Making my Buddy winter ready?

[schroncc]

Are there any steps that need to be taken to make my buddy winter ready? I live in Ohio and plan on ridding all year long, any suggestions?

[peabody99]

I am with you, although this is my first scooter winter. I rode today in upper 30's, high wind (it even snowed some) and it wasnt pretty! I am guessing my rides will be shorter and I wonder how the battery will handle all the short, infrequent rides. I have a heated garage though so that should help the over night. thanks anyone for ideas, b/c there is NO way Buddy is going to hibernate all winter.

[vitaminC]

A battery tender is a good thing, as it will keep the battery fresh when the snow is piled deep and the Buddy cannot escape the garage. The Buddy could probably also benefit from a little longer warm-up before going WOT (wide-open throttle). And check to make sure that the oil viscocity is compatible with the lower temps, so you aren't trying to lubricate the engine with solid oil!

Other than a windshield, there is probably not much you can do to the Buddy itself. If you are riding on salted roads, it would likely be a good idea to give the Buddy extra frequent washings (or at least a good rinse) to keep the salt from prematurely corroding all the exposed metal bits. I'm guessing the Tawainese may not take salted roads into their build specifications!

Also make sure you have good winter gear on your person, as even at low speeds the windchill will cool you very rapidly! And the colder you get the harder it is to think straight, much less make your fingers do what you want. Keeping your core warm with a good fleece under your jacket will help alot, as will some quality winter gloves.

Good luck! Ride safe and warm!

PS- I've passed winters in both Nashville, TN and East Lansing, MI, so I have a little cold weather experience. Probably the only way to make winter riding really bearable is to move to SoCal!

[sparty]

I would like to winterize my Buddy too. Since I don't have a garage.. I either have to leave it out in the parking lot, or store it in a storage room, which requires me to drain the gas tank....something I am not too keen to go. I live in upstate new york...so it gets kinda snowy here. Any ideas? I guess a scooter cover will help, but what else?

[peabody99]

I have heard salt is terrible, you can never get it all off and it shortens scoot life. So I will actually draw the line when it comes driving with salt on the road.

[vitaminC]

I have heard salt is terrible, you can never get it all off and it shortens scoot life. So I will actually draw the line when it comes driving with salt on the road.

As an added preventative, you could also give the entire scoot a very good waxing- includining all the shiny metal bits. You may also spray down the same metal parts with some WD40 to add some extra protection.

Those two punch outs on the front of the scoot (where the basket mounts go) will be a good way for garbage to get in where the electrics are, so maybe take the front panel off and seal those up with some duct tape or something similar.

And just because you can't see the salt, doesn't mean it's not there! Takes a while for all that to get washed away...

[FlyingGary]

If you're not planning on riding over the winter, I'd recommend disconnecting the battery.

[germ]

First thing, buy yourself a tall windscreen. If you have cold winters it will keep the wind off of you which is the key to riding in winter. Also if you have a place out of the cold to store the scooter at night it will start immeadiately in the morning. When they get cold they tend to take a while to start. Riding on snow or ice would not be very smart. Also when it snows they usually put dirt or salt in the streets which cars push to the side of the road. That debris is very slippery and I slid into my driveway once and crashed. I don't think that there is anything that you can really do for your scooter as far as preparing it.

[gt1000]

Lots of good advice in this thread.

One of the things I like most about Denver is that riding season is pretty much year round. I won't ride if there's snow or ice on the road, but everything else is fair game. Winter mornings are usually cold and I'll typically ride to work if the temps are over 15 degrees F. I can usually count on sun and temps in the 40's for my afternoon ride home. To me, the most important cold weather clothing item is great gloves. Since my commute is only about 4 miles, my hands, neck and face are most vulnerable.

As far as riding goes, just like in rain, you need to be extra careful. That guy in the yellow hummer stuffing his puffy face with a breakfast burrito doesn't expect to see anyone on a scooter or bike when it's 20 degrees. Denver claims it doesn't use salt but the sand and liquid mag chloride can really screw with you at intersections or on curves. Reduce your lean angles, slow down and make sure you never trust what you'll find in a blind corner. In other words, assume the worst. You just don't know if that next curve has a shaded icy spot spot just past the apex. If you hit that while you're leaning hard, well, good luck.

I am curious to see how the Buddy handles really cold weather. Our garage is heated so overnights are no problem. But, during the day, my Buddy will be outside all day in some pretty cold temps. So far, it's started right up, even on one day when the high was about 40. There will be some afternoons in January that'll be much colder, so time will tell. But, right now, I'm feeling pretty good about being ready for winter.

[lobsterman]

I've only had my Buddy for a week, so today is the coldest I've ridden in. Other than needing warmer gloves and something for my neck, 42 degrees wasn't so bad.

I will be more prepared as it gets colder, and I am planning on trying to ride all winter, road conditions permitting.