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storing bike inside

  • Thread starter Thread starter mbwjr12
  • Start date Start date
M

mbwjr12

Guest
As I have no garage, but would like to store my bike for the winter and tune the carbs and adjust the valves, I want to bring my bike into my basement. I know I need to drain the gas tank (should I put something else in it instead?), and also probably the carb bowls, but what else?
 
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This is how I roll.
 
Rather than drain the gas tank, add some fuel stabilizer (Sta-Bil or Seafoam work well), run the bike for a few miles to ensure that the treated fuel gets through all the carb circuits. Fill the tank to just below the filler neck. While the bike is warm, change the oil and filter. Park the bike where you are going to store it, put it on the centerstand, put a small block of wood under the front tire to keep it off the concrete, connect a battery maintainer, cover it with a sheet or blanket to keep the dust off of it. Kiss it good-night, don't wake it up until you are ready to take it for at least a 30-minute ride.

Keeping it in your basement will reduce the temptation to start it every once in a while, which is good. Starting it only drains the battery and introduces other problems. You will not likely run the bike long enough to recharge the battery, but you will definitely not run it long enough to burn out all the condensation that will form in the crankcase and exhaust system.

If you simply drain the float bowls, there is the chance that just enough fuel will be left in the little passages in the carbs to gum them up as it dries out. My personal preference is to treat the gas and then leave it alone.

.
 
tank will RUST unless you fill it to the top with fuel, oil or kerosene

condensation will bring water wherever atmosphere/air is present unlike fluid-- de humidifiers are ok but not inside a tank.

drained with sillica packets do not work either.

disconnect the fuel line and drain the bowls while the bike is running this will remove all remaining fuel residue that draining alone leaves behind. let it die on it's own to get all the pump gas residue out of there. what minute quantity is left will be removed next year by detergents in next years fuel.

BEST OPTION ? race gas! 110 octane or higher will be much better than ANY stabilizer product! just fill it up ride it til the race fuel is throughout total system top off tank forget it til next year.
8.00 a gallon gets you supreme storage quality it is a rust prohibitor too.


there is condensation in the crank case too but no one cries about surface rust on their transmission gears. and the case aluminum doesn't begin to pit for 2 or 3 years.
 
Thanks for the replies. I've already run Seafoam through it, and I have an almost completely full tank. This basement is finished, and I was more worried about storing gasoline inside / relatively close to a furnace. I understand the carb problem as well, but because the main reason I want it inside is to completely take apart the carbs and rebuild them, it shouldn't be a problem this season.

As long as it is safe to bring the tank inside, I will do that, otherwise I was going to cover it and leave it on my porch.
 
mbwjr12 said:
Thanks for the replies. I've already run Seafoam through it, and I have an almost completely full tank. This basement is finished, and I was more worried about storing gasoline inside / relatively close to a furnace. I understand the carb problem as well, but because the main reason I want it inside is to completely take apart the carbs and rebuild them, it shouldn't be a problem this season.

As long as it is safe to bring the tank inside, I will do that, otherwise I was going to cover it and leave it on my porch.
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It's not safe, gasoline containers of any kind should never be in a house. If your house burns down it may even void your insurance even if it was not the cause. The explosion from a room full of gasoline fumes can take your neighborhood down. Bike gas tanks can and do spring leaks, my 1100 just did, now the tank sits outside until the new sender gasket gets here. I had another tank a few months ago just started seeping gasoline through a rusty spot. Both just parked, sitting there, started leaking. If either of these were in a place with a pilot light or a heater flame, it could have been disastrous.

Drain the tank dry and prevent rust some other way, slosh oil around inside or whatever, or leave it outside.

Do you live in a humid or a dry climate?
 
Off topic

Off topic

mbwjr12,

what kind of bike is the Red & white with the straight pipe. I looks pretty nostalgic. I like the look of that one, kind of reminds me of the Classic Royal Enfield

Sorry I looked closer and saw that it was a Suzuki
 
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I think I will just wrap the tank in plastic and leave it filled with gas and stabilizer on my porch. Will all the other fluids be safe as long as the carbs are drained of gas as well?
 
mbwjr12 said:
I think I will just wrap the tank in plastic and leave it filled with gas and stabilizer on my porch. Will all the other fluids be safe as long as the carbs are drained of gas as well?
Click to expand...

I think it would be better off without the plastic, it will keep any moisture that gets in from getting back out... Will it at least be out of the weather?
 
Unfortunately, it won't be out of the weather. Can I just wrap it in my breathable motorcycle cover?
 
You have a friend or relative with a garage where you could store just the tank?

If you drain it and air it out it is safe inside the house. It won't rust if it is in a warm dry place, unless you live in a really humid environment. Changes in temperature are what causes the condensation that ends up causing rust. In a normal heated house it shouldn't be a problem. I have several tanks open in the garage a few years now, they have not rusted at all. It's pretty dry around here.

But you still haven't posted a location, Arizona or Louisiana? Huge difference.
 
mbwjr - listen to these guys (eg Steve, trippivot, tkent).

Look, gasoline inside a house is pretty much always a bad idea. In a gas can or in a gas tank of motorcycle. Don't for one moment think that the disasters these guys hint at do not happen. They DO. don't be a statistic.

I personally would store bike in garage or outside, not in my basement. And if I wanted to/had to store in basement, this is what I would do:

1. Add Stabil to gas per directions.
2. Ride or fun bike for at least 10min to circulate.
3. Drain tank and remove from bike. Preferably put outside or some place safe away from house.
4. Drain carb float bowls of fuel (the Stabil will ensure fuel remaining in lines etc will not turn into gello)
5. Remove spark plugs and either put fogging oil or 2 - 4 drops whatever oil into plug holes, spin starter a few seconds to circulate, and hand tighten plugs back in and let her sit. (in spring, you will remove plugs, clean or replace, tighten, then fire up bike and expect it to smoke off the oil in the cylinders for about 20seconds or so, after which it should run fine/normal).
6. Spray entire bike, focusing on engine and related parts but whole bike, with S100 protectant (German. Expensive. Works. Worth it). Cover it with bike cover if you can.

If you leave it outside or in an external garage, same directions above, but be ever so anal about steps 5 and 6 above or you will be very disappointed in what you find in the Spring.

Thanks,
Andy
 
GMSKEE said:
mbwjr12,

what kind of bike is the Red & white with the straight pipe. I looks pretty nostalgic. I like the look of that one, kind of reminds me of the Classic Royal Enfield

Sorry I looked closer and saw that it was a Suzuki
Click to expand...

If you mean the bike in Makr's house, I believe that might be a Yamaha RD 350/400, unless I'm mistaken. Very sweet! And yes, the Enfields are pretty cool too.:)

Mbw, you could bring the tank in the house empty, and sprayed liberally inside with Stabil fogging oil (or any other brand). I'd give it a respray every month or so, but I doubt it would rust with a film of the stuff on it.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3611429&CAWELAID=345904164

Tony.
 
Mine stays in the laundry room right off of the kitchen and I've had no problems with it. If you drain the tank you'll get more fumes.
 
makr said:
DSC00730.jpg




This is how I roll.
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Hahahaaa, now THAT'S improvising.

Personally i keep my bike in the garage, keep the tank full of gas and add a shot of jet fuel in the mix.

(i also used to get all the 110LL airplane gas I wanted, for free....but i still have a few gallons laying around......thinking about dumping some of that in there for the winter.)

If my garage gets too cold, i wont hesitate to move the bike into the basement......im surprised how these bikes DONT smell like gas....it just has that "80's" smell too it, but that's about it.....
 
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