Time for the Tiger and Cheetah to hibernate again

[TigerRider]

Well, sadly, it's that time again.  Time to put the bikes into winter storage.  Since I've been riding the VFR almost exclusively this year, the Magna was already in its designated storage place in my garage.  Now I have to put it up onto the center stand, pull the spark plugs to add the fogging oil to the cylinders, add stabil to the gas and top the tank off, give it a good cleaning and spray some wd-40 on the pipes and such.  I will temporarily put the battery back in just to roll it over after adding the oil and stabil, but then that comes back out.  Yep, it's getting the full treatment this year, as it will probably set for awhile.  I have some mods planned for it as soon as I get time to get to them, which may not be until next spring.  As for the VFR, it will probably just get the stabil treatment and cleaning.

It's a sad time of year up here in the great white north.    

[Greg Cothern]

TigerRider, sorry that the frozen tundra dictates such atrosities, LoL.  However you do get to do all those mods and not intrupt riding with a weather schedule such as that.
I cant wait to see how Sherekahn evolves!  Send progress PICs along the journey?
We will be thinking about ya while accelerating through the apex's this week.

[ThomasMagna]

TigerRider,

I feel your pain. I woke up this morning to our first frost down here in Monroe, Mi. I never did get around to a ride today but am going to hold on as long as I can. Tomorrow for sure. Met up with a friend on Sunday for a short ride. It was beautiful though a bit gusty. Pulling out the winter clothing and test riding.

In the last few years I find that I get spring fever at this time of year which is way to soon. Now that I have started riding again the fever is rising higher than ever.

There is another posting about batteries and as an aside, mine died last week. Was hoping the charge and distilled water top off of the cells would ressurect it because I wanted it to last to the when I called it quits. Oh well.

[TigerRider]

I always try to do any new mods during the winter if I can.  Not much else to do up here once it gets cold.  And even if I do them next spring, it won't interrupt any riding for me, as I will have the VFR to keep me happy.  And with that bike being soooo fast and fun to ride, keeping me happy is easy.  

As for the mods, they aren't major.  I want to remove the license plate bracket and replace it with a lighted side mount style.  Then I can crop the back plastic fender to expose more of the rear tire.  I hope to have somebody look at my 4-into-1 header I bought to see if it can be rechromed and refitted with a different muffler.  If so, then I will try to install that, too.  Then I might have a new front fender made for it and have it custom painted to match the bike.  Plus there are a few minor things, too.  Ya know, maybe the mods are more major than I thought!  LOL!

And I wish I had some time to take advantage of these last few days of semi-good weather, but I'm working 12 hours nearly every day now.  Lots of OT, but it will help out in the long run.  So ride a few apex's for me!

[ThomasMagna]

Went out yesterday for a quick 70 miles with a friend from north of here. Rain had been predicted for yesterday for the entire week. No, no rain, not even a mist or a drop. It seems to me that a weather person can be wrong most of the time and still keep their job, such a deal. It was nice enough being 54 degrees, the gusts we have had for a week subsided and the sun poked through th clouds intermittantly.

The only problem with riding in the fall up here in the north country are those flocking birds. Well, wet, fallen leaves are a problem as well  along with the over spill of grain and soy beans off the harvest trucks that seem to happen only in cornors. That said, yesterday my friend hit two birds while riding...or they hit him, however you want to look at it. One hit low on frame someplace. THe second one, later on the ride pinged him right in the helmet. I was behind and rode throgh the flurry of pin feathers. He wasn't hurt, infact, he wasn't even sure he hit the second one.

These weren't particularly big flocks either. The starlings flock by the hundreds or even thousnads and seem to fly with a single mind between them. It will get worse before it gets better as it seems like a late arriving fall for us.

It made me think of the Upper Penninsula and the problem with the bald eagle up there. SOme of these birds are killed by cars each year up there. They are carrion birds and often land on the two lane roads up there to eat the forrest rats (deer) that have been hit by cars. There are so many blind curves up there that drivers can't see the eagles on the road until it is too late. The eagles, being so big, lumber into the air very slowly and often enough don't get out of the way.

I am not sure what this post is s'posed to mean if anything. Probably just a little rambling without merit.

[Charles S Otwell]

I'd say your post defiantly has merit, as each season change brings a new set of hazards for the motorcycle rider. We need to be remined to adjust our thought patterns. We don't have a big bird problem in our neck of the woods, but with the cooler weather deer and other animals have found a new energy and are running every where even here in town. For my part thanks for the reminder.




Charles

[Shortround]

This weekend will be the end for me. Sunday I'm moving from the Milwaukee, WI area to the Green Bay area. I have a new job up there. I may not be abile to do the modes I had hoped to do.

[Weinercat]

Yesterday was my last day. Its getting cool here in Chicago and the rainy season is upon us.  I bought some fogging oil at the store and took the 83 for a short ride. Since the accident I have been a little apprehensive about riding, but it felt good to ride. Quick question..... If I am storing the Bike in an attached garage for the winter should I change the coolant before or after the winter? Any suggestions?

[ThomasMagna]

Weinercat,

I am sure someone more knowlegable than I will weigh in on this and I am no mechanic or cycle guru. I have an '82 V45 and the manual says to change the coolant every 24,000 miles. I don't have near that on the old girl but plan on changing it in the spring because I am not sure that the old owner(s) put in when they topped it off. I checked the specific gravity of my coolant to make sure it was up to par and that is about that.

Don't take this as advice, just what I am planning on doing. Also thinking of getting the cold plugs for Betty and ride every dry day that we have this winter. I say that now, but time will tell. Not sure I have the clothing for it.

[Greg Cothern]

Coolant does expire, if you read the new stuff on the market most says 5 years now days.
Not knowing what the previous owner instilled I would start a fresh then you know for sure.  Coolant is cheap enough, especially for piece of mind.

[DC Smith]

I am thinking of changing my coolant too.  But after pricing the stuff that Honda puts out, I don't know if I can afford to.   What brand out there are ok for use in a motorcycle that won't break the bank.

[Greg Cothern]

As long as it is safe for aluminum and silicate free and a 50/50 mix then you should be good to go.