Abandoning my bike...temporarily

[swhomrig]

This weekend I'm leaving the country and I'll be leaving my '86 450 behind for about 3 months. Rather than follow the storage procedure outlined in the Haynes manual I was thinking I could have one of my roommates start up the bike every so often to keep things running. Does this sound like a feasible plan? How often should I have the bike started? What about gas stabilizer? Or is that something you use when the bike is not going to be run? Anything else I'm not thinking of? I'd like to be able to come home to a bike that is still in running condition.

Thanks,
Scott

[focus frenzy]

fill tank all the way (less air in tank the less mousture in tank) mix in the proper amount of stabil fuel stabilizer and take the bike for a ride for a few miles so that the stabilized gas has a chance to get to the carbs, you will also want to put on the choke so the mix gets in the choke circut.

if you have a battery charger with a maintain function (automatly keeps the charge up) remove and put the battery on it.
if not, you can get a 1 amp charger real cheep at walmart, and get a house timer cheep at walmart.
you plug the timer in the wall and the charger into it and set the timer to come on just 15 minutes a day, this will keep the battery good and hot.

[kalessin]

Three months is shorter than most winter storage (up here in the Northeast).

This length of time shouldn't give you problems with fuel going bad, but it certainly won't hurt to put in stabilizer, which means that the bike doesn't need to be run when it's stored. Put stabilizer in, fill the tank, go for a five-mile ride, and stabilized fuel will have had a chance to make it into the carburetors. Sta-Bil also claims it will act as a carb cleaner when in the fuel.

Disconnect the battery and put it on a Battery Tender charger (or similar storage charger), this is always a good thing. Once again, the bike will probably run just fine if you disconnect the battery and leave it sit and charge it back up before you ride it (or even not), but a Battery Tender is a great way to maintain the charge when you're not riding.

If it's time for an oil change, do so before storage.

Cover the bike to keep dust and dirt off of it. Check the air pressure in your tires when you get back.

[SqDancerLynn1]

DO NOT LEAVE KEYS WITH A ROOMMATE, Your bike may be taken on a unauthorized ride and be in pieces upon you return

[wharrah]

no anauthorized riding allowed!

SqDancerLynn1 is right.

Based on what we have seen with others who 'trusted' their neighbors, just winterize it as best you can by doing what was suggested in the above posts. Disconnect the battery. If someone will put the charger on it for ya, great. If not, the WORST that will happen is you'll need another if it won't charge up when you get back.

But, the STABIL you put in the tank and run thru the carbs will EASILY keep the bike til you get back. I have done it this way for 12 years, and never once had to rebuild a carb due to 'winterizing'... Its the "not winterizing" that kills them.

But, do NOT leave temptation a chance. Keep the keys locked up.

[snark]

Put the bike on the center stand and put a block under the front of the frame to get the wheels off of the ground. Also, I don't care how trusted they are, don't leave the bike keys with a friend. That would be like leaving your wife or girlfriend with a friend to watch...you might not like what you find when you come home.
Check with your local dealer or repair shop. In PA some of them actually have a storage service so you don't even have to worry about it.

[swhomrig]

ok, thanks for the input everybody. i think i'll pick up some of that gas stabilizer and hopefully that will do the trick. unfortunately i don't really have the time to pick up a battery tender (my plane leaves tonight) so hopefully it will hold up until i get back. as far as the leaving keys thing, it sounds like it wouldn't be necessary (or even that beneficial) to have her start it up every once in awhile. although, i have to disagree with the blanket warning of never leave keys with anyone. in fact, i told her that if she wants to get her license she can even take my bike for a spin before buying her own. if something happens to it, then something happens to it. its just a material object...life goes on. again, thanks for the advice everyone and i'll see you all again in a few months.

peace,
scott

[ddaum]

No-way Ho-zay!

DO NOT LEAVE KEYS WITH A ROOMMATE, Your bike may be taken on a unauthorized ride and be in pieces upon you return

Words of wisdom.

i have to disagree with the blanket warning of never leave keys with anyone. in fact, i told her that if she wants to get her license she can even take my bike for a spin before buying her own. if something happens to it, then something happens to it. its just a material object...life goes on.

Wow, you must really love your roommate. This could be argued forever. I would never leave my bike with someone thinking about getting a license, and I sure as heck wouldn't tell them it's okay to ride it alone before they get experience. Worst case scenario: She "thinks" about getting her license, takes it out for a ride, possibly alone, dumps it, injures herself or worse, and now you are out a motorcycle, a roommate, and a friend because you weren't responsible enough to lock it up and take the key, but like I said, worse case scenario.
I know you didn't ask for it, but that's my two cents.

[swhomrig]

yes, i suppose it could be argued forever. all i'm saying is that you can't make a blanket statement that no keys should ever be left with anyone. to say that means you can't trust anyone and to live a life without trusting others would make for a very lonely existence. i think its the kind of thing that can be decided on a case by case basis. knowing my friend, even if i did leave the keys with her and told her she could take it for a ride she would be highly unlikely to do so. making that offer is more of just a friendly gesture...the kind of thing that happens between friends. anyway...i need to finish a paper, take my last final, and then leave this country.

peace
scott