Changing Antifreeze

Sport Chick · 10-03-2004, 10:42 AM

Does anyone know how to change the antifreeze in the Superhawk without removing the front fairing?

Also, besides changing water wetter to antifreeze and changing the oil/oil filter what other things do you do to your bike to winterize it?

Thanks,
Michelle

Red Rider · 10-03-2004, 12:43 PM

In addition to the things you've already mentioned, you should add Stabil to your gas, lube the chain to prevent rust, give it a good cleaning and you should be all set. If possible, put your bike up on stands if it's not going to be moved for a long time.

...and

to da' .org!

GhostRider · 10-03-2004, 12:44 PM

The Minimum:

Gas rots, so you must put in fuel stabilizer and run the engine long enough to get it completely through the carbs. Then, either fill up the gas tank to full ( To the bottom of the filler neck ) with gas that has no Alcohol ( Oxygenated ) in it, and has the proper mix of fuel stabilizer in it. Or drain all of the gas out of the tank and spray some gas soluble oil on the inside of the tank to keep it from rusting. The choice is up to you. Either way is OK.
Drain all the gas out of the carbs. Most carbs have a drain screw on the bottom of the carb. If you don't have carbs, then it's even easier.
Take the battery out and, if necessary, add distilled water to it and clean off the outside ( Battery Box Too ! ) with a mixture of baking soda and water. Then put the battery on a trickle charger ( No more than one AMP ) and charge it till it is fully charged. Do this at least once a month, till you start riding again.

The Maximum - Add The Following.

Wash and wax your Motorcycle.
Change the engine oil and oil filter.
Change ALL other oils and fluids, such as rear end oil, radiator fluid, brake fluid, etc.
Take out all the spark plugs and put about a tablespoon of engine oil down each spark plug hole. Now, before putting the spark plug(s) back in, turn the engine over several times to ditribute the oil around the cylinder. Be sure and ground the spark plug wires when you do this. This is to protect the ignition system. Now reinstall the spark plug(s).
Use a breathable motorcycle cover to keep dust and moisture out. Plastic tarps that don't breath trap moisture in, causing rust.

Something More

I like to put some type of water displacing, penetrating oil in each cylinder to sort of dry it out, before I put in the engine oil. Combustion makes a lot of water, and some of it always seems to get into the piston ring area.
I like to use some kind of Armor All type preservative on all plastic and rubber parts.
If you change the fluid in your bike's radiator, use distilled water and a motorcycle type anti-freeze. Car type anti-freezes use additives that can wear out your water pump.
If you change your brake or clutch fluid, use the type recomended for your system, Dot 3, 4, or 5. Which one ? It's in your Shop Manual. You do have one, don't you ?
It costs a bit more, but you can get a trickle charger that will shut off automaticly when the battery is fully charged and start up again when it's charge goes down. You can leave it connected and on all the time.
Aluminum does rust...sort of, so an application of spray wax or the like, to all surfaces of the engine, wouldn't hurt.
Keep the bike in a dry, heated garage, if possible.
Keep it in the dark... sunlight thru a window can fade paint and the like.

I found the above at this site.

maxib · 10-03-2004, 7:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhostRider

Once a month or so, turn the engine over a couple of times, to keep things loose and lubed !

I respectfully disagree with this statement for several reasons.

First, battery: There is no need to do this to keep the battery charged, as the battery should be already on a maintenance charger, and ideally is in the house, out of the bike on the charger. Plus, if this was the intention of the above recommendation, the bike would have to be held at high rpm (somewhere around 4000) for several minutes (like 15) to get any positive charging from the bike's electrical system, and that sounds as rational as 11,000 rpm in neutral.

Second, engine: Byproducts of burning fuel include among other things, acids and moisture. Acids produced by running the engine stay in the oil (the brand new oil put in to get rid of corrosive substances and particulate matter just before putting the bike to bed for the winter! If that's what goes on, why change the oil before storage in the first place? The old oil is already full of acids!) producing corrosive opportunites to harm metal parts. Moisture in the exhaust also leads to corrosion.

If the intended recommendation was to disconnect the spark and "turn over the engine" to keep the valve train lubed and the pistons rings free, I also think that is not advisable. First because it would take a lot of cranking to build oil pressure to achieve this goal, pumping oil from the pan filling all the passages to the heads and risking burnout of the starter motor to accomplish this. More than likely someone following the above recommendation would 'turn it over' for an insufficient length of time resulting in nothing really of benefit happening to accomplish the goal of piece of mind regarding this exercise.

Secondly because todays oils leave enough of a microscopic film on all parts providing protection, Spring startup actually results in insignificant wear to bearing surfaces, compared to monthly 5 minute 'turnovers' during storage. However if still concerned, or for longterm storage (more like more than a year) fogging oil found at Marine supply stores can be used to coat the valve train and cylinders nicely and protect from corrosion.

My advice is to put the bike to bed and leave it that way until ready for next riding season.

Sport Chick · 10-03-2004, 11:56 PM

Thank you for all the great information about winterizing. Can you now tell me how you drain the antifreeze without removing the front fairing on the VTR 1000?

Fire929blade · 10-10-2004, 5:46 PM

Welcome to the .org

I rode a superhawk before I got my 929, so I have a workshop manual for it..

The manual says you HAVE to remove the front fairing to get to the radiator cap, and I vaguely remember that this is true. Draining the system can be done by removing the lower joint hose on the right radiator and unscrewing the drain bolt on the front cylinder. The reserve tank can be emptied by disconnecting the thin hose that goes into the top of the right radiator (by the radiator cap) and guide it to a point lower then the res. tank.

When you are going to refill and bleed the system, your front fairing must be off to get to the radiator cap.

Removing the front fairing on the SuperHawk doesn't take very long, so that's where I would start..
Hope this helps!
Good luck!

GhostRider · 10-10-2004, 6:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxib

I respectfully disagree with this statement for several reasons.

First, battery: There is no need to do this to keep the battery charged, as the battery should be already on a maintenance charger, and ideally is in the house, out of the bike on the charger. Plus, if this was the intention of the above recommendation, the bike would have to be held at high rpm (somewhere around 4000) for several minutes (like 15) to get any positive charging from the bike's electrical system, and that sounds as rational as 11,000 rpm in neutral.

Second, engine: Byproducts of burning fuel include among other things, acids and moisture. Acids produced by running the engine stay in the oil (the brand new oil put in to get rid of corrosive substances and particulate matter just before putting the bike to bed for the winter! If that's what goes on, why change the oil before storage in the first place? The old oil is already full of acids!) producing corrosive opportunites to harm metal parts. Moisture in the exhaust also leads to corrosion.

If the intended recommendation was to disconnect the spark and "turn over the engine" to keep the valve train lubed and the pistons rings free, I also think that is not advisable. First because it would take a lot of cranking to build oil pressure to achieve this goal, pumping oil from the pan filling all the passages to the heads and risking burnout of the starter motor to accomplish this. More than likely someone following the above recommendation would 'turn it over' for an insufficient length of time resulting in nothing really of benefit happening to accomplish the goal of piece of mind regarding this exercise.

Secondly because todays oils leave enough of a microscopic film on all parts providing protection, Spring startup actually results in insignificant wear to bearing surfaces, compared to monthly 5 minute 'turnovers' during storage. However if still concerned, or for longterm storage (more like more than a year) fogging oil found at Marine supply stores can be used to coat the valve train and cylinders nicely and protect from corrosion.

My advice is to put the bike to bed and leave it that way until ready for next riding season.

Yup, I agree with you too. I don't start my bike at all when its in storage, as you said there's no point, since my battery is being charged regularly anyway.