clearance, then what?

I still care...

 

[jayceegee]

You're putting your bike up for the Winter -- in Portland ? I must say I am a bit surprised. I live in Tacoma WA and never have put a bike up for the Winter. We are like Portland meaning it is rare to get snow on the ground and if it does snow it only last at most a few days. Ice on the roads can be a problem but those are identified in the daily forecasts and can be avoided by staying on well traveled roads not the back roads.
We may get rain and it may get cold but with proper riding gear the season for riding is 50 weeks a year for me.

 

[PortlandZinMan]

You're putting your bike up for the Winter -- in Portland ? I must say I am a bit surprised. I live in Tacoma WA and never have put a bike up for the Winter. We are like Portland meaning it is rare to get snow on the ground and if it does snow it only last at most a few days. Ice on the roads can be a problem but those are identified in the daily forecasts and can be avoided by staying on well traveled roads not the back roads.
We may get rain and it may get cold but with proper riding gear the season for riding is 50 weeks a year for me.

Yah...totally understand. I will admit that I am now a fair weather rider. Back in my younger "Iron Butt" days, I rode in anything (been there, done that)...but now, I make a choice to ride in mild-warm, dry and comfortable days. In the off chance that winter produces a nice dry day, I will gear up with warm stuff and brave the cold, but if it is wet, then that is my cue to drive the Volt. I will spend the next few months adding goodies to the bike. I am also going to learn how to remove all the plastic, do chain maintenance (have had shaft drives for the past 30 years) and even take a crack at the valve clearance check. See you in the spring!

 

[TN Thunder]

On my 2012 a friend and I read the threads and watched YouTube, took us about 1 hr. Spring was the problem same as you, one didn't connect. When I got the 2014 I put the center stand on by myself and took about 40 minutes. Your bike is same color as my bike. I don't winterize as we ride year around. However, I'm with a broke leg so no riding since Oct. 13. Can't wait to get back on the 2-wheelers. I live in East about 25 miles from the fires in East TN.

 

[dduelin]

The common thinking is that winter is the time many of us living farther north cannot ride. And that is often true due to ice and snow on roads. But frankly, summer heat can be just as brutal as winter cold. My bikes sometimes sit idle in hot summer periods. I would rather ride on a warm winter day at 45 or 50*F, than a typical sunny summer 90*F day. But at least in the summer you can try to get out early in the morning before the heat builds up. Spring and fall are the best riding seasons for the midwest.

Do people in Florida or Texas put their bikes in storage for the summer?

I do know a couple guys that do almost no riding in the summer (Florida) but most of my friends still continue to ride albeit maybe not as long or as far. The heat doesn't affect me enough to hang it up in the summer. The days are long and the mornings and late afternoons into evening offer respite from the worst heat.

 

[Deleted member 5383]

I prefer "up in the mid 100F" days to the just above 32 days, but since there's usually snow and ice down on the roads for most of that anyway... I just get rides in here and there during the winter when the roads have cleared and maybe or maybe not the sun is out. I take my dual-sport out to play in some snow on Forest Service land too. Living near Glacier NP, I can pretty much get stormed on real hard during the other three seasons, pays to have an extra layer or two along, and some spare gloves for colder and wetter riding around here.

 

[Deleted member 5383]

I draw the line at "Snow and Ice"... Grin!

Ah, there's some nice breaks on the Oregon Coast during the winter -- I'd love to ride down the coast during the winter when that happens!

 

[Deleted member 5383]

I live in Tacoma WA and never have put a bike up for the Winter. We are like Portland meaning it is rare to get snow on the ground and if it does snow it only last at most a few days. Ice on the roads can be a problem but those are identified in the daily forecasts and can be avoided by staying on well traveled roads not the back roads.
We may get rain and it may get cold but with proper riding gear the season for riding is 50 weeks a year for me.

Yeah, much within a day-riding radius around there. Lived in Pacific Beach/ Moclips, Tacoma, Seattle for lots of years... lots of great stuff there!

 

[Socrates]

Same mods to my bike, love 'em both!

Had the bike for 2 weeks - had two additions I had to have before I detailed and put the bike away for the winter. The Battery Tender (wow, that was hard) but my real sense of accomplishment was that Honda Center Stand. Took an hour, but thanks to the advice here, I managed it. Had to do the spring twice (ratchet strap method) when I discovered only the small spring hooked at the top... So while no one here will particularly care as well, at least you understand my satisfaction. Thanks for reading...now back to your regular discussions on wind screens, oil and seats...

The Battery Tender wasn't a fun install, but the quick disconnect plug saved me last week when my battery died for no apparent reason. (jump started my NC from my F150. wasn't sure if there would be any issues from the higher output battery in my truck, but it worked perfectly.)

The center stand was an easy install (thanks to the video showing use of ratchet strap to stretch the springs). Excited to have a center stand for maintenance, but it still makes me nervous to lift my bike up on the stand. lol