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Post by greenzhiqiang on Jan 17, 2013 11:32:33 GMT -5
Now that winter is in full force (getting down near 0°), are there any tips for maintenance or operating your scooter?
For instance, I can't for the life of me get my scooter to start in the mornings when the temperature is less than 15°, electric or kick do nothing, even with the battery charged the previous day. Once it warms up I can get it started. Might be oil, might be gas, but who knows. Any tips?
What are some things you do to make winter riding easier? I'd prefer this to stay on the scooter side, rather than the rider side.
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Post by Lykos on Jan 17, 2013 11:43:05 GMT -5
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Post by greenzhiqiang on Jan 17, 2013 12:39:50 GMT -5
Those are two great tips! I'll have to look in to that Heet. Also, it's good to know 10w30 helps. I'll switch to that as soon as i can.
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Post by snugglebunny on Jan 17, 2013 13:03:01 GMT -5
another hint
dont know your living arrangements etc
but
do you have a motorcycle cover?
i have run a extension cord ( big orange one)
to a small space heater, which is right under
the oil pan , facing up, use a piece for wood to balance.
run out in your pj's, robe slippers. set it all up
turn it on, lol, run back in
enjoy your shower, etc
take a hour for breakfast and all.
keep your battery tender on the whole time
get all ready to ride, unplug everything
put it in your place
bet you hit the start button and BAM
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Post by scootercapecod on Jan 17, 2013 14:04:39 GMT -5
As far as cold weather starts are concerned those are some great tips. Thankfully we don't ever get that cold here. Well, not in 15 years anyway. As for riding in the cold you'll want thermal underwear,
ski or snow pants,
Boots, gloves and a face shield or mask.
I recommend a 3/4 face helmet with a shield
Also a good wool or fur lined leather is excellent for keeping you comfortable on colder days
Ride less aggressively especially in corners as your tires are colder and they don't grip so well.
The reason is the rubber isn't as pliable and will take awhile on cold pavement (unless you did a burnout before each ride) to warm up enough to be safe. I've found that above 40 is safer than riding when it's 30 out
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Post by skuttadawg on Jan 17, 2013 15:04:27 GMT -5
I love my Freeze Out thermals from www.cyclegear.com . I warm up myself with a hair dryer and when its real cold put my clothes in a dryer for ten minutes so they are toasty warm . You want motorcyle gloves that are waterproof and have a lil sleeve . Thick wool socks and boots on you feet are way better than shoes . A 60 watt bulb can help keep the scooter engine from freezing but not have it warm |
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Post by qwertydude on Jan 18, 2013 0:58:39 GMT -5
For your scooter 5w-40 motor oil will work better than 10w-30 since winter weight is what matters a 5w oil will always perform better than a 10w when it gets cold. Also use synthetic oil, if you're really really concerned about low temperature viscosity then you can even get 0w-40 motor oil, then you'll be covered down do -53F.
The hard starts are cause by the battery not being able to supply current. You can do a few things, get a battery warmer, warm the scooter by covering it and putting a heat source like a light bulb or heater, or jump start the scooter from a bigger battery (not recommended because if the scoot dies you won't be able to restart it. Warming the scooter with a cover is best.
Those steps will get your scooter running as for keeping warm that kinda tough especially because these scooters can't run heated gear with their weak electrical systems. Windproof water proof gaunlet gloves are mandatory and also what helps me most is a chin curtain style helmet windblock and a good scarf (just don't let the scarf fly, tuck it in.
Pants are troublesome because it's tough to go around with layered pants, maybe a windproof tearaway style might work. But the way many Europeans deal with this problem is a scooter skirt.
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Post by snugglebunny on Jan 18, 2013 11:43:27 GMT -5
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Post by ronlee on Jan 18, 2013 18:18:13 GMT -5
Elastic cuff binders around the cuffs of your pants will keep the wind from blowing up your pants legs.
Gauntlets on your gloves keep air from blowing up ones sleeves too. If it is really cold chopper mitts with gauntlets and liners are hard to beat for warmth. They can be hard to find and expensive. Try a welding supply store.
I used to live and ride in Northern MN and Wisconsin.
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Post by wutzthedeal on Jan 18, 2013 22:49:15 GMT -5
I used the rules of 3s, generally (three pairs of socks, pants, and gloves if you include the separate liners, three shirts of varying thickness depending on the weather, three jackets including your rain jacket for wind stopping) plus a balaclava, a windskirt of some type to keep air from going under the helmet/up your face, and good anti-fog treatment or pinlock system. Just got back from a ride in 21 degree weather. Perfectly warm. Going again soon tonight.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2013 3:04:40 GMT -5
Mine stays plugged into a trickle charger and I keep it under an outdoor tarp garage (the poor man's garage lol) but our coldest is 20 degrees and 30-40 night time is more like it, for single digits I'm not sure I'd want to ride lol.
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Post by greenzhiqiang on Jan 21, 2013 2:52:26 GMT -5
I snowboard, so cold weather isn't a problem for me. A couple years ago I was out a full day in -30 degree weather and I survived. Haha. I'm mostly just trying to find ways to keep this scooter running through winter. Maybe tomorrow I'll give the whole heater under the cover thing a try. I actually had the engine replaced not too long ago, so it still has the cheap oil that came in it (probably 6739w45245). I guess it is time to change it out anyway!
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Post by wutzthedeal on Jan 21, 2013 3:13:33 GMT -5
I snowboard, so cold weather isn't a problem for me. A couple years ago I was out a full day in -30 degree weather and I survived. Haha. I'm mostly just trying to find ways to keep this scooter running through winter. Maybe tomorrow I'll give the whole heater under the cover thing a try. I actually had the engine replaced not too long ago, so it still has the cheap oil that came in it (probably 6739w45245). I guess it is time to change it out anyway! I see. I was answering mostly your question of what made winter riding easier (and layers works for me!) but on the scooter side of things, I have no problems which I presume is from using a cap full of SeaFoam each fill up and using my Battery Tender Jr. about every other night. It stays in the breezeway, between my house and garage because I ride it so often. If I didn't, I'd put it in the garage. Heat will help if you go that route, but it seems like a pretty expensive option if you run a heat source too long/too often. That factory oil is usually just a dangerously low quality--I'd get that out of there. People advise different stuff, like synthetic, syn blend, and I had a scooter mechanic advise me to get 10-40 synthetic for diesels. I never did, though. I've run syn blend regular before and even ran high-mileage castrol syn blend, and now am running full synthetic. It's always better once it warms up. But seriously, I'd change oil like yesterday. |
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Post by snugglebunny on Jan 21, 2013 9:40:38 GMT -5
I snowboard, so cold weather isn't a problem for me. A couple years ago I was out a full day in -30 degree weather and I survived. Haha. I'm mostly just trying to find ways to keep this scooter running through winter. Maybe tomorrow I'll give the whole heater under the cover thing a try. I actually had the engine replaced not too long ago, so it still has the cheap oil that came in it (probably 6739w45245). I guess it is time to change it out anyway! what you wanna do is.... try to keep the scoot at a pretty even temp all the time. if you just let it sit outside, then start it, run it and get it hot well thats no good for any part of it. plastic hoses, metal , everything for me sure, its a bit expensive to run the space heater, but it gets the whole scoot warm, before it starts and gets HOT immediately, sure wish i had a warm garage |
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Post by greenzhiqiang on Jan 21, 2013 21:52:42 GMT -5
Thank you everyone for convincing me to change the oil! I had the engine replaced less than 100 miles ago, so I figured I had some miles left with that oil, but after your recommendations I changed it. I will now tell every scooter owner I meet to change the oil out the second they get the scooter home. The oil is now changed, I added Heet to the gas, and I adjusted the idle screw so that it stays high enough to run smoothly when I'm stopped at lights. I went for a preliminary drive tonight and it was great! Although, it was also 8 degrees so I couldn't feel my legs when I got home. The dark oil was the regular oil, and the greenish brown silly putty was what came out of where the gear oil SHOULD have been.   Now that I have it all changed I was able to kick start the scooter. The oil was just way too thick to let it fully turn over. It was disgusting what came out of that scooter. |
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