winter storage

[oldguy11]

I'm about to store my 1985 Aspencade in cold storage for the winter. The temperature will be well below freezing. Should the air the air shocks be deflated or should i leave air in the system ?

[SilverDave]

I don't think it really matters, as long as the shocks hold their pressure .

But..
If its gonna be really cold, and knowing modern gas ( with alcohol) I'd run it dry, fill the tank, add fuel stabilizer, take battery inside , on a trickle charger, and try to park the tires up off the concrete.

SilverDave

[WingAdmin]

Unless you have water precipitated out of the fuel, you should be OK putting a good stabilizer in it (I use Marine Sta-Bil, the green stuff, and double the dose) and leaving the fuel in it. Do run the engine with the petcock turned off until it quits, so you don't leave fuel to evaporate in the carbs.

As for the battery, if you have a battery tender (i.e. intelligent float charger - not just a regular charger/float charger) that is designed to stay connected 24/7, then it is perfectly safe to leave the battery in the bike. A fully charged lead-acid battery will not freeze until around -90F, or -68C. If you don't have a float charger, then take the battery indoors for the winter. If you expect to get below -68C in Gimli over the winter, then I recommend you move somewhere warmer.