Storing bikes

Jakobi

Jakobi

Super Moderator
Sorry its not to do with my Gassers, they get ridden at least once a month each :D Old Mrs WRF however has taken up a spot in the corner, and rarely even do I find the desire to put a boot into her, let alone ride her.

Decided to start it the other day, just to make sure it ran. It fired ok, but wouldn't take any throttle. I drained the fuel which was yellow it had aged so much, and pulled the carb. I wish I didn't start it when I saw what was in the bowl. Sludgey crap settled in the nut (no idea where it came from), a gummy residue on most things, and bits of rust. Some parts internally had started to oxidise (the bolts holding the upper bowl on), and also the 3 screws in the fuel cap itself were all crusted up. Granted we've had a bit of rain this season and more than a touch of humidity, but thats crap!

So whats the secret? How did I end up with water (I assume) in there? How do you all store your bikes to last? Either store them dry and the rubber perishes, or wet and they gum. Indicators have both perished and dropped off too. This bike needs to be ridden.
 
Over winter time I add fuel stabilizer (usually made for ethanol kind due to crappy gas around here), run it until I am sure it's through the carb, then fill the tank up. That's about it. Sometimes we get a warm day and I want to sneak out for a ride so I never full "winterize" a bike.
 
Jakobi said:
Sorry its not to do with my Gassers, they get ridden at least once a month each :D Old Mrs WRF however has taken up a spot in the corner, and rarely even do I find the desire to put a boot into her, let alone ride her.

Decided to start it the other day, just to make sure it ran. It fired ok, but wouldn't take any throttle. I drained the fuel which was yellow it had aged so much, and pulled the carb. I wish I didn't start it when I saw what was in the bowl. Sludgey crap settled in the nut (no idea where it came from), a gummy residue on most things, and bits of rust. Some parts internally had started to oxidise (the bolts holding the upper bowl on), and also the 3 screws in the fuel cap itself were all crusted up. Granted we've had a bit of rain this season and more than a touch of humidity, but thats crap!

So whats the secret? How did I end up with water (I assume) in there? How do you all store your bikes to last? Either store them dry and the rubber perishes, or wet and they gum. Indicators have both perished and dropped off too. This bike needs to be ridden.
Click to expand...

Pretty close to what the others describe. I use the fuel stabilizer and run the bike to make sure it is through the system. Clean filter, lube chain and spray lube on pivots, new tranny oil and fogging oil in the cylinder, plastic protectant on bodywork and a battery tender.. Then I put it on a stand to get the wheels off the ground and forget it. When it goes up for winter I want it pretty much ready to ride when I take it out of storage. Some of it might be overkill (fogging the cylinder) but I've been doing this method for years and the bikes seem happy. Good luck.
 
Looks like I just need to find some fuel stabilizer. Everything else is all good. How long will this help for?
 
If you can get your hands on some av-gas take a 5 gal. jug full and keep it in the shop. This stuff will not go sour on you. I top off all my bikes, lawnmowers, generators, etc. with it in the off season. I have had stuff sit for a couple of years and pop right off when I go to start it. Av-gas is kind of dry so I mix a little Marvels mystery oil with it(1 ounce per gal.) just to give it a little lubrication.
I prefer to keep my tanks full in the off season rather than empty. This helps eliminate the possibility of condensation forming in the tank.
 
rosco said:
If you can get your hands on some av-gas take a 5 gal. jug full and keep it in the shop. This stuff will not go sour on you. I top off all my bikes, lawnmowers, generators, etc. with it in the off season. I have had stuff sit for a couple of years and pop right off when I go to start it. Av-gas is kind of dry so I mix a little Marvels mystery oil with it(1 ounce per gal.) just to give it a little lubrication.
I prefer to keep my tanks full in the off season rather than empty. This helps eliminate the possibility of condensation forming in the tank.
Click to expand...

Sorry Rosco, but I find it funny in a cruel way that some of you have an 'off-season' :D

You lot need to emigrate, our riding season is 12 months long over here!
 
paulos said:
Sorry Rosco, but I find it funny in a cruel way that some of you have an 'off-season' :D

You lot need to emigrate, our riding season is 12 months long over here!
Click to expand...
Those of us who live in the Pacific Northwest don't have an off season. In the Puget Sound Region, there's 12 months of riding with rare exception.
 
The only potential off season here is the summer when the weak ones say 'its too hot.. its too humid'. Winter is just about everyones idea of paradise.. But owning a couple Gassers and a well dated Yamahaha 250F, they get their own kind of off season.
 
Sure rub it in! Most people here have an off season but I really don't. We try to ride as much as possible in the winter. This last one was a tough one though. Pretty hard to ride on those -26 F. days. Our last winter started the first part of Oct. with a blizzard that killed thousands of cattle and horses. I think its finally over though. We finally have been getting some pretty nice days this last week.
 
Negative anything sounds horrrible... brrrr.. It must have been at least 16C this morning and I felt cold.
 
16C is cold? 10C is perfect riding temperature; I usually don't ride when it goes over 25C. Too hard to cool off in the tight stuff. I'd rather ride at 30F than 30C.
 
10C I'm frosty!! Wind chill on the fire trails. Need to wear a t-shirt under my gear. HAHA! 30+C and 75%+ Humidity. Good times. Swim in a cool creek on the way home is bliss. Amazing how much variance there is. For me low 20's is about as good as it gets.
 
Jakobi said:
10C I'm frosty!! Wind chill on the fire trails. Need to wear a t-shirt under my gear. HAHA! 30+C and 75%+ Humidity. Good times. Swim in a cool creek on the way home is bliss. Amazing how much variance there is. For me low 20's is about as good as it gets.
Click to expand...

10 Degrees is freezing :D i'd be wearing thermal underwear I reckon. I had my uncle visit from the UK recently and while out with some mates on a camping/riding trip he was amazed that we were wearing jeans and jumpers.
 
You guys would have perished in our recent winter. My niece (registered nurse) spent several months working in Oz and sent back some Tim Tams; they were really tasty. She said she nearly "overdosed" when she started doing Tim Tam "slams".

For those who have never seen a Tim Tam http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Tam
 
Tim Tams don't do much for me. Tourists love them though! Not uncommon to see the shevles cleaned out at this time of the year. Mint Slice is worlds better! Straight from the freezer! Yum
 
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