Too lazy to winterize

[Tfrank59]

The Drifter is the most admired of all the Harleys and Honda's.

That's kind of funny and good to hear. I sometimes have people just come up and admire my girl and say something like "I don't know what it is about this but it's beautiful." Then I kind of go into this long discourse about Indians and the valanced fenders and how this one is actually a replica

[RockinRollin]

I'm up in Southern Ontario and am fortunate enough to have a spot in my brother's heated shop to store it. He has  4 other bikes in there. The Drifter is the most admired of all the Harleys and Honda's.

[mittico68]

Well you don't actually have winter in Italia, right? I guess if you go up north a ways...

Not yet.
But these days we're facing stormy & rainy weather, with lots of troubles (and even some decease).
So, no rides for me. 
But I still hope in better days... 

[Tfrank59]

And that is why mine is a blacked out version... 

Well you don't actually have winter in Italia, right? I guess if you go up north a ways...

[mittico68]

The Drifter and Virago are too chromed up to get dirty, wash and spend an hour polishing.

And that is why mine is a blacked out version... 

[rob f]

Ya, way back in September we had a few early snowfalls that looked like it was staying, so I winterized 2 outta 3 bikes. Well wouldn't ya know it, Oct turned out beautiful. I was able to hop on the V-strom which I hadn't done up yet , and put on a few miles. Was seriously looking at  un-winterizing the Drifter but decided not to.
One of the reasons for getting the v-strom was to gain a few weeks of riding at either end of the season. Not a lick of chrome and can be rinsed down with a garden hose. The Drifter and Virago are too chromed up to get dirty, wash and spend an hour polishing.
One of the few drawbacks of living on gravel roads.
Only 5 short months and i"ll have the Drifter back on the road. In the meantime i"ll listen to your guy's riding stories and imagine that i"m tagging along.
Rob

[Tfrank59]

I park mine.  They put so much salt on the roads around here, I hate to get them out, even if we have a warm spell.

yeah road salt sucks. They only put it down in my area in extreme cold conditions, maybe like January. One year I got my other bike out which has aluminum wheels, and I've never really gotten the corrosion off from the road salt on that ride like 3 years ago. But my Drifter has chrome rims which I think will hold up a little better, but still not a good thing to expose your bike to.

[mittico68]

Me too, I've never winterized the bike, so to be able to ride her each time the weather conditions allowed me.
But this winter I'm planning to put her on a jack, for some adds-on and maintenance.

[Pilgrim]

I never winterize...put a little sea foam in the gas and battery tender. Will ride if the weather permits. We get several 40's temp days.

[greenbarn]

I park mine.  They put so much salt on the roads around here, I hate to get them out, even if we have a warm spell.

[Tfrank59]

Yes boys and girls, I don't want to risk putting my girl up for the winter and then having some 2 week El Nino heatwave in January where I'll feel compelled to be out there riding. So what to do? I'm just going to keep riding the bike, although they say if you can't ride for a solid hour you're doing more harm than good. Still, I can't bring myself to do all the stuff that's really required or recommended to winterize my bike or bikes properly. I'll let you know how it goes but I'll probably only be able to do that half hour ride once a week when things really get cold and wet up here and the Seattle area. What's your plan for the cold wet months ahead?