Bike Preparation

Hey guys,

Haven't ridden the bike for a month or so and have decided to tuck her up until the new year, therefore I was wondering what key things I should do if I know she's going to be dormant for 3 - 6 months? I'm guessing:

- Remove the battery and store it @ room temperature?
- Fill the tank up to full?
- lube up the chain and wd40 bits like brake levers etc?
- ?
- ?

Sorry, am a tad new to bike ownership and have only had my license 5 months

Personally I would turn off the fuel and run the carbs dry. Makes re-starting easy and prevents the idle jets bunging up so much. Clean everything and I like to coat everything in ACF 50. Maybe stick the battery on an optimiser too. I'm sure other, more qualified bodies will be along soon to say similar stuff.

./pulls out the Haynes!

I don't know how other 'cats respond, but mine is a c**t to start after standing for a few weeks, and even then the revs are lumpy. Eurgh! Haha!

Hmm, mines a 2002 model, can't seem to find the fuel pump valve (is it a valve?! :p) in the manual.

Hmm.

Tom... wrote:I don't know how other 'cats respond, but mine is a c**t to start after standing for a few weeks, and even then the revs are lumpy. Eurgh! Haha!

Same here, I tend to leave it to warm up for 20 minutes before setting off and even then it takes a little while to warm up. Cold little thing

Fuel pump doesn't have a valve, it's the stopcock under the tank, son of a whatsit to find without removing the tank, but it IS possible without if you practice! Haha!

Tom... wrote:Fuel pump doesn't have a valve, it's the stopcock under the tank, son of a whatsit to find without removing the tank, but it IS possible without if you practice! Haha!

Oh bugger, and I bet you need the hands of a 5 year old girl to get to it too!

Remove the seat, undo the bolt holding the tank, lift the tank up about 6". Look for the fuel pipe from the tank, feel along it till you get to the tap. the lever is pointing downwards, turn it from 6 o' clock to 9 o' clock, in other words turn clockwise 90 deg.
Don't forget to put it back before you want to go out next time.

Once turned off, run the engine till the fuel in the carbs runs out. You will hear the fuel pump making a noise, don't let it run too long like that though.

SteveCat wrote:Remove the seat, undo the bolt holding the tank, lift the tank up about 6". Look for the fuel pipe from the tank, feel along it till you get to the tap. the lever is pointing downwards, turn it from 6 o' clock to 9 o' clock, in other words turn clockwise 90 deg.
Don't forget to put it back before you want to go  out next time.

Once turned off, run the engine till the fuel in the carbs runs out. You will hear the fuel pump making a noise, don't let it run too long like that though.

Thanks for that, Steve.

i do nothing, start fine and runs perfect after been stood over winter    

Bikerchris wrote:i do nothing, start fine and runs perfect after been stood over winter    

I imagine the same would be the case for mine, but if there's anything I can do to help her along I'd like to

Same here.

I do disconnect the battery.. and fire it up for a few minutes every month (when I remember to do it), but that's about it.
It generally runs a wee bit lumpy for a few minutes come spring, but a blast down the dual carriageway and back at high revs clears it out.
(Worth noting that the tyres can be a bit greasy on the first run after standing for so long, so easy on the corners)*




*...both the engine and the tyres seems to need at least one good heat cycle through them.

Anyone got an idea why mine dislikes starting after being stood? She needs full choke and turns over for about eight seconds before firing and starting. Even then she's lumpy as hell, and has to warm up on 3/4 choke for ten minutes. Then after going out for a run, or being used once a week, she starts instantly, within turning over twice we're in business and it's unstoppable. I've a mint, original, engine that's not even done 3k miles from new! Sometimes I even miss my injected SV650S.... But then I go for a ride and remember why it was rubbish.

I used to find it helped to put top-grade petrol (V-Power or similar) in if I knew it was going to be unused for more than a couple of weeks. I think it's cleaner and has less tendency to form a gel in the jets when it evaporates out of the carbs.

good clean lift bike of wheels so you can spin the wheel make sure brakes are well cleaned spray with ACF 50 run bike every week end battery on trickel charge covered over with frost free heater in shed
pete