how long is too long?

[andyjohnson]

The snow is finally starting to fall here in Reno, which means that the 450 will be lonely for a bit. I'm planning to ride when the weather clears here and there, but there could be several week stretchs when I won't be able to ride. The question is, how long can the bike sit before the gas starts causing trouble in the carbs?

[duaneage]

About a month or so, depends on the age of the gas when it was sold to you. If you use Stabil fuel stabilizer it should keep it from gumming up.

You could always start the bike every two weeks and idle it for 1/2 hour to keep the juices flowing. I take mine out of the shed once a month and loop the neighborhood for about a mile or so to keep the tires from developing flat spots and to clean off the rotors. I also fill it with premium fuel so if it does degrade any it at least starts out as better gas. No matter how bad a winter we get there are at least 1 or 2 days a month that are decent and I take the bike out for 1/2 hour to warm it up.

Gets me a GS fix I need,

[focus frenzy]

they should give the person who invented stabil a nobel prize, it is great stuff. mixed properly it will keep gas fresh for a couple years easy.

the key is making sure it gets in all the passages, including the choke passages.

[Guy]

you could always start the bike every two weeks and idle it for 1/2 hour to keep the juices flowing. I take mine out of the shed once a month and loop the neighborhood for about a mile or so to keep the tires from developing flat spots and to clean off the rotors.

If you start it at all, give it a decent run (8/10 miles at least). If you don't get the oil up to the normal running temp, you'll have a build up of nasty corrosive condensation inside the engine which will do real damage. Drain the carbs, put the battery on a trickle charge and put the bike on the centre stand to take the weigjht off the tyres.

[DaveDanger]

Guy is dead on the nose with the advice about engine heat. A very short engine run is almost as bad as no run at all. An engine that is run for a short bit, does circulate fluids which is good, but it only raises the temperature a little bit. That small amount of heat difference between internal and external surfaces is guaranteed to cause moisture to condense on internal engine parts. (Cold drink glass set out in warm air syndrome). If the engine is run long enough to bring all temps up to normal, the heat-soak is sufficient to bake out all the moisture that tries to build up. All the internal surfaces (primarily cylinder walls) will be nice and dry (relative to water vapor) when it does cool down. This applies to your car/truck as well. Those short trips are rough on any engine.

[duaneage]

I can cover quite a bit of land in my 1/2 hour warm up sessions! :twisted:
The only moisture present is in my eyes from the cold wind in my face. Damn I hate Winter.

[andyjohnson]

thanks for the advice guys, and the secret to enjoying winter is to trade motorcycling UP the mountains, for skiing DOWN the mountains.

sorry, was that blasphemous?

[Tarbash 27]

WELL ITS STARTING TO GET VERY COLD HERE IN NEW YORK. BUT I DONT CARE. I FINALLY GOT MY MOTORCYCLE LICENSE ON TUESDAY AND NOW ABLE TO RIDE LEGALLY. I PUT 3,000 MILES ON BIKE WITH JUS A PERMIT AND RODE ILLEGALY. I TEND TO RIDE MY BIKE AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WEEK SINCE I HAD IT. IN THE SUMMER I RODE IT EVERYDAY. BUT TODAY I JUST FELT LIKE GOING FOR A RIDE. SO I PUT ON MY SWEATSHIRT AND GLOVES WHICH ARE LEATHER AND TITANIUM AND TOOK OFF. I INSTANTLY STARTING FREEZING ABOUT 5 MILES INTO MY RIDE AND MY HANDS WERE NUMB. SO LIKE AN IDIOT, I CONTINUED RIDING ABOUT ANOTHER 35 MILES. THE SECOND I GOT HOME I JUMPED IN MY BED UNDER THE COVERS WITH ALL MY STUFF ON. THINK I NEED A SNOW SUIT TO GO RIDING. I AM DETERMINED TO RIDE UNTIL THERE'S SNOW ON THE GROUND.

[gremlin]

the trick is leather get some chaps and a good leather coat. also get the very thick gloves. gloves should fit over your coat sleve. you can get them at any good motorcycle shop. a good pair of boots insulated. your helmet will keep your ears warm add a scarf to keep the wind down around your neck. wrap it over your coller and down the front of the coat.

make dang shure you can get long underware under the chaps and coat.

I have riden my bike when the water mains started exploding and freezing to the roads.

now for the bike, make shure you have any parts that need to be lubed with a cold weather lube.

[IanFrancisco]

Another trick is to wear latex dishwashing gloves under your regular gloves. Works great, looks dumb, but who cares?

[jimg]

gremlin

make dang shure you can get long underware under the chaps and coat.

Actually, I hope you can get more than just long underwear under the chaps! You will certainly get some funny looks if all you have is long underwear and chaps on. Ho, ho, ho.

Your crotch will suffer the most even with chaps. I have a pair of long underwear with the legs cut off and then a full second pair. Then boxer shorts and jeans. Then add the chaps!

Let me second or third the leathers, both a good coat and chaps. Get the heaviest coat you can with a zip out lining so you can wear it more often.

[renobruce]

thanks for the advice guys, and the secret to enjoying winter is to trade motorcycling UP the mountains, for skiing DOWN the mountains.

sorry, was that blasphemous?

Not at all!! I agree!!

Good to see another active member in Reno! It would be nice to get together for a ride OR skiing. Give me a PM and we'll hook up!

BTW, Stabil works great. I had it in my 1150 for 3 years at one time. She fired right up!!