Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
storing bike inside
Collapse
X
-
mbwjr12
storing bike inside
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?Tags: None
-
makr
-
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.
.sigpic
mine: 2000 Honda GoldWing GL1500SE and 1980 GS850G'K' "Junior"
hers: 1982 GS850GL - "Angel" and 1969 Suzuki T250 Scrambler
#1 son: 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale 1300 and 1982 GS650GL "Rat Bagger"
#2 son: 1980 GS1000G
Family Portrait
Siblings and Spouses
Mom's first ride
Want a copy of my valve adjust spreadsheet for your 2-valve per cylinder engine? Send me an e-mail request (not a PM)
(Click on my username in the upper-left corner for e-mail info.)
Comment
-
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.SUZUKI , There is no substitute
Comment
-
mbwjr12
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.
Comment
-
Originally posted by mbwjr12 View PostThanks 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.
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?
Comment
-
GMSKEE
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
Comment
-
mbwjr12
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?
Comment
-
Originally posted by mbwjr12 View PostI 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?
Comment
-
mbwjr12
Unfortunately, it won't be out of the weather. Can I just wrap it in my breathable motorcycle cover?
Comment
-
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.
Comment
-
Speedo
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
Comment
-
Originally posted by GMSKEE View Postmbwjr12,
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
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.
STA-BIL Fogging Oil is an aerosol-propelled oil treatment designed to protect internal engine components during storage. This fogging oil can be sprayed to coat internal engine components and prevent corrosion. Formulated to displace moisture from metal to protect the engine, this product also lubricates the cylinder walls, pistons, and rings to prevent damage (scuffing) during start-up after prolonged engine storage. It is used in all two- and four-cycle gasoline engines. The STA-BIL Fogging Oil comes in a convenient 12-ounce aerosol can with a nozzle straw to direct oil into tight passages or through spark plug holes in the head and cylinder.Find the STA-BIL OIL FOGGING 12OZ at Ace.
Tony.'82 GS1100E
Comment
-
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.1981 GS 450L
2007 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom
The good we do no one remembers.
The bad we do no one forgets.
Mark 5:36 -- Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe".
Comment
-
1_v8_merc
Originally posted by makr View Post
This is how I roll.
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.....
Comment
Comment