Leave scoot outside in freezing weather?

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BoulderBud
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Leave scoot outside in freezing weather?

Post by BoulderBud »

I'm wondering if it's bad to leave a scooter out in the snow for several days in freezing temperatures.
It starts fine after a couple days. How many days would be too many? Why?

Thank you all. I'm a big fan of this site. Just finished my rookie year on a scoot. 3,000 wonderful miles!
Last edited by BoulderBud on Tue Mar 03, 2015 2:10 am, edited 2 times in total.
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viney266
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Post by viney266 »

No water to freeze as it is an air cooled bike. You want to cover it if you can or keep it under a porch if possible. It will keep melted snow from possibly getting in the fuel. Other than that, its just corrosion issues. The bikes are usually tougher than we are :)
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ModernMike
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Post by ModernMike »

Temps moving above and below freezing near dew point can lead to condensation in the gas tank. A full tank reduces air space and thus potential for moisture. Batteries can loose cranking amps in cold weather. Those of us in the North country store scooters and such for extended periods. I use a battery tended and ethanol free gas with an additive. IMO fuel injected models will fair better than carb versions when left sitting for extended periods.
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Dooglas
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Post by Dooglas »

Switches and electrical connections are vulnerable to corrosion. If you must store it outdoors, I'd put a cover on it and treat switches and connectors with silicone or dielectric grease. The usual advise above for fuel and battery also apply.
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PeteH
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Post by PeteH »

My Buddy lives outdoors in the winter, and I keep it under a cover, have some stabilizer in the gas, and I have a Battery Tender Jr. connected via an extension cord to the house. I try to start it and let it warm up nicely every few weeks.
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ModernMike
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Post by ModernMike »

PeteH wrote:My Buddy lives outdoors in the winter, and I keep it under a cover, have some stabilizer in the gas, and I have a Battery Tender Jr. connected via an extension cord to the house. I try to start it and let it warm up nicely every few weeks.
If your going to do this, letting it "warm up nicely" is the key here. A short idle time will not create enough heat to burn off condensation created by combustion in the cylinder head. We have all seen water coming from the exhaust of caters. Again, condensation gives potential for corrosion. I just leave mine sit til spring. Starts fine, but mine has fuel injection.
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skully93
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Post by skully93 »

We have covers, and that's it for now. Though some of the el cheapo ignition coils and stuff will eventually weaken, I've had mine outside for over 3 years and it's fine. If it's been more than a week I'll warm it up slow, do tire pressure, etc. In the colder months I tend to use some sort of fuel stabilizer just in case. It's pretty rare here that I can't ride for more than a couple of weeks at a time.

Chances are it won't do much harm.
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sc00ter
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Post by sc00ter »

My SYM lives outside, and we just came off of a good freeze. What was my biggest concern? Making sure the tank was topped off with a touch of Sea Foam added and a trash bag over my just re-covered seat, as the water will get in the seams and tucks then freeze-casing damage. I don't cover it, but I should. If you need a cheap cover in a pinch Big Lots has lawn mower covers for $25. If you don't have a windshield or top box it fits pretty good.
Snap
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parking

Post by Snap »

It's a vehicle! It was designed to be outside.
Just keep the battery topped up.
Covering is risky business because mice are nocturnal creatures and seek to hide in dark places. They love to eat wires, air filters, chew up stuff and their urine will leave a distinctive odor. If you feel compelled to cover, put a small light inside to deter them.
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sunshinen
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Re: parking

Post by sunshinen »

Mine's been outside most of its life. There's a lot of rust, but I've never had any other problems from leaving it out... other than wind gusts blowing it over with the cover on. So I stopped using a cover. It's had snow 2ft deep on it...
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sunshinen
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Post by sunshinen »

Well... caveat... the sun. That's the killer.
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skully93
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Post by skully93 »

Yeah! CO sun is brutal. That's the main reason to keep covers on. Keeps the plastics fairly nice.
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