Winter storage, if it's not already time (I haven't at the moment) what is the best way to protect my Matchless during the winter?
Having looked at different classic bike sites for information and it does differ from one to another on certain things.
Here's a list of things I'm unsure of, not only protect but preparation for spring.
Brick garage, concrete floor.

Cover or not cover (not with plastic)
Remove the battery & trickle charge
Petrol tank
Tyres place off the cold floor
Plug the exhaust

I also noted WD40 sprayed, now is that just on nuts and bolts or the engine, exaust etc ?

Or would it be best in doors?
Cheers..

I have my bike in an 8x4 plywood sheet box floor and sides the top is covered with a dust sheet the wood tends to absorb the moisture jack the wheels off the floor to preserve the tyres I have done this for years with no trouble

email (option): roger.beck@node6.com

Buy yourself a VAC BAG, just drain out petrol/oil remove battery and wheel into bag place bag of crystal inside suckout air with vaccum cleaner and tie open end with tiewrap job done.I only use this method on my TRIBSA as it has shiny bits.My WM20 gets used all year round no shiny bits to rust/corrode even the crankcases and gearbox are painted so no problem with salt on road.I know of people who even use these bags outside to store their bikes for winter with no problems.. Dave

When using those vac bags put something like a bit of hose over the end of he handlebar levers or they burst through the plastic, same goes for other sharp bits.
A lesson I learned the hard way.
these days I just cover anything rustable with oily stuff

If you have a cat or not put a tray of cat litter in your shed it will pick up lots of moisture

Spray it with WD 40 every so often, run the engine up once a week or so and take it out for a ride when there's a reasonable day...

I went out for an enjoyable run on my TRW today....

It's only winter...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Just carry on using it, wash, clean and lub as needed and enjoy the blight short winter days. People are much more sensitive to the changing seasons than 70 years machinery.
Richard

That was "bright"

i tend to ride my old bikes in the winter as the garden/racing gets in the way during summer - yes i have some rust from salt, but at least its got a lot of metal to work at.
My own fault with the mudguards as i only enamel painted the the inside - really needs something a bit thicker/more impact resistant.

Just got back from a ride to the Oil-can Cafe (Holmfirth) - the ES2 is soaked so it will get a wipe and a blast with WD40 on the chrome tank and engine - heres no other chrome so.....


My Modern bikes (well a W650 and a BMW) are the ones i store over winter - see above -

yes remove battery - i'm sure theirs an electrolise effect causing corrosion.
Yes run engine up and fill with NEW oil for the winter storage.
My workshp is unheated as i know heating/cooling all the old iron causes corrosion due to condensation - my health comes secondary.
Dont cover with old news papers which i did once - they absorb water mercilessly!
Simlarly with cotton sheets - i use old woollen sheets, these definately keep much dryer.

The BMW is in a 10c heated building for the winter. The Ariel is in the shed sprayed down with WD40 and covered with an old grey wool army blanket I want to keep the best bikes close to home so it wont get pinched. If someone takes the BMW I can go to the store and get another one not the Ariel and my wife wont let me keep it in the bedroom LOL

Thanks for the replays everyone
I'll keep riding until the weather changes, one other question regarding the petrol tank/carb the current fuel has been in since July/Aug would it be best to replace it with fresh fuel add redex and wynns dry for the winter?

Or drain the tank if laid up for 2 or 3 months ?

Cheers..

You hear of people saying they have all kinds of trouble with stale fuel.......and it does degrade, although I have never had an issue with stale petrol in my bikes. My thinking is that even stale petrol these days is better than the pool petrol they were fed in WW2. However, the ethanol is a concern if you have old style petrol tank sealer installed and I have had a tank rot out from the inside due to the build up of water (that ethanol attracts) in a dead spot in a Yamaha tank, so draining is not a bad idea......including and especially the carb......if you lay it up.......although its always better to take it out for occasional runs, for sure and dont lay up. I use ACF 50 as a general anti corrosion spray because it is reasonably rain proof and one application is good for all winter.......much better than WD40. Also, I only use dry cell batteries these days as they keep their charge and dont need any maintenance.

Yes, I'm all for taking them out when the opportunity (or necessity) arises during the winter...

I think many people are a bit too hasty in getting the bike off the road for a third of the year...

Regarding 'stale fuel', in many cases this gets blamed when other faults are the problem IMO...I've never had a problem with it, yet some say they've had problems after just a few weeks....

I couldn't ride or even start my bikes for over a year after I broke my ankle but I didn't have to change the fuel to get them running again after the enforced layup...

I think Fergs advice is the way to go though if you are putting the bike away for an extended period of time...As well as that consider what you are going to do with the battery...You can get a 6 volt battery maintenance charger (Optimate or similar)...They will work with lead acid, gel or AGM batteries and are a worth while investment...

If we're talking single cylinder bikes also turn the engine over until it's on the compression stroke (both valves closed...) That will prevent any damp atmosphere getting to the cylinder...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

I was reading O&Ms book and in the Ariel contract section for 07/04/40 in the notes it says preserved against rust and tropicalised.
What did they do that was so different?

Cheers Steven

First dipped into O/G drab then desiccated coconut?

Steve;
Seems i have same mentality as you, my modern stuff are in my least secure buildings!

With the MX bikes in an unlocked garden shed - mind you anyone who wonts them will have to battle lawn-mower/hose's/plastic bags etc...........

As for fuel - it now bad enough for me to go electric for garden equipment, despite 1/2 acre garden - i tore shoulder muscle last year tring to start a scarifier!
It does cuase problems, and adding 2T oil doesnt help - i've just had to spent +£70 on (2)carb kits for the BMW due to corrosion 'welding' the float valve into the valve body!!!???
The mk1 Amals dont last a season until corrosion gets to them (Dell orto's or Mikuni's are much better).
The only answer seems to be to drain them dry - and even that sometime is not enough.

Ian - is suspect you dont get much trouble as you use your bikes continously.

['Ian - is suspect you dont get much trouble as you use your bikes continuously...']

Not really...If you have a number bikes and you don't religiously swap them round something is going to spend too much time standing unused...

I do think (road) bikes are for using, not for looking at and on that basis I have restricted the number I have in the last few years...That way they are more likely to get some use...

I'm not sure how long you have to leave a bike to get problems...As I said all my bikes weren't started for at least a year after I broke my ankle and I didn't strip any carbs or even change the petrol to get them running again...

If bikes are parked up for so long they are having these problems then arguably the solution is to have less or ride more...That is unless you are a collector as well, when using them may not be the main reason for owning them...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

There are too many variables to give a definaive answer to this question.
Like relative humidity, absolute minimum temperature , composition of the fuel etc, etc.

I like to fill tanks to the brim so there is no air in there to drop moisture into the bottom of the tank and if it does there is no oxygen to initiate rust.
A cotton or woolen cover to adsorb airbourne moisture works well but it needs to be thicker than an old summer bed sheet, Flanniese with toe holes work well.
Not sure about the tyres off the ground idea.
Apart from making a semi permanent lump I see no rel reason to do this and 20lb of extra air will stop deformation.
There was an arguement that moisture gets adsorbed into the tyre which then promotes rusting of the rims but I rather think that would have been a good one for the Mythbusters should they have done another season.

My M20 lives outside under a BBQ cover but down here we ride all year round.
The round tank lives in the shed, under an old blanket and the other stuff is up in the shipping container.

Woolen cover definately feels less damp than my previous cotten sheets.

Like you i dont see point in doing anything about tires - pump them up and leave them.

There are products you can add to oil for storeage,and safely run the bike with them in, we used them in commercial Gearbox, but cannot remember what the product was....

Marine grade oils (from a yacht chandler) aslo have anti corrosion additives, as most boat engines die from neglect/moisture/lack of running, etc.

Regarding fuel - for a long time i was very sceptical about all the reports about modern fuels, etc.
That is until it directly effected me ..... there are various theory's but it can be a problem, though i have found older 276 Amals do seem less effected than more modern ones -
And anything fitted with Walbro type pump carbs (strippers etc) are very badly effected as the diaphram sticks together or swells.