Winterizing a Honda Shadow Spirit 750 (VT750C2): Battery, Fuel, Carb, Oil, and Storage
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Ohio winter parks the Spirit for three or four months. Do this list once in November and it starts in March.
1. Change the oil first
Old oil carries acids and moisture. Don't let it sit in the engine all winter. Change it before storage, not in spring.
- Oil: SAE 10W-30, JASO MA motorcycle oil
- Capacity with filter: 2.7 US qt (2.6 L)
- Filter torque: 19 lbf·ft (26 N·m)
Full steps are in my oil change guide.
Pro Honda GN4 10W-30 on Amazon HiFlo HF204 oil filter on Amazon
2. Stabilize the fuel
Fill the tank close to full so there's less air space for condensation. Add stabilizer at the dose on the bottle, then run the engine a few minutes so treated fuel reaches the carb.
3. Drain the carb float bowl
The Spirit runs a single carb. Old gas goes to varnish in the float bowl and plugs the jets. Ask me how I know. I rebuilt mine (carb rebuild guide).
Turn the fuel off, put a hose on the drain and a container under it, loosen the drain screw, and let the bowl empty. Snug the screw back down.
4. Battery on a tender
Cold and sitting kill batteries. Pull the battery or leave it in and hook up a maintainer. The Spirit takes a YTZ14S.
Honda's numbers from the service manual:
- Fully charged: 13.0-13.2 V at 68°F
- Needs charging: below 12.4 V
- Normal charging current: 1.1 A for 5-10 h
A smart maintainer handles this on its own. If you run lithium, get one with a lithium mode.
Battery tender / maintainer on Amazon Battery tender pigtail lead on Amazon
5. Set tire pressure
Air the tires to spec cold so they don't flat-spot. From the service manual:
- Front: 29 psi (200 kPa)
- Rear: 29 psi (200 kPa) up to 200 lb load, 36 psi (250 kPa) up to max load
If you can, get weight off the tires with a stand or lift.
6. Keep mice out
Mice love a parked bike. They nest in the airbox and chew wiring.
- Stuff a rag or steel wool in the exhaust tips and the airbox intake. Hang a tag on the bars so you remember to pull it.
- Put mouse traps or repellent around the bike, not on it.
Exhaust plugs on Amazon Rodent repellent pouches on Amazon
7. Wash it and cover it
Wash off road grime and salt and let it dry fully. Then put on a breathable cover. A plastic tarp traps moisture. With the batwing on, check the cover's size listing before you buy.
Breathable motorcycle cover on Amazon
Spring checklist
Pull the plugs and rags, check tire pressure, put the battery back, check the oil level, and fire it up.