Cold weather exercise? To start or not to start.

[Steve in VT]

Okay, I admit it, I'm a wuss. When the temp gets much below 30 degrees F. or the road is covered in slush, I leave the roadster hooked up to the umbilical cord in the (non-heated) garage. So today it was about 5 below, and I thought, gee, my battery is over 7 years old. Maybe I ought to be thinking about a new one. I should at least have this one tested. But what better test could there be than to see if it will start right now. We'll see what this cold-cranking business is all about.

So stop right here. Is this a good idea? Not for the battery. I'm resigned to get a new one soon anyway. But will this be bad for the bike?
I have synthetic oil in it, so that's good, but is there a downside to firing it up when its this cold just to let it idle for a few minutes?

Anybody got any thoughts on this?

I did start it, BTW. Took a couple tries before it would keep running.

[mogu83]

7 years old. Do yourself a favor and get a new battery. IMHO

If you start it up in this weather (or any time) you should let it come to operating temps to get the moisture out of the exhaust and also to warm the oil up. Other wise your better off leaving it on a battery maintenance charger.

[Las]

+1what Mogue says; if you start it, it needs to come up to running temp before you shut it down. This said, the manual recommends that you not start up and idle, but rather drive off after starting. So, if you start it, you would need to ride it up to running temp. Better to leave it on the tender if you're not willing to brave the cold. I have a house in Vt. and ride there frequently. The cold won't stop me from riding, but slush, if you could find any at minus 5, does!

[Newportcycle]

IMO, I would leave it alone till your ready to ride, I dont think there is any harm in doing this once or twice, but I wouldnt make a weekly practice of it. At those tempratures, oil weight is more important than synthitic vs dino, not letting the engine come fully up to temprature will promote condensation which you dont want. Dude, 7 years out of a battery ...... damm......

[David R]

7 years old. Do yourself a favor and get a new battery. IMHO

If you start it up in this weather (or any time) you should let it come to operating temps to get the moisture out of the exhaust and also to warm the oil up. Other wise your better off leaving it on a battery maintenance charger.

He has it!


Not to make it an oil dreaded thread, but the synthetic IS better or those really cold starts. It flows easier in the cold this allows the motor to crank over faster.

Just take two bottles of the same weight. Leave them outside or in your freezer. Pour them and see. Don't take my word for it.

I start mine once a month in the winter. Brroooomm Bbrrroooooom! I warm it up completely.

David

[MTBeemer]

When I lived in Alaska I stored bikes for 6 months; never started them. Now I live in tropical Montana and we are able to ride at least a few days every month. I never truly store them although I do prep them all to some degree.

[ammolab]

You will never get the oil up to temp unless you ride the bike. And how hot will the Jugs get with no airflow? If you can not ride...don't start!

[deilenberger]

I'll add a vote for not starting the engine. The real damage can be the cylinder bore or bearings. Engines burn gasoline - which contains a percentage of sulphur. When you start an engine the mixture is very rich meaning there is a maximum amount of the sulphur in the cylinder. Shutting it down quickly leaves moisture in the exhaust that will make it's way back to whichever of the cylinders has an open exhaust valve (and one will..) The moisture combines with the left over sulphur and makes sulphuric acid - that will attack the nikasil lining on the cylinder walls, and if it works past the rings - mix in with the oil in the crankcase (which hopefully has enough acid-neutralizer left to buffer the acid to neutral pH.)

It's simply not a good thing to do. The rich mixture tends to wash the oil film off the cylinder walls besides the other potential damages - meaning there is accelerated wear next time you start it up.

I know the temptation - just try not to give into it unless you're going out for a ride.

[tinytrains]

7 years on the original battery! You get the prize.

Most barley make it 3 years.

Get a new one, the bike usually will not run with a bad battery, even if you jump it. And forget push starting it (worked great on my K75).

[Steve H.]

I agree with David R .Our bikes (in Canada)sitting in garage for 5-6 month or so.I would start it up mounthly,warm it up to operating temps.Good for walwe springs,to mowe them a littlebit,reoiling the engine it selves,Engine reach op. temps.Just fine.The mayor think is to moove valve springs, and relube the engine.That is 15-25 mins.When reaching op. temps,the engine is fully warmed up,like you driving the bike.The idling settles on normal RPM.Extra fuel injection?I don't think so.Washing off lube from cyllinders,-not more than you driving it in same conditions.Mooving springs/relubing engine at NORMAL op.temps,it would harme more than a short ride arround the City or town.

Steve H.

[Woland]

The point is that you won't get the whole engine up to operating temperature and keep it there for a while, thus giving moisture a chance to evaporate unless you actually ride the bike for at least 20-30min.

I never start mine during the winter (usually about 5months), and it always starts just fine come spring.

Don't believe me? Try riding your bike only for 10-15 minutes at a time and let it cool between rides everyday for a week and then check the under the oilcap for water contaminated oil.

[Steve H.]

Hi,Woland!

My practice is:warming up the engine to normal op. temps(4 bars at least)transmission geting warm(heat transfer through housing).After warming it up,giveing some rpm(up to 3000rpm),simulating a ride.Never realised any mouster,and/or oil deposites on the oil filler cup.Using mineral oil Shell Rotella T 15W40+10%Lucas oil stabilizer.7,000mls on bike right now.A perfect running bike.

BRGDS,Steve H.

[Steve in VT]

Update from Vermont, where it hit 40 today. I got up after a restless night, awake at 3 am fretting over what I had read here in response to my original post. I actually dreamed I had damaged my innocent roadster by forcing it awake from a subzero hibernation.
Great comments, BTW, and appreciate the interest/feedback.
A heavy rain yesterday had washed the sand and salt off the roads, so I suited up, fired up, and proceeded to give the bike a workout. The low fuel light came on about half way through the 30-mile loop, so before I got home I filled it with 93 octane. A dash of mint-green Stabil and it was ready for the rest of winter. I think I probably blew out whatever unburned fuel, moisture, or goddam sulfuric acid that may have been lurking in my exhaust ports. Let's hope so, anyway. Won't do that again.
On the other hand, I know the battery is good. It fired up in less than a second today. And I know the German engineers must have designed that mill for low-temperature operation. Hell, the owners manual calls out a specific oil for........yeah, -4 degrees F.
Well, I guess that was pushing the envelope a bit.
Here's a little something for you cold weather riders. The fun starts a couple minutes in. Note the rider's protective gear.
http://youtu.be/mD3MuL99r9U

[Steve H.]

...well, aconfession...
In 1975,driving MZ250TS in Yugoslavia,town of Senta in february(28F),someone pourd out a bucket of water onto ashfalt road at night,fortunatelly driving slow,scince it was a90 degree curve,the bike behived, like someone kicked out of mee,in fraction of a second Iwas onthe ashfalt sliding after my bike.Fortunatelly no injures,but my bike suufered.Bended footpeg,and stearing bar.I learned my lesson that time.A smart man can be f....once,maybe twice,but only a stupide can be third time.

Please, take care of winter driving....be wery-wery careful.

Steve H.

[Steve H.]

I left on 12-07-'13 with my truck(volvo-2012)going through Canada,all the way to Wacouver,BC.South to Sacramento,CA,back to Canada,through USA(I-80/I-94).Arriving home on 01-10-'14.Exeptionally long time for 6,400mls trip.Well,it is winter time.Lots of cares,SUVs where in the ditches.Only one think matters...SLOW DOWN. Bee safe!!That is all abouth.DO NOT thrust to 4wheel drive.If it start to slide,you can not do anything.In a front wheel driven car (in case of loosing grip)I would ADD little gas(throttle) to"pull out the front of the car".That worked for me for time by time.For permanent 4 wheel drive it isen't the case.If you start to slide aside.....pray.Do not go to that point.

Steve H.

[georgek]

my roadster lost a full charge in a week in 35-45 F weather. it's not completely dead, but it's almost there.
is that normal, or would i need a new battery? it's 3 years old.

[MTBeemer]

A fully charged battery should maintain its charge very well at those temps. You may have a drain on the battery or it is near the end of its usefulness. See if it will charge and disconnect it from the bike, then see how it does. You could also check it under load, as when starting the bike. You are hoping the voltage does not drop below 10.5 but below 9.5 and your battery is a goner.

[georgek]

Thanks for the advice. Am charging now. Will see.

[David R]

If your battery went dead in a week, something is wrong. My first internet diagnosis is the battery is shot. Don't take my word for it, look for a draw.

If you charge it and let it sit for a week unhooked from the bike, you will know.
If it is dead or almost after a week unhooked from the bike, its a junk battery no matter what the temp.

In a discussion about cold starting, I fired my bike up in 26.6* f and warmed it up. It sounded good to me and felt good. I needed it as much as the bike. It had not been run in a month. Its close to zero f right now. This is a long effing winter.

David

[Martyn]

A sarcastic, but very talented & competent mechanic I know, if asked the question "Should I start the bike up & run in in the garage for a while ?" had a stock reply.
Adopting a dead pan expression he'd say "Run a jug of water. Take the plugs out & tip some water in each bore, then replace the plugs. Pour the rest of the water into the silencer. There you go. Same result & you haven't used your petrol, or run the risk of exhaust gas poisoning"