There are more than a few Strommers on this site that will tell you NOT to run your bike 4-5 minutes a week as cold weather maintenance. I believe the right way is to use stabile per directions AND a battery tender. Leave the rest of the bike alone.

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Agree. Don't go starting the bike just for 4-5 minutes. Doesn't do anything for it. Let it sleep if you ain't going to ride it.

It was 32 here this morning and got up to 47 - I was tempted to ride in today since it was sunny, but wussed out (because it would be dark coming home, and deer are getting really thick). But this weekend it will be back in the upper 50's and sunny, so it's definitely not time to put it away yet!!! Maybe in December or January? I want to park it for a couple months over the winter to do some maintenance (valve check and such is high on the list, since it is only a couple thousand miles short anyway, and I hate to miss riding time next summer to do it then), but I am not ready to call it quits for the year yet!

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Mine will never see Sta-Bil in the system. . .

While I would like to think that I will ride through the winter, bike maintenance and an iced-over driveway will most likely dictate my riding schedule. I suspect that January will see few miles, if any, on my Strom's Odometer. February though, 2010 riding season begins!

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A couple years ago, it was mid-60s and sunny for a few days in the beginning of December. I put another couple hundred miles on the clock for the year - and made the downtime that much shorter.

Work is sending me to San Diego for 4 months, by then Maine should be warming up, I hope...bike is coming with me!

I got the bottle of Sta-Bil ready, and a battery tender on its way. I'll ride long trips till its like 40 deg out, then its just short hop trips (30 min) from there maybe. I feel that if its a decent day its good enough for a trip.

For me the end all will be when the snow comes and the street crews put out that salt/brine stuff on the road. I really don't want to get that on the bike (wet or dry). From that it will be a couple of rain showers before the bike hits the streets again.

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This is true. I used to think otherwise when I rode bikes that I wouldn't ride through the winter

Starting a bike in the cold of winter and not using it causes condensation to form once it cools down and actually does more damage in the long run (though, it is minimal and gradual).

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-=Glen=-
(n1xf)

'02 DL1000
'06 KLX250S

Check out my Photo A Day Gallery or my Flickr Photostream

Make sure if she is sleeping for the next few months to fill the gas tank up right to the top. I have seen a tank off a year old yamaha v-star that was half covered with surface rust on the inside. The owner put it away with half a tank. Condensation formed on the bare metal and caused the rust. Not a cheap date to have the inside of the tank cleaned and coated. An ounce of prevention is worth its' weight in gold when it comes to stuff like that. One other thing, pray for a mild winter and an early spring!!!

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That's great to know, I wonder if the same holds for cars, being active duty military my car sits for 6 months or longer at a time, I used to have my wife start it once a month, in the future maybe I'll put in fuel stabilizer and a batter tender too and just let it sleep as well.