How to store your Buddy in the winter

susann.t · Post by **susann.t** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 5:28 pm

This has probably been asked a million times but I'm new to scooters and have absolutely no clue.
There will be long periods of time that I will not be able to ride my scooter. How do I prepare the Buddy for it? I would have thought to just leave it in the garage the way it is but now I realize that re-starting it might be an issue. So what to do? What is the proper "long time parking"? Also, how long of a break from riding is too long? I assume that the battery is the one to start complaining.

Thanks
Susann

Lil Buddy · Post by **Lil Buddy** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 6:57 pm

Check air pressure in tires and add as needed.
Add seafoam to a full tank of gas.
Ride it for a mile or so (don't just idle it).
Hook it up to a battery tender.

If you can, take her out for a ride every few weeks just to keep the fluids moving.

susann.t · Post by **susann.t** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 7:05 pm

What is "seafoam"?

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 7:15 pm

susann.t wrote:What is "seafoam"?

It is a fuel conditioner and carb cleaner available at most auto parts stores. I use Stabil as a winter fuel additive. It is more widely available and works fine for me.

easy · Post by **easy** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 7:33 pm

fuel additive that keeps gas from gunking up from sitting to long. I would also try and find a gas station that has ethanol free gas. I've heard that ethanol screws up stable and sea foam.

iMoses · Post by **iMoses** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 10:17 pm

easy wrote:fuel additive that keeps gas from gunking up from sitting to long. I would also try and find a gas station that has ethanol free gas. I've heard that ethanol screws up stable and sea foam.

According to Seafoam's FAQ section, it works well with ethanol, even the newer E85 variety.

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 10:48 pm

I think I post this link every year, but it is worth repeating, both as a refresher and for those that don't know.

Pride of Cleveland Winterizing/Storage tips:

http://www.clevelandscooters.com/service.html

susann.t · Post by **susann.t** » Sun Oct 24, 2010 11:45 pm

bluebuddygirl wrote: Pride of Cleveland Winterizing/Storage tips:

http://www.clevelandscooters.com/service.html

OMG. Now I'm overwhelmed. That sounds major. Eeeek!

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 12:35 am

susann.t wrote:OMG. Now I'm overwhelmed. That sounds major. Eeeek!

Don't be intimidated. If you want to give the best possible care to your scooter over the winter, that link explains how to do it. If you just want to keep your scooter ready to run again without hassles in the spring, that doesn't take as much.

The two main problems are:
1) The battery will discharge completely, and lead-acid batteries don't recover from that well.
2) The fuel will break down and get gummy, and engines don't like gummy fuel.

The possible solutions to the first problem are:
a) Take the scooter for a ride periodically. This may not be practical north of the 40th parallel (or so) or at high altitudes.
b) Connect it to a trickle-charger such as the Battery Tender Jr.

The possible solutions to the second problem are:
a) Take the scooter for a ride frequently, and refuel. Again, not always practical.
b) Add Sta-Bil or another fuel-stabilizing additive to the gas, at least a few miles before you stop riding (so it gets mixed in).

There are other things to consider, of course, such as protecting your scooter from the elements and so on. But if you do those two things in November or December before you put him on the center stand for the season, when March or April rolls around you should be able to push your scooter back onto the driveway and fire him up again.

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 1:47 am

Some stuff you will not have to do unless storing for a really long time. If you have winters like Ohio typically has, there are occasionally warmer days, or at least days where the roads are clear and you can take the bike out every once in a while. If you can do that then a little Seafoam and a trickle charger is all you really need, but the tips on waxing, polishing, and covering are important too. You don't want to have to spend hours cleaning up the scooter (or imagine a chromed out Harley that got rust while in storage...ugh!) in order to take your first real ride of the season in Spring.

If you can ride enough to actually have to put fresh gas in during the Winter then you are in great shape.

jmkjr72 · Post by **jmkjr72** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 3:20 am

seafoam works great with ethonal

i have a harder time getting scoots running in the spring that people used stabil in with ethonal gas

if you dont use a tender plan on buying a new batter every year

if you store the scoot in an unheated area pull the battery and bring it inside and put it on the tender

also i like to pull the plug and spay a bit of fogging oil down the bore

susann.t · Post by **susann.t** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:21 am

pheeew!
Ok, I'm going to store it in the garage. It's not heated but it will never go down to freezing - this is Oregon after all, and even with the 6 feet of snow we had for 2 weeks two years ago, the garage never got really cold.
I'm going to clean the Buddy really well and get that sea foam stuff. And I'm going to do whatever I'm supposed to with the battery.
Honestly, this is my first winter as a scooter owner and I never paid attention to the winter weather from a scooterist's point of view. I have no clue if there will be days that I actually want to take the scooter out.

Thank you everybody for your help. I bet I'll be back with more questions once I start working on the winterizing.

Post by **Lostmycage** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 4:28 am

<a href="viewtopic.php?p=138514#138514">Click me to see the MB FAQ on winterizing</a>

BootScootin'FireFighter · Mon Oct 25, 2010 1:22 pm

susann.t wrote: this is Oregon after all.... I have no clue if there will be days that I actually want to take the scooter out.

you know you're in one of the mildest winter regions in the country, you don't have to hibernate your scooter. Get some warm gear and just stay off the roads when it's icy. Some of my favorite riding is in the winter

juice · Post by **juice** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 3:33 pm

You can get a schumacher battery maintainer $18.00 and seafoam gas additive $10.00 at walmart , your'e all set . If you want non ethanol gas check out Pure-gas.org. Good luck .

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:41 pm

susann.t wrote:Ok, I'm going to store it in the garage. It's not heated but it will never go down to freezing - this is Oregon after all,

Hey now, I live in the Portland metro area and have an unheated attached garage. The pipes in my garage wall foze solid last December and then promptly flooded the downstairs of the house after they thawed. You never know what special gift the weather gods will bring you in western Oregon.

susann.t · Post by **susann.t** » Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:55 pm

Dooglas wrote: Hey now, I live in the Portland metro area and have an unheated attached garage. The pipes in my garage wall foze solid last December and then promptly flooded the downstairs of the house after they thawed. You never know what special gift the weather gods will bring you in western Oregon.

Oooop. Well, I said earlier that this is my first winter as a scooter owner and I have never really paid attention to the weather form that point of view. But, I know that the rain will stop me for sure. I don't like getting wet.

I went to our local Walmart today and they did not have seafoam. They had a 12V battery charger for $40 which I though was pretty pricey for Walmart stuff.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 1:19 am

susann.t wrote:I went to our local Walmart today and they did not have seafoam.

An auto parts place would be a better bet.

They had a 12V battery charger for $40 which I though was pretty pricey for Walmart stuff.

Better to buy a Battery Tender Jr through mail order*... it'll probably be cheaper, and also a better match for what a scooter needs (such as the amount of current, and knowing when to stop/start charging).

*I'm an advocate of buying from local stores, but Wal-Marts don't count.

jmkjr72 · Post by **jmkjr72** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 2:18 am

the battery tender should be 1 amp or less you can get a battery tender jr for less then 40 bucks

juice · Post by **juice** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 3:44 am

The battery charger you bought is for cars and large marine
deep cycle batteries . You needed to buy the schumacher 1.5 amp battery maintainer model # SEM-1562a $18.00 . You can look it up on the walmart internet site . It is made to leave hooked up to your scooter battery all winter . Good luck .

susann.t · Post by **susann.t** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 3:56 am

juice wrote:The battery charger you bought is for cars and large marine
deep cycle batteries .

No, no, I didn't buy it. I expect Walmart to be cheaper. It was in the section for what are those things called that people ride and roll over and get killed.

I think I will get the one everybody recommends - the jr. something. I've seen it on many web sites.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 1:47 pm

susann.t wrote:It was in the section for what are those things called that people ride and roll over and get killed.

"Sport-Utility Vehicles"?

Or perhaps "All-Terrain Vehicles".

susann.t · Post by **susann.t** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 3:06 pm

TVB wrote:
susann.t wrote:It was in the section for what are those things called that people ride and roll over and get killed.
"Sport-Utility Vehicles"?
Or perhaps "All-Terrain Vehicles".

I think it's ATV's. I have a SUV. I know what that is. LOL

susann.t · Post by **susann.t** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 6:50 pm

jmkjr72 wrote:the battery tender should be 1 amp or less you can get a battery tender jr for less then 40 bucks

There is a Tender jr. that's 12V and one that's 6V. Which one do I need? Both say they are .75 amp

Gosh, I'm so clueless.....

jmkjr72 · Post by **jmkjr72** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 9:50 pm

12 volt

agrogod · Post by **agrogod** » Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:47 pm

juice wrote:The battery charger you bought is for cars and large marine
deep cycle batteries . You needed to buy the schumacher 1.5 amp battery maintainer model # SEM-1562a $18.00 . You can look it up on the walmart internet site . It is made to leave hooked up to your scooter battery all winter . Good luck .

I have one of those. Work's good and got it from

WALMART!!! About $18 dollar's as previously stated. If I can get the best deal price wise, and it does the same job, I'll save the extra dollars.

KABarash · Post by **KABarash** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 1:47 pm

What do you guys think about this one? http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product. ... gMethod=rr I've always liked Di-Hard products.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 4:58 pm

If you are looking for something local (around Portland), Fred Meyer sells a motorcycle trickle charger that is branded Black and Decker but actually made by Vector. I have used one for the last 3 years with good success. As others have said, you need a 12V smart charger that has a mode that puts out 1 amp or less. The Vector has a ! amp mode and a 2 amp mode which is fine. It also comes with several adapters including the all important 12V outlet adapter which lets you condition your battery thru the leg shield 12V outlet rather than by opening the battery compartment.

"Friends don't let friends shop at Wal-Mart"

susann.t · Post by **susann.t** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 5:46 pm

Ok, I'll go check out Fred Meyer. My husband doesn't like me shopping at Walmart either.

Susann

BootScootin'FireFighter · Wed Oct 27, 2010 7:45 pm

susann.t wrote:Ok, I'll go check out Fred Meyer. My husband doesn't like me shopping at Walmart either.

Susann

http://www.walmartmovie.com