Winter "get ready" ideas

[patropsley]

Long story short – I have had a touch at work and can keep claiming for journeys on my wee  as well as using a company car (I had planned on selling my wee if I couldn’t claim mileage on her)

Following on from Fatbellys comments on the winter shutdown idea thread I thought I would share my excitement at this time of the year and particularly this year as I thought I wouldn’t have a bike to ride through the autumn and winter.

I usually give my bike a good wash every two or three weeks anyway so she is in good condition for a 18k 2011 bike also have tutoro chain oiler and clean and lube the chain after every wash

My autumn prep usually the first Weekend in October –

The mother of all cleans bike stripped down (fairing off proper job every nook and cranny cleaned waxed /polished)

I apply acf 50 to every surface I can find (except Brakes, levers, grips, saddle and foot pegs) I bought the big bottle and pour into the vaporiser myself this goes so far and saves so much money

Spend an hour or so unscrewing bolts and covering with ACF50 grease and putting them back

General brake service – clean, check and Lube

Chain full degrease (I use Paraffin) Take off the front sprocket cover and clean - plenty of grinding paste usually   I then use the white spray on the outside of the chain allowing the Tutoro oilier to keep the middle oiled  as I ride around – The white is great as it a great visual check to see how often you need to give another clean and re-spray

All cables lubed with blue and yellow cable lube (also a spray into the two key holes)

Change my screen to my big Slipscreen it’s max width (so that it is just short or the dash on full lock) keeps me very dry through he winter.

Put on the hand guards so that I can put on my muffs

As I use muffs I have the Oxford over heated grips and wire them in and put the controller on the dash

I have an Exo heated stormrider vest so wire the controller and the plug ( I had planned on getting the gloves and daisy chaining them onto the jacket but I have got used to riding in summer gloves year round and Like not getting them wet.

Double check fluids, oil and air

Take her for a ride to check everything.

I love riding in the winter - No fly splatter on the windscreen not many crotch rockets flying by spoiling my overtakes.

Then I hit the winter roads – I still clean her every three weeks or so and re apply THE acf 50 not the most cost effective regime but it works for me.

Any tips to make my day even more special I would like to hear

Regards

Pat

[mjc506]

Don't lube the cables They're teflon lined and shouldn't be lubed.

[patropsley]

Thanks for that - I didn't know I have been spraying it down twice a year since I bought it - I will stop!!


Cheers

Pat

[mjc506]

eh, in that case it might be better to continue? I'm honestly not sure haha

[Tusker]

its time for me to talk to Allyearbiker  cos I'm loving what they do  

[mr_diver]

For me it just time to nikiwax the gear, find my luminous vest, spray bike in gt85, and find the thermal liner for my jacket.
Other than that's me and the bike are ready... but I need to give my pedal bike a once over as when the roads get icy I'm cycling to work.

[Juvecu]

I have to put it back together first...

[Abercol]

End of October mine gets a good clean and ACF50 then bunged in the GCHQ (khaki tent) for the winter....comes out again late Feb/early March.

I'm starting to hanker after a replacement so it'll probably be sold  - should really do that now I s'pose....

Been thinking outside the box - '10 plate Triumph Rocket 3 Touring with a ecu remap to bring back the lost 35 ponies...And a CB1300S (reminds me of my old CB900) or summat fast but comfy for my second machine...Gen II FJR1300.

Have around 13-15k to spend so can be pretty much anything.

[Fatbelly]

I occasionally ride my brother's Rocket III, it's daftness on two wheels!

[Descolada]

That's funny, it just confirms how I always manage to be working back to front, I was just reading an article about what to do when you open the shed to let your bike out at the start of another snow-free year.

It's from Ken Condon over at Motorcycle Consumer News and is called "Season Startup".

If you are interested you can read it here;

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/proficient_motor/2012AprPMC.pdf

I'm expecting to ride through the Winter again this year (snow permitting) but was interested in what they had to say about brushing up on your skills after a break.

[Andy M]

Liner in the jacket, fill the tank and look forwards to nice crisp days with roads free of Death Wish Power Rangers, wobbly leather tassel parades and plod trying to fill his summer accident reduction quota.    

ACF50 on while the tank is off is a good idea though, I'll be getting in as far as the plugs in the next few thousand miles so makes sense to clean as you go in and ACF as you work your way out.

Andy