Modern Vespa

Hello All,

I have a Yamaha Vino 125 ( not fuel injected ). The owners manual for a winterization process of draining the carb, lubricating the cylinder heads, blocking up the wheels, etc.

I live in Kansas City and winter is a toss up. I may not touch it until March or there may be some nice riding days in the middle.

Thoughts on letting her sit for a few months without doing any of the above?

Thanks,

With my Buddy 150, also not injected, about all I do is keep in my(unheated) garage with a dose of seafoam in the tank, some would suggest a different stabiliser, and on a battery tender.
Here in south central Pennsylvania there are many days I may want to ride through out the winter, I like it to 'be ready to roll' at a 'moments notice'.

Thanks,

I could run it every few weeks regardless of the weather. My attached, unheatred garage will get cold but not below freezing.

I just don't want carb problems come spring.

You guys are lucky to be able to get out over the Winter.
We do have occasional mild Winters in Minnesota. This
is not normal - most put their scoots away November to
March.

I use fuel stabilizer and pull the batteries. Most leave the
battery in with a trickle charger. I actually froze my battery
with my first scooter (Years Ago). I did not winterizing that
first year. Also, after replacing the battery, it took a bunch
of cranking to get the (not fuel injected) engine to fire up.

Bob Copeland
Minnesota
Below Freezing and a dusting of snow this morning

I have a VINO also (not cold here) but i wouldn't do it. You might want to throw it on a battery tender to help the battery but that's it. Also maybe a little SeaFoam in the gas tank or fill it with Ethanol free. Their hearty little beasties so i wouldn't worry.

From St.Louis so about the same weather. I have a garage stays sort of above freezing. The is almost a few days where it gets to 50 may be 60 degrees. All bikes get fuel Sta-Bil and keep the tanks full. The one with a carb, I shut it off and run it dry before putting it up. Each has an easy hook-up for a "Battery Tender". Get a nice day, run them till they come up to normal operating temp, if more fuel is need I add it and a touch more Sta-Bill. According to the tire people, winter storage, especially if you can run it every 4 to 8 weeks won't hurt anything. Normal process for me for the past 15 or 20 years. Always get 5 plus years on batteries, never had any bike that would not start. It won't hurt to throw a cover on them for dust. Again, since I have a garage they never really get below freezing (close, maybe).

I did not winterize my injected Vino per the manual, seemed like a lot of work! Only occasionally put it on the tender and added Stabil. I rode several times over the winter. All was well with it the next riding season. Garage is attached, finished and unheated.

Good Stuff Folks!

Here'a how I'm going.

I have a battery tender, put some Stabil in the tank and took a little ride. It's now up on blocks. My garage is unheated but attached. I'll fire it up or perhaps get out every few weeks over the next few months.

Come on nice winter days!

Mine's in an outdoor shed, protected from snow, about 5-6 months. The battery is out, it's standing on gravel supported by it's on middle stand. Should be OK - this is the sad live of many two wheelers in Finland.

And the picture was taken just now, without the scoot, to visualize the weather

[quote="RRider"] If I'll ever learn to write carefully enough and check my work...so the battery does not stand on gravel, it's inside with a tender. The scoot is standing on gravel.

RRIDER

We have a large population of emigrant Finish folks in
Minnesota. I think they just sought out Minnesota to
recreate their homeland's weather.

Bob Copeland
Minnesota

There's a bunch of us in Canada too,
They've been saying the same...

the itty bitty jets in a carborated scooter don't need much to get clogged, I'd be sure your fuel filter is good and keep a stabilizer in there. 'Not meaning to start an oil-thread type dispute, but I favor Seafoam over Stable for that. Stable has about a one year shelve life once opened and pretty much only stabilizes fuel. Seafoam seems, ironically, to be both more stable and does other nice things which gives you reasons to have it in there more often. I tend to run Seafoam occasionally thru the tank every now and again and then as it starts to get cold add it to every tank. Beyond that, let your battery sit w/o electrical assistance (tender) in deep-freeze places at your peril. If the charge gets low enough it can freeze which can result in a cracked battery case meaning battery acid dripping all over the innards of your bike, 'no fun at all. On the fogging the cyclinders bit, that likely was important when cylinder sleeves were made of iron but I doubt may of those are around any more. I haven't done that in about 20 years and have not had any problems as a result either.