Long time member looking for advice from the many Guru's on here about storage of my viffer for beyond just winter. Due to health reasons , i'm thinking of not insuring the bike for a few years and hope to get back to riding after that.
I've stored bikes before just not for possibly years !!! I know all the battery, oil change tires off ground etc but I think my biggest concern is fuel and how to deal with that .
I think my biggest concern would be the injectors. Should I drain the tank , run it dry ? Fuel stabilizer only lasts for up to 6 months i believe so thats not really an option .....
anywho comment away folks !!!!!!
Gary
Edited September 24, 2016 by dude
ken said too lol
I was off mike bike for about a year and a half while I dealt with Sciatic nerve issues. My left leg and knee left me felling like i couldn't support the weight of the bike. I just parked the bike in the garage and just put the trickle charger on it. I'm back riding it now and have had no issues. Lower back and left leg are fine now after painful daily therapy but the bike therapy is even better.
A quality fuel stabilizer like STA-BIL should effectively treat your fuel for two years. I personally would not be afraid to extend storage beyond that, if need be. I would avoid running the engine dry for fear of fuel injector damage, either from running dry (fuel cools the injector) or from long term storage in a dry condition. I have seen diesel injectors seize up from dry storage, necessitating rebuild. Note: if your bike is a 4th gen or earlier (carbureted) then run the engine dry to clear out the float bowls.
In addition to the oil change, I would remove the spark plugs and squirt a tablespoon of engine oil into the cylinders to lube the rings, then bar the engine over 2 or 3 revolutions to distribute the oil. When removing from storage, not a bad idea to repeat this step in order to ensure the piston rings are free. You might see a puff of blue smoke on start up, but that will burn off quickly.
Also, not a bad idea to block off the air intake to discourage rodents from nesting in your intake. Whatever you do, be sure to note it down so that when you remove the bike from storage, you don't forget a critical step.
15 hours ago, jeffyjeff
A quality fuel stabilizer like STA-BIL should effectively treat your fuel for two years. I personally would not be afraid to extend storage beyond that, if need be. I would avoid running the engine dry for fear of fuel injector damage, either from running dry (fuel cools the injector) or from long term storage in a dry condition. I have seen diesel injectors seize up from dry storage, necessitating rebuild. Note: if your bike is a 4th gen or earlier (carbureted) then run the engine dry to clear out the float bowls.
In addition to the oil change, I would remove the spark plugs and squirt a tablespoon of engine oil into the cylinders to lube the rings, then bar the engine over 2 or 3 revolutions to distribute the oil. When removing from storage, not a bad idea to repeat this step in order to ensure the piston rings are free. You might see a puff of blue smoke on start up, but that will burn off quickly.
Also, not a bad idea to block off the air intake to discourage rodents from nesting in your intake. Whatever you do, be sure to note it down so that when you remove the bike from storage, you don't forget a critical step.
Jeff that was my fear too of the injectors drying out ........
A diesel unit injector works differently than the injectors in the VFR throttle body, so my concern may be unfounded. On the other hand, the VFR injectors are cooled by fuel (which is returned to the tank), so you know they get hot. Better safe than sorry, don't run the engine dry.
Dude - if you need a hand to get things ready for the big sleep - let me know. My flashlight and I would be happy to come over and help.
I have a siphon pump we could use to drain the tank.
Or you could sell that blue beast to me and i'll track good care of it!!
If you have non-ethanol fuel nearby that would be a plus though Sta-bil should keep E10 good for some time. Google phase separation for what happens with the ethanol. Puregas.org lists stations that carry it.
Thx for the input guys . Thanks For the help offer Ken !!! So looks like ill keep tank full of fuel with seafoam as a stailizer , and do reg mothball stuff to the blue beast .... Hey its canada so 6 month lay ups are common lol Thx again folks ....