Winter storage and fuel ????

[Alberta Mike]

I'm sure this question has been posted in the past but here goes. My Road Toad is ready for winter storage, will be in my unheated garage. Temperature up here gets as cold as pretty much anywhere at times over the next six months. Right now, I have about a 1/2 tank of premium fuel in it right now, no ethanol in that gas. I plan to run some fuel stabilizer through the system before I park it, that stuff used to work wonders for spring start up with a Gold Wing I had years ago.

So here's my question. Do I run the bike with the gas turned off so the carb runs dry and then park it? Or do I just run it for a while and then shut things down, close off the fuel valve and keep fuel in the carb through the winter? I'm probably going to get both ends of the spectrum here for replies but I'll be interested in what experienced Hokaka owners suggest.

[thrownchain]

Even if you run the bike till it quits, the bowl won't be totally dry. So you do run the risk of some varnish in the bowl. If you're gonna use stabilizer then I'd run it to get the treated fuel in all the system then just shut it down, make sure the fuel petcocks are closed so fuel doesn't leak down into the carb. Should be good for the off season.

[Hydraulic Jack]

Because your tank is half or less, I would drain the tank and the carburetor, and leave them empty for the winter. Fuel stabilizer is great stuff, but I don't think it actually stops evaporation completely. The problem I see is that you intend to leave the bike sit for six months. For that long a period, I think you are better served by having a dry fuel system. Use the drained fuel for something else. Your petcocks are probably not 100% effective, and if they weep a bit, your carb will refill over time. If your float needle isn't 100%, then fuel will overflow. I would just drain the system and not worry about it.

Even the injector oil is subject to some deterioration over time, but perhaps not as much as gasoline.

[efkruger]

When I will not be riding a bike regularly I have learned years ago to always drain the gas tank and the carburetor completely and you are eliminating any chance for problems. I even remove the spark plug and squirt a little oil into the cylinder and move the piston up and down a few times and leave it in the up position so that the exhaust port is closed.