Cold Weather

RossO · Jan 21, 2026

Alright all, I'm headed out ice fishing with my Defender this weekend and the temps are going to be colder than I'd like (-11F for a high and -23F for a low), but the show must go on. What are some things to do for prep or things to bring to make sure the machine gets us off the ice?

dirtco · Jan 22, 2026

Good battery and jump pack. I treat my fuel too. Also use lighter wt oil

honda400ex2003 · Jan 23, 2026

agreed, get a good jump pack to bring with. i dont have much trouble with my hd10, it cranks slow but has not had enough trouble not to start. never know though, mine is in a cold garage and is plugged into a battery tender most of the time.

steve

SuperFLY91 · Jan 27, 2026

I had mine out all weekend in about the same temps ice fishing in MN. My machine was stored in an un-heated garage and hadn't been started in about a week. I had to jump it to get it going. After that initial cold start, no issues all weekend. A good jump pack is a great idea though. I also run 0W-40 oil in the winter. I have a battery blanket I'm going to install, and a battery tender to keep it plugged in. After that, I don't foresee any cold weather problems until it's time for a new battery. Mine is a 2025 HD9, so far so good. Report back on the fishing, good luck!

RossO · Wednesday at 3:49 PM

I appreciate all the responses. I was in Waubay SD with temps around -26 on Friday morning. I was able to keep my machine in an enclosed trailer at night with a little electric space heater which didn't do much, but I think it helped big time. There was another defender that was in a different trailer with no heat and that one needed some persuasion to start and later that evening that defender needed the relay pulled and put in a pocket to warm up before it would turn over.

The only issues I had with mine were the aluminum fittings for the aftermarket heater leaked and one of my FOX QS3 shocks started leaking which kinda blows my mind. I assumed there would be zero issues with FOX shocks.

We also had a flat tire on one of the defenders, but other than that they worked great considering the condition. I wish the fish would've cooperated, but I guess that's why its called "fishing" and not "catching"