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Oh, the weather outside is frightful...
And so it came to pass that the whiteness covered the land, and the bikers wailed, for it meant the end of another riding season. And the Russian Wolf came unto them, and he spake unto them, and he told them, "Lo! It is not the end! For in the fullness of time, the sun shall shine forth, and the air shall heat, and the pavement shall once again welcome the kiss of your tyres, and you shall once again rejoice in the Dance of the Highways!"
And the bikers were glad, and they asked of the Wolf the true and proper way to prepare their beloved chariots for the coming cold. And the Wolf smiled upon them, and he regaled them with instructions, and all was good. And the bikers did depart to follow the Wolf's instructions...
1: Fill the fuel tank with quality unleaded gasoline.
2: Add 4 fluid ounces of Sea Foam to the fuel.
3: As best as possible, shake the bike from side to side to mix the Sea Foam with the fuel.
4: Ride for 20 minutes (or more); this ensures the Sea Foam/gasoline mixture will reach the carb and the engine, that the oil will have reached proper operating temperature and burnt off any condensation in the crankcase, charges the battery, and most of all, it is good for your soul.
5: Park the bike where it will be riding out the winter. Don't shut off the engine yet!
6: Remove the air filter cover.
7: Spray fogging oil directly into the carburetor intake until the engine gags and threatens to quit. Try not to let the engine stall; if it does, no worries, just turn it off and proceed to step 8. If it doesn't, repeat the process. Turn off the engine.
8: Remove the spark plugs and shoot a 1-second burst of fogging oil directly into the cylinders through the spark plug holes. Turn the engine over a couple of times with the starter; this will coat the cylinder walls, rings, piston tops and sides. With luck, a bit will get into the valve guides as well.
9: Remove the key.
10: Lightly coat the threads and electrode of the spark plugs with fogging oil.
11: Reinstall the spark plugs a few threads. Don't bother to snug them down, and don't reconnect the plug wires. You'll be taking the plugs back out when it comes time to bring the bike back to life. For now we just want to plug the holes.
12: Reinstall the air filter cover.
13: Check the coolant with a hydrometer for the freezing point, especially if you live in cold country. The mixture should be sufficient to protect to lower than the coldest anticipated temperature. If it isn't, change it now!
14: Give the bike a last caress, pat, or kiss. Close the door and walk away.
Optional:
If you are concerned about the battery discharging and/or freezing, you can connect it to a charger. Never use a standard automotive charger for this! Only a "floating" charger will do; these devices charge the battery to its fullest, then drop back to the merest trickle to maintain the charge.
If you're really anal about it, remove the battery and connect the charger. You can put the battery someplace warm, but it's not really necessary; a fully-charged battery will not freeze, and a battery that is being charged generates heat, thus it will not freeze either. It is not recommended that the battery should be stored inside the house - especially with a charger connected. Charging batteries give off hydrogen gas, which stinks and is toxic in higher concentrations, not to mention flammable (can you say Hindenberg?.
Note: The Wolf's bike has never had a charger on it since it was installed, nor has it ever been removed; and as said before, every spring it fires the bike to perfect sound and fury.
If it's likely in your area that small critters might make a home in your exhaust pipes, then make sure the pipes are cool to the touch and cover the tips with plastic bags. Ziptie the bags in place. Make sure you remember to remove the bags before you start the bike next!
You may cover the bike if you wish. Make sure anything you use to cover it is a breatheable fabric; a plastic tarp will trap condensation inside, which leads to rust and other horrors.
Do not, under any circumstances, fall prey to the "start it up once in a while" routine! First of all, this will not keep the battery charged; none of the Vulcans charge the battery well at idle. Secondly, no matter what you do, the bike will not come to full operating temperature unless you ride it. The engine only comes to full operating temperature under load; and I don't know about you, but I don't have an empty aircraft hanger to do laps in... If the engine does not come to full operating temperature, the oil will not heat up sufficiently to burn off any condensation that may have formed, so you'll be left with water in the crankcase. Just take it as read, that is bad.
 
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