storing bike w water/coolant

[seth399]

Hey just wondering what people do that store their bike in a garage or whatever over the winter that see freezing temps. The bikes on the track need to run water in the cooling system so do you just drain it over winter or put in a water/coolant mix while it sits?
My mx bike always has coolant (not straight water) and I haven't had an issue storing that and having it freeze/f up the bike.

thanks

[bigred875]

i use straight coolant but i dunno if that is the right answer

[seth399]

sounds good to me..just wanted to double check and not kick myself for not draining it dry or something.

[Pittenger5]

I was wondering the same, my garage doesnt get to freezing, but I've always just put coolant in the race bike, but itd be a million times easier to just drain it, is there any harm in leaving it drained?
Problem with coolant is you hafta flush it next season again. Leaving it drained would just be a lot easier.

[stoinkythepig]

Oddly, straight coolant has a higher freezing temperature than coolant mixed with water. Ethylene glycol, the chief ingredient in anti-freeze, freezes solid at 8 degrees F. See: ETHYLENE GLYCOL and look for "melting point" under "physical and chemical properties". When mixed with water at 50/50, it should remain liquid to at least -40 degrees.

[bigred875]

I was wondering the same, my garage doesnt get to freezing, but I've always just put coolant in the race bike, but itd be a million times easier to just drain it, is there any harm in leaving it drained?
Problem with coolant is you hafta flush it next season again. Leaving it drained would just be a lot easier.

i dont think you ever drain it completely.

[stoinkythepig]

I was wondering the same, my garage doesnt get to freezing, but I've always just put coolant in the race bike, but itd be a million times easier to just drain it, is there any harm in leaving it drained?
Problem with coolant is you hafta flush it next season again. Leaving it drained would just be a lot easier.

Problem with just leaving it drained is that there may be a pocket of water that does not drain out. Found this out the hard way with my boat engine... To be safe, drain the water and fill the cooling system partially with RV/Boat storage anti-freeze. It's non-toxic so disposal is easy, and cheap.

[Pittenger5]

i dont think you ever drain it completely.

Problem with just leaving it drained is that there may be a pocket of water that does not drain out.

Kind of what I figured, but Im very lazy so I thought I might try to get the easy way out.

[bigred875]

I did the straight coolant on an ex race bike i had...i typically leave whats in the streetbikes, which is a 50/50 mix...guess i'll be doing that from now on

[Paul_E_D]

50/50 mix in there for the winter. It will keep your water pump seals conditioned.

Draining it will allow the seals to dry, and deposits to form that will reduce the systems effectiveness over time.

[Puppet]

Yup...drain the water/water wetter mix and use a 50/50 anti-freeze (most coolant you buy is pre-mixed anyway). I run engine ice in the street bikes all year, but for the race bike, I just use some cheap mc anti-freeze since it gets changed anyway before the bike gets run again.

[seth399]

perfect...thanks guys

[GixerJockey]

Switch to Engine Ice or some other non-glycol coolant, and leave it in there year round.

[BostonSVkid]

FYI make sure when you are mixing your coolant that you are using Deionized water because if you dont your radiator will rust over time. When I got my trumpet the idiot before me didnt and I had to flush the system 4 or 5 times to get it clear. Then I just put engine ice in.

[Puppet]

Switch to Engine Ice or some other non-glycol coolant, and leave it in there year round.

Not LRRS legal

[GixerJockey]

Not LRRS legal

Oh... Oops...

[butcher bergs]

is there any harm in leaving it drained?

Oxidation of the aluminum components. Not worth leaving it drained, IMO.

[Mustang]

Oxidation of the aluminum components. Not worth leaving it drained, IMO.

+1 Don't leave it drained. It'll only take a few more minutes to fill it up, then maybe an extra hour to flush it in the spring. Cheap insurance.

[R7]

Leave water wetter in and store bike in living room

[kamikaze]

Same applies to street bikes? What should one do with the street bike? Should I change the coolant I have right now or keep it and change it in beginning of next season?

[Omahastylin16]

mine camps in my bedroom for the winter

[seth399]

Same applies to street bikes? What should one do with the street bike? Should I change the coolant I have right now or keep it and change it in beginning of next season?

street bike should already have coolant/water mix so leaving that would be fine.

[R7]

mine camps in my bedroom for the winter

Glad I'm not the only weirdo that does that

[Paintman]

Haha, do you always leave the TV on for the bike to watch when you aren't home?

[UngaWunga]

He must be single...