stabilizer for winter storage

A

Agent Krug

New member
Do you use any particular "stabilizer" for winter storage? I've searched the forums for it but didn't find any that is considered good for the C50.

Thanks very much
 
770-164.jpg
 
Stabil is the most readily available.

P.S. You won't find many products that are known to "be good for a C50". The engine in your bike is JUST an engine; what's good for one is good for most all.
 
I have never used any kind of Stabilizer product in my bike, and it sits for 5 months of off season time. I put 94 Octane in, and start it 3 to 4 times a month, and I have never had issues. Though this Monday is supposed to be near 60, it may get out on the road for a bit. My family bike owners do not use any in their's either... I have had my Hondas, he Vulcan, and this C50T, never used anything.
 
Sta Bil. I used to make a good living fixing folks engines that didn't use a stabilizer or run the carbs dry before storage. It does make a difference. You can easily smell sour gas. Maybe the quality of the gas makes a difference, some people have no problems, but a lot do. My friend is an outboard mechanic, he sd. 75% of his work load in the spring is engines gunked up from bad gas. EFI's don't seem to have as many problems as carb ones do.
 
Maybe none that you will notice right away. You're not gonna be happy, however, when your exhaust rusts out in a couple of years because it stayed full of water all winter.

This is NOT a good practice.......unless you let it run long enough to get up to normal operating temperature and rev it a bit along the way.
 
Well, as I said, I run it till the cooling fan comes on, so that's not going to be my problem. I have had a total of FIVE motorcycles in my lifetime, and have done the same thing with every single one of them. Only once did I have to "tap" the bowls with a hammer to un-stick the float when the weather broke, I was lucky, and that was ONE time with LOW grade gas. IT never happened with the highest octane. Anyhow, IF it is not TOO cold, I will even run around the block a few times, and we have BIG blocks here. I ran it today though, 67 degrees in PA today... My Vulcan was carbed, and had that three years and never had an issue doing this. I guess it all depends on Murphy, his laws, and where he is at the time; or if the Gremlins do their damage too. I am fortunate not to fall prey to Murphy's law, or gremlins.
 
Varnish will build up overtime and gunk up the tank, fuel filter, carbs, and injectors. Ever rebuild an old carb? That sticky brown crap in there is not honey, honey. Octane ratings have nothing to do with how long fuel remains fresh. Octane rating deals with the quick flash or slow burn of a fuel, 92 does not mean it is good for 92 days or months or years.

For the small price I pay for stabil it is worth the load off my mind.
 
I also use FI cleaner after every 1000 miles or so. I even put some in before off season riding. Don't matter, I have been doing it may way for years, so whatever. If it builds up over time, then my Generator should have glue in the tank by now, and it doesn't, and I started it up yesterday. I got a whole house generator, same tank of gas since the beginning of summer.

Also, one thing about PA gas is, it's 10% Ethanol, I forgot about that. Maybe that's why it keeps longer?
 
Please ignore the advise about starting the engine up a few times a month. Unless you are going to take it for a decent run where everything heats up good and proper, otherwise starting up is the worse thing you can do for the engine. It will cause condensation in the oil, the exhaust system and probably everywhere in between that can not burn off without a decent run at operating temperatures. And for the people that will tell you that they have always done that without causing problems I can tell you about a guy who smoked two packs of cigarettes a day and drank like a fish all his life and lived till he was 97 yrs old.(sometimes people are just lucky). Stabilizer is very cheap and it works.
 
Back
Top