storing a motorbike?

[junior]

is it a good idea to store a motorbike in a garage for about 6 months this means i wont ride it at all it will just stay in the garage?

[Tumble]

always a good idea to put a bike in a garage.. insurance will be cheaper and it'll stay lookin nicer too..

[Devilbod]

Garages are a must, I didnt have one for 2 years and now my bike is covered in rust.

[junior]

yea thats what the insurance man said to do keep it in a garage but what i mean is will the bike still work ok if i keep it in the garage for about 6 months and don't ride it??

[Rave]

Well, storing bikes isn't great for them, but you can minimise the problems with a little care and preparation. First, switch the fuel tap to off and then run the engine until it cuts out through lack of petrol. That stops fuel gumming up the carburettor. If you can drain the tank of petrol, so much the better.

Move the tyres around a little every month or so, so they don't get flat spots. Finally, if the garage is likely to get a little damp, then consider spraying all the metal components apart from the brakes and chain with a good coating of WD40, to stop water getting to them and rusting/corroding them.

Rich :¬)

[junior]

ok so how would u drain the tank? and would a bike cover be suitable to keep the moisture off? and wheres the fuel tap?? thanks for ur help

[Vimeous]

Does a SORN notice also apply to bikes? Nothing like saving a bit of roadtax

[Rave]

ok so how would u drain the tank? and would a bike cover be suitable to keep the moisture off? and wheres the fuel tap?? thanks for ur help

Usually the fuel tap is on the side of the bike. You switch it off every time you park up anyway, so don't worry about not being able to find it when you buy a bike.

To drain the tank you'd basically need to pull the hose going into the fual tap from the tank off and then empty the petrol into a suitable petrol can. If it's easier you could pull the tube from the tap to the carb off. On my old bike they were fixed in place with a small clip which was fairly easy to remove.

A bike cover isn't really going to help a great deal if the bike's already in a garage. Better to try and keep the garage as dry as possible, and as I said, to spray any exposed metal parts (with the exception of brake discs for obvious reasons ) with WD40.

Rich :¬)

[derthballs]

If you havent got a garage you can buy a lockable bike thing that the insurance companies recognise as a garage, but they cost about the same.

If your bikes a newer one, it wont have a fuel tap tho, so dont worry about that if you cant find it, you will have it all explained when you do your CBT though (first thing you learn is the fuel tap, i did my test last year

[Vimeous]

Had a chat with my boss on this one, his suggestions are:

1. Run the fuel down and have a fresh batch ready for when you start her up again.
2. As Rave says WD40 all the exposed parts.
3. Remove the battery and keep it topped up with charge while it's detached.
4. Get it off its tyres. If you have a centre stand use it and put blocks under the frame to lift the tyres off the ground.
5. Cover it in a soft sheet (say an old bed sheet) to keep the dust off.

He said some peeps have suggested covering the exhausts up to prevent condensation build-up but he doesn't himself. He also said some peeps suggest pinning the clutch open to prevent the clutch plates seizing together, however I've no idea what that would do to the spring tension!

Also his haynes manual has a whole list of various measure to take when putting a bike into storage and taking it out again. Maybe you have one to refer to?

Hope that helps!

[junior]

yea cheers guys last thing what would happen if i didn't take out the battery???

[Maffu]

When you come to start it in April, baring a second coming of god [in the form of your bikes battery] it wouldn't start, and sticking it on a charger would be a reasonably pointless activity, too.

The day you do start it up, make sure it gets a new oil filter/oil change.

Giving the brakes the odd squeeze every week can't hurt, too.