Here in NJ it's basically not riding weather from Thanksgiving to Easter. I will pull the carbs and drain and clean them but what is best for the tank, drain it completely or fill to the top with fuel and add stabilizer to avoid air and condensation in the tank?
In the past I always used to fill tanks with fuel and stabilizer but looking for the groups thoughts.
With the junk fuel here in California we add k100 https://www.rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=k100large to the tank run the bike til the bowls are empty and then spray through the airbleed jet with tri flow without removing the carbs. It'll smoke a bit on the intial startup but they don't get clogged with the ethanol additives that cause the problem this way.
Another thing you could do is run the tank dry and add an actual non ethanol gas to the tank and top it up. Non ethanol keeps for a year or more with no issues of clogging stuff up and it will still be good in the spring when you fire it back off.
Thanks Robert, getting some hands on ethanol free fuel would be nice, maybe a local airport would sell me some from what I know airport fuel doesn't have ethanol
Nationwide: https://www.pure-gas.org/
I see only 5 stations in the Garden State.
https://www.pure-gas.org/NJ
You can always order a pail (5 gallons) of VP ethanol free fuel from your local bike shop or hardware store. Use only 1 or 2 gallons in your tank. That stuff lasts 2 years in the tank and 5 years in the sealed can.
I have found that fuel additives do stabilize the fuel, good for the cold, prevents separation, etc *but* fuel additives do not neutralize or remove the ethanol in the fuel. It's the ethanol that's the boogeyman..
Pat for the win!!!
Quote from: Pat Conlon on October 28, 2025, 03:33:31 PMNationwide: https://www.pure-gas.org/
I see only 5 stations in the garden state
https://www.pure-gas.org/NJ
You can always order a pail (5 gallons) of VP ethanol free fuel from your local bike shop or hardware store.
That stuff lasts 2 years in the tank and 5 years in the sealed can.
Thanks for the resource. Good to know the mom-and-pop gas station in my little town has actual Ethanol free
I was taught to fill the tank to displace the air. Non oxy is preferred but if it's not available you can separate ethanol from gasoline using water. Shake gas with water, let it settle, and drain off the water and ethanol layer leaving pure gasoline.
Maybe I'm the outlier, but, I always figured if the gas isn't in the tank for half a year, it can't cause you any problems. I run the bike out of fuel, toggling the enricher until it won't run anymore, remove the tank, dump about two cups of motor oil in the tank, and rotate it all around, to coat the inside of the tank.
Just like the service manual tells you to do.
In the spring, a half quart or so of fuel gets sloshed around, drained from the line in front of the of the fuel filter, and filled with fresh 91 octane alcohol free fuel, available at most stations here in Minnesota.
No problems to report.
Ted
Seems a lot of trouble, never "winterised" the bike before but I do usually leave the tank full when in the garage.
Do you only winterise it due not going to be ridden for a few months or for the cold weather affecting it ?
I winterize it because it will basically sit unused for 5-6 months so a little extra care before that storage helps avoid problems later. In NJ it will basically be 20 to 30 degrees F for that period with rain and ice so it's just not really ridable.
This topic is getting me a bit on edge now :rofl:
I once ran my old XS1100 with the taps shut before a winter lay up and come spring some of the jets had furred up so never bothered again.
What i do now is to fire my bikes up every couple of months or so and not had a problem with that method. :good: (popcorn)
Quote from: 86FJNJ on October 29, 2025, 07:42:07 AMI winterize it because it will basically sit unused for 5-6 months so a little extra care before that storage helps avoid problems later. In NJ it will basically be 20 to 30 degrees F for that period with rain and ice so it's just not really ridable.
Here in wisconsin it's -20s to 30s f. Seems like forever. At least Minnesota is worse.
This is the tank of a bike I bought in Wisconsin. And this was before alcoholic gas.
This is the top of the tank the bottom was completely rotted through.
I find there are always a few days spread throughout the cold winter where I can pull the bike out for a short ride, maybe just around the neighborhood. Or at least run it. That's always been my winterization plan.
One year back when I was young.
1987. I rode my 87fzr1000. Every month. As long as it got above freezing.
Then a couple of years later I was going to therapy. For the crash that I was dead at the scene. And my car had a flat tire. So I checked the temperature. And it had just hit 40f. So I jumped on my superpile500. And was heading onto highway 41. The on ramp was done at the edge of the shade line of the bridge. I was on the ground before I knew what happened. Didn't even feel it start to slide. Ice in the shadow of the bridge. Ambulance driver recognized me from the first accident.
We winterize ours because they sit for 4-5 months at a time. In California we have up to 15% ethanol and it sitting will clog the jets. If the bikes weren't in a storage unit over winter we could just fire them up but if that gets forgotten then it is a carb rebuild in the spring.
I should have mentioned that I no longer run gas with ethanol in it. I've learned my lesson. If I was riding more I might, and just make sure to fill up with ethanol free for the winter. It's a lot more expensive but considering how much I ride, the fuel economy I get, and the value of my time I pay the extra and go to one of the 2 nearby stations that offer ethanol free.
Quote from: RPM - Robert on October 29, 2025, 10:34:25 AMIn California we have up to 15% ethanol and it sitting will clog the jets.
Here in the UK we now have E10 which is up to 10% or E5 which is up to 5%.
Most bike riders use the E5 which is more expensive than the E10 but the 5 doesn't do as much damage to carb internals. If E10 is the only petrol available and i need some i'll just put a bit in and ride on until i find E5 and fill up.
Quote from: Waiex191 on October 29, 2025, 10:44:39 AMI should have mentioned that I no longer run gas with ethanol in it. I've learned my lesson. If I was riding more I might, and just make sure to fill up with ethanol free for the winter. It's a lot more expensive but considering how much I ride, the fuel economy I get, and the value of my time I pay the extra and go to one of the 2 nearby stations that offer ethanol free.
I haven't seen ethanol free here for that long i can't remember. :diablo:
Interesting that you have E5 and E10 in the UK. I always thought we only had it in the US because of the corn lobby.
I think we have it because of European Union legislation even though we are no longer a member of the EU.
Air quality? We still burn stuff. :bomb:
I use stabilizer and fill up the tank. Starting each bike over the winter time bi-weekly, regardless.
No ethanol gas is the best.
Here is what I do, be it right or be it wrong.
If I know it is going to sit for a few months, I fill the tank, alcohol free premium is plentiful around here.
I have installed a petcock near the fuel pump. I disconnect the fuel pump and turn the petcock off, then I ride the bike to remove most of the fuel from the carburetors.
Usually it is just sputtering when I get home, I let it run until the engine quits running.
Then I cover the bike and let it sit.
Never had a problem.
Usually I just leave it be and ride it whenever the sun is out, the roads are clear and it is over 50F degrees out.
Sometimes colder if I am in withdrawal -
I yo-yo-ed with the full/empty conundrum and went with empty mainly for the ease of moving the tank about. The rust fighting insurance that paid off was buying liquid form WD40 and swishing that all around the inside.
It remained rust free for a full calendar year.
yay.
Only reason I've drained my tank for this winter is the fact my vacuum petcock is leaking so I need to get the rebuild kit from RPM.
Quote from: Billy Bananahead on October 29, 2025, 12:24:59 PMI think we have it because of European Union legislation even though we are no longer a member of the EU.
Air quality? We still burn stuff. :bomb:
I've always referred to it as burning food for fuel. It is stunning how much of the corn crop goes into the production of ethanol. It consumes vast amounts of energy, and, water to produce fuel grade ethanol.
My FJ is sitting patiently waiting to have the near empty tank drained and clean oil sloshed about the insides. When I got the bike, I removed the tank and used electrolysis with a 12 volt battery charger, an anode, and wash soda to get the tank sparkling on the inside. It had been well cared for and was fairly clean. Having read all the posts from guys with rusty tanks, I can spend an afternoon making sure there is no way I have to go through any issues ever with rust in my tank.
I do the exact same thing with my 1967 Oldsmobile 442. Have for 30 years.
(https://i.ibb.co/Q7R06p01/IMG-0512.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BHxkgckS)
(https://i.ibb.co/p6mgCCcJ/IMG-0045.jpg) (https://ibb.co/V0KdXXR2)
It doesn't happen often, but, occasionally the refineries screw up the different grades of fuel. You think you are buying non ethanol laced fuel, but, are you willing to bet your fuel tank on that notion?
Hey, go for it.
Ted
I don't have to winterise my bike because where I live in Australia we never get cold enough, frost maybe but never snow. As for the fuel situation we have E10 as well for those who want it but normal fuel is readily available everywhere.
My FJ sat for nearly two years with about half a tank of 95 premium and when I finally got it out for a ride was half expecting it to play up from old fuel but it ran like a train and didn't miss a beat, if it had been ethanol on the other hand it would be a different story.
We're lucky we still have a choice here and not forced to run ethanol but for how long who knows.
I envy you warm weather guys. I really do.
Ted
Quote from: Ted Schefelbein on November 01, 2025, 11:39:52 AMI envy you warm weather guys. I really do.....
Until it comes time to buy a used bike. Most or all the used bikes in the Southwest have high mileage from year around riding.
If you want to buy a cream puff, a good low mileage bike, look in the cold weather states where the riding season is short.
Quote from: Pat Conlon on November 01, 2025, 03:54:54 PMQuote from: Ted Schefelbein on November 01, 2025, 11:39:52 AMI envy you warm weather guys. I really do.....
Until it comes time to buy a used bike. Most or all the used bikes in the Southwest have high mileage from year around riding.
If you want to buy a cream puff, a good low mileage bike, look in the cold weather states where the riding season is short.
If you get me as an owner, anyway. I've looked in lots of tanks over the years and discovered many that sat with old fuel in them for decades. Unless there is a NOS tank that goes with that bike..........no sale.
That picture Dan posted of the crusty tank? Just not uncommon.
Wish it were.
Ted