how long is too long for a bike to sit?

[Guest]

OK, this isn't a GS question per se, but I figured with all the expertise on this board, someone's gotta know the answer to this one.

My 18-year-old daughter got her first bike, a 1982 Yamaha Maxim. I helped her pick it up a few months ago. Anyway, weather here has been the worst in years. In fact, it's raining even today.

She's only ridden it twice since she got it. We were going to ride yesterday (a rare sunny day!). But when she tried to start it, it sounded like crap.

It kept dying unless the choke was on. I played with the idle screw and got it to run at about 1500 rpm but it sounds awful.

It was running very nicely last time she rode. PO was meticulous with the bike and had recently cleaned the carbs, balanced them, replaced the petcock, and put in a fuel filter.

I had advised my kid to start the bike up every few days but she didn't. (Kids! sheesh!) So I'm wondering if a month and a half sitting idle in the garage would have caused this kind of problem?

I'm gonna get the bike into my garage this weekend and was just gonna start checking all the connections, make sure there's no vacuum leaks.

The intake boots are very new, still quite pliable and soft. Really, the bike looks to be in better shape than mine!

I may end up pulling the carbs and giving them a cleaning.

I guess my real question is just whether this is normal that a bike would develop this kind of an issue from sitting for a few weeks.

I never go more than a few days without running my bike. I ride in the rain or, in really bad weather, sometimes just roll it out onto the driveway and let it run, so it's never sat long.

Anyway, thoughts are appreciated. This just seems odd to me.

Oh, and just thought I'd add that I would have run the bike myself, but my daugher lives with her mom.. you know, that whole divorce thingy. So I didn't have regular access to the bike.

Thanks everyone..

[1100E]

Just saw the pic of your daughter's Maxim in your blog, nice bike!

My bikes sometimes sit for a month or more (frequent business travel) without any problems at all. I have them on a battery tender and I put an additive in my gas with every fill up. I'm guessing it's probably the fuel filter or a fouled plug (or two), both are easy fixes.

Here's a link to my favorite fuel stabilizer: http://www.redlineoil.com/product.as...FQQxiQodKjTQSQ

Good luck, hope you both get some riding in this weekend.

[SqDancerLynn1]

1-2 months shouldn't be a problem. You may have gotten water in the gas . I would start by draining the carb float bowls, maybe even do it a few time to flush them. Put some fresh gas in it

[pontiacstogo]

Due to the weather here, my bikes get to sit idle for 5 or 6 months a year - I never start them in that period; I figure the frequent cold starts are much worse than letting them sit for extended periods. I never have any problems starting them up when spring rolls around, but I do run the bowls dry when I put them away in the fall.

I'd try some fresh gas, maybe even some Seafoam before I tore anything apart. Gas goes 'off' pretty quickly nowadays.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Yes, I concur. If all the other maintenance is up to date, it won't hurt to let these bike sit for a while. For extended periods use a fuel stabilizer (I like Seafoam) and put the battery on a tender to keep it charged. Note that tires can develop a flat spot if your bike has been sitting for a really long time.

You might try a good dose or two of Seafoam in your daughter's bike to see if it can clean out any minor gunk that may have accumulated.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[oldgsfan]

These are all great suggestions.. Thanks all!

And actually, spending part of a Father's Day fiddling with the bike doesn't sound too bad, actually..

And, yeah, Bass Cliff, I thought it was a pretty good find. It's in great shape and the guy wanted just $900 for it. He laid it down, fixed it up again, but was too spooked to ride anymore and just wanted it gone.

[Fizzyhair]

I used to have a CBX750 that if left for a while needed a good clean out and it turned out it was because my fuel tap didn't actually turn off. It was dripping fuel into the carbs which crystalises and gunges it all up. I had to Replace the tap and strip my carbs. That said, a drop of RedEx or US equivilent product will often work wonders!

[bwringer]

In the summer, it only takes a couple of weeks for enough gas to evaporate to clog a pilot jet.

You'll also find that the float bowls often end up dry in this time -- does the Yammie's petcock have a "prime" setting?

When you get it sorted, just make sure you put Sta-Bil in the gas when you don't know how long it will be before the next ride.