If, No Stabil or Winterize for 850, then...

[GregM.]

For an '80 850G with 24K, living in a garage in Seattle Wa. that I don't want to winterize... I'm wondering how much riding is necessary. Yeah, I know, the more the better

Usually due to my schedule and the weather, I'm getting out for a 45 min ride on the freeway, twice a month. The weather when I get to go out is between 35 and 45 degrees, and not raining, but occasionally damp roadways.

My goal is - to keep mechanical things in shape, minimize maintenance and up keep, and basically ward off any deterioration of my old classic. I want to ride it enough, so the charging system, clutch discs, all fluids, and the mechanical components don't suffer from lack of use.

What's your opinion?
When schedules are busy and the weather is crap, what's the minimum riding that would meet my goals?
Am I doing more than I need to... or not enough?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[tconroy]

For an '80 850G with 24K, living in a garage in Seattle Wa. that I don't want to winterize... I'm wondering how much riding is necessary. Yeah, I know, the more the better

Usually due to my schedule and the weather, I'm getting out for a 45 min ride on the freeway, twice a month. The weather when I get to go out is between 35 and 45 degrees, and not raining, but occasionally damp roadways.

My goal is - to keep mechanical things in shape, minimize maintenance and up keep, and basically ward off any deterioration of my old classic. I want to ride it enough, so the charging system, clutch discs, all fluids, and the mechanical components don't suffer from lack of use.

What's your opinion?
When schedules are busy and the weather is crap, what's the minimum riding that would meet my goals?
Am I doing more than I need to... or not enough?

Thanks for your thoughts.

i always put a little stabil in the gas when I think I will not ride for 2 weeks.If you ride once every 2 weeks it would be ok without it if you can ride for a while,50 miles or so and then fill back up before putting it in the garage.It would do more harm if you started it up and not let it get up to temperature like it would be if you are riding.If your going to start it,ride it.I just put stabil in mine and rode around to get it in the carbs cause i dont plan on riding for another 2 or 3 weeks.

[marvinsc]

I have the Same Bike and I haven't put Stabil in it This Year. I shoot for a Ride at least every 10 Days and Fill it up before going Home. As Tconroy said, if You KNOW You won't ride for 3 Weeks or so, Stabil isn't a Bad idea. The Key is Riding Long enough to Get the Bike Fully Warmed up to Operating Temp.

[bonanzadave]

Use non-ethanol gas, and a little seafoam. The pump I use says Non-oxy Prem. Ethanol will start to go bad in a couple weeks. It kills boat carbs around here. Take the time to wash, and wipe if your on wet roads. Road spray is corrosive. Sounds like if you meet your goal ya got it covered. Im not going out unless its 60 degrees.

[tconroy]

There is a lot of debate on how long gas will last before it starts to varnish.My boss worked for crysler motor company for 20 years and swears that gas will last a year on it's own and stabil is a product made by a fuel manufacturing company to sell and make more money off the consumer.i have a 1990 evinrude on my boat and have only rebuilt the carbs once after 12 years of running.I always put stabil in every winter and fogged the engine before putting away.Stabil may just be a way of giving you the assurance that it will be "ok" when you go back to riding after a period of sitting in storage waiting for spring or good riding weather.However, I will always use it because of the track record I have had with all my engines.I also use seafoam in the tank once in a while to help keep my carbs clean and have had good results with it. The last time my boat messed up I happened to be in Minnesota on the Leech chain of lakes up past Brainerd.

[tkent02]

Depends a lot on the fuel, climate, temperature.....

Some gas literally lasts for years, other stuff goes bad in a few months. High humidity and temp makes it go bad faster. Gas sold in the U.S. now goes bad way faster than it used to. You can drain the bike gas into the car and put new in the bike if you are worried about it. I try to use Stabil if it will be parked more than a month.
The petrol in the U.K. lasts quite a while, you can't get stabil there, indeed the auto parts places don't even know what it is, never heard of gas going bad. Same with my buddy in Germany. He has stored a car a long time and the gas was OK.
My BMW sits with no Stabil in a garage in Newcastle waiting to see if it will run when I get back, it will have been five months. We shall see.
As far as riding goes, as long as you get it good and hot that's better than nothing. It takes quite a while to get the oil warmed up. If you aren't going to get it thoroughly heated up don't even crank it.

[jimcor]

You might get by with 60 days, but that's pushing your luck. I've had carbs varnish after 90 days of sitting undrained and untreated (shame on me). Today's gasoline is just really volatile stuff and goes 'bad' quickly. Stabil works. You wanna clean carbs or ride this spring? Stabil, it's a tad pricey, but it's worth it.

OK, Stabil folks you owe me another payola check...and let's be a little prompt, the last check was late. :shock: 8-[

[dig dug mx6]

You might get by with 60 days, but that's pushing your luck. I've had carbs varnish after 90 days of sitting undrained and untreated (shame on me). Today's gasoline is just really volatile stuff and goes 'bad' quickly. Stabil works. You wanna clean carbs or ride this spring? Stabil, it's a tad pricey, but it's worth it.

OK, Stabil folks you owe me another payola check...and let's be a little prompt, the last check was late. :shock: 8-[

I had a different experience. Last winter I forgot the tabil and come spring it fired right up no problem. It sat for about 4 months

[GregM.]

Thanks... As usual lots of sensible advice and a bit more education for me.

Jimcor, thanks I always like reading your stuff here... and over at the COG site (going to be adding a used Concours to my garage one day).

tkent02, I appreciate your input... all this stuff is very helpful to me. Mind if I ask, Where do you live? Or, it sounds like you're out of town. You have a garage in Newcastle... as in Wa. ??? That's where I am. It sounds like we might be neighbors.

[rphillips]

Whatever makes you feel comfortable. But for sure, if you are riding 45min. every other week, or even once a month, you'll have no problems with stale, or bad, gas. Your schedgule will be very good for your battery, not giving it a chance to get weak. My wife has a Camaro in the garage that doesn't get driven near as much as your bike, & I've never thought about doing Stabil or anything for it. Best idea, you're doing great, keep it up

[tkent02]

Newcastle, England....

Mind if I ask, Where do you live? Or, it sounds like you're out of town. You have a garage in Newcastle... as in Wa. ??? That's where I am. It sounds like we might be neighbors.

I work in Scotland summers and in the states winters. My buddy in Newcastle found a garage there for almost nothing so I put the car and some other stuff in storage there.
Living in Littleton, Colorado now.
Grew up in Wa, love it there.
So yah, we're neighbors.

[jimcor]

I had a different experience. Last winter I forgot the tabil and come spring it fired right up no problem. It sat for about 4 months

Yeah, don't forget gasoline is now blended pretty much for the region it's sold in lately. So YMMV.

I myself would rather go to an all-night dentist than "pull, clean, install, run, remove, reclean, reinstall rerun" carbs on my 550 and the Concours as part of my rites of spring rituals.

Don't want to chance it, gimme the Stabil, Mabel.

And if you're old enough to remember the beer that featured "Mabel" in their commercials you probably feel like I do about carb cleaning.