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Post by LUKE on Dec 22, 2013 3:25:47 GMT -6
Is there one absolute way of winterizing? Probably not, but here are some suggested tips that will point you in the right direction be it japanese , italian , american, or the almighty chinese scooties!
Fill your gas tank (this will help prevent condensation from building up in the tank).
Add a fuel stabilizing product such as Stabil ,seafoam,to your cold gas tank, using the manufacturer’s recommended measurement.
Ride your scooter for 10-15 minutes, to allow the gas mixture to circulate throughout the carburetor and prevent gumming. Again, top off the gas tank.
Now for the question of whether to remove the battery. Check with your dealer to see what his recommendation is. I have never removed the battery, but i always attach a trickle charger (such as Battery Tender Jr) to the battery. This device will deliver a slow charge to your battery, and it's smart enough to know how much the battery needs to maintain a charge. It will NOT however, recharge a totally dead battery. I always use the Battery Tender Jr and never had a problem with the scooters starting right up in the spring. mine is efi no less! bleh! Make sure your tires are at the manufacturer’s recommended maximum pressure. This will help to prevent “flat spots” in your tires. Some scooterists recommend that you raise the tire(s) touching the ground off the floor on blocks. If the scooter is going to be stored outside for any length of time, this may be a good suggestion.
There is a school of thought that every week or two the scooter should be started up and allowed to run for 5-10 minutes. Again, this is a debatable subject --- some say there is no benefit to running it for a short period of time (others say it just feels good to hear that engine running again!).
Give your scooter a good cleaning, removing any road grease, bug remains, etc.
Cover your scooter. There are several brands of scooter covers available (check eBay if your dealer doesn’t carry them). Walmart also sells motorcycle covers that may work for your scooter. i just throw on a clean sheet!
Go out and give your scooter a pat and a “hello” every now and then, just to let it know it’s still loved! give them the chinese love!!
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Clinician
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Post by tomcat on Dec 22, 2013 5:48:50 GMT -6
Acting nice just before Christmas won't get you off of Santa's naughty list. Nice try though!
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Post by markwb on Dec 22, 2013 7:19:41 GMT -6
That's a good post, Luke! Thanks a lot.
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