Should you start bike in winter
 

Hi guys,hope you all are doing ok. My question is should you periodically start your bike during the winter months? We had an unseasonably warm day today for January in Indiana(34 degrees) with warm sun. My bike sits in an unheated garage( it does have a full gas tank treated with berrymansb-12). I did crank it over and let it idle for a few minutes.

Just let the bike sit. Periodically starting the bike really won't be to your advantage. You can't really allow the engine to run long enough to dissipate any moisture in the gas or oil without overheating the bike. Also with the engine idling the battery will not charge up to replace the power used to start the bike. Leave it parked with a battery tender and call it a day.

Reproduced from Motorcycle Handbook by Kevin Maher and Ben Greisler......

Leaving it in storage..... Once you have put it in storage, LEAVE IT ALONE. You can drool on it (as long as you dry it afterwards). You can rub body parts against it (as long as you don't scratch it or remove too much wax). You can get in your leathers,sit on it and go "Vroom. . . Vroom" while spitting on yourself. But don't start it just to listen or to "warm the motor". Idling it won't warm the motor very much, probably will not charge the battery, definitely won't do anything for the drivetrain and will most likely leave some condensation in the exhaust to rust your precious pipes and mufflers. LEAVE IT ALONE UNTIL IT IS PROPERLY REMOVED FROM STORAGE.

(The capitals are theirs) :lmao::ride: :clap:

Good advice.....all

If I start it in the winter, it's to take a ride on it. For at least ½ hour.

Indeed, just a little idling will do more harm than good.

A lot warmer today(50) so I took it out for about an hour-ready for spring!

I leave it alone. Starting it up without a decent drive (like others said 1/2 hour min.), you'll just cause condensation and that will just help rust.

I also pull the battery out of mine and take it in the house where it sits on a trickle charger all winter. Since it has gotten super freezing cold here in NE Ohio the last few winters. (It's just the typical wet battery.)