Long Term Storage
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,243
Likes: 14
From: Right where I belong!
Long Term Storage
Hey fellas, thinking ahead to my upcoming deployment which is going to be a long one! Going to have to store my ride for many months and looking for some tips.
What I plan on doing:
-Topping off fuel and adding stabil
-Adding stabil to oil
-Battery tender
-Jacking up the bike
When jacking up a bike, do you take the tires totally off the ground or just enough to relieve some pressure of the weight on the tires?
Anything tips you have is much appreciated, thanks!
What I plan on doing:
-Topping off fuel and adding stabil
-Adding stabil to oil
-Battery tender
-Jacking up the bike
When jacking up a bike, do you take the tires totally off the ground or just enough to relieve some pressure of the weight on the tires?
Anything tips you have is much appreciated, thanks!
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 98
From: north of the south pole
Here's what I do:
Run the engine after adding the stabil so it gets in the carb.
Put the bike on blocks, tires off the ground. connect battery tender.
No need for stabil in the oil.
Stay safe.
Run the engine after adding the stabil so it gets in the carb.
Put the bike on blocks, tires off the ground. connect battery tender.
No need for stabil in the oil.
Stay safe.
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,243
Likes: 14
From: Right where I belong!
Any concerns with having the suspension fully extended for months?
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,018
Likes: 1
From: cd. Obregon, Sonora, mx
I'd take the battery out of the bike and store it in a cool place with the tender hooked up. As for the tires, you just have to get the weight off them. I would also rub them down with Vaseline to keep the sidewalls from cracking.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 98
From: north of the south pole
Do you ever have earth quakes where you are. If so maybe strap it to prevent it from falling off the jack or blocks. (Here we have shakers a coupla times a year)
Also as the others said taking the battery out is best, but leave it on a tender.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,749
Likes: 16
From: sand mountain Alabama
Stabil?
It can cause you problems long term.
It will leave a film in the FI or carb.
Deflate your tires to 10psi less than manufacturers recommendation and place the vehicle on jack stands if storing for more than 6 months. This allows the rubber to relax and prevents cracking while allowing you to still drive on them when you remove the vehicle from storage. There are theories of "Flat Spots" if a vehicle is stored on the ground, but newer tires are engineered to prevent this and any flat spots will be worked out within 100 miles or so
I did a complete build and after 2 years the battery was toast and I did use a tender.
It can cause you problems long term.
It will leave a film in the FI or carb.
Deflate your tires to 10psi less than manufacturers recommendation and place the vehicle on jack stands if storing for more than 6 months. This allows the rubber to relax and prevents cracking while allowing you to still drive on them when you remove the vehicle from storage. There are theories of "Flat Spots" if a vehicle is stored on the ground, but newer tires are engineered to prevent this and any flat spots will be worked out within 100 miles or so
I did a complete build and after 2 years the battery was toast and I did use a tender.
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 344
Likes: 8
From: WMass
Chief, spent most of my 7 of my 10 years on sea duty, then my " shore" billet was still... Deployed a lot.
3 month or less, fill the tank with good gas, and some stabil, and the tender. Put it on the stand, and roll it when back... Good couple tanks to flush that crap.
3+ up on a stand, and strapped down( so one of my clumsy roommates didn't knock it over). Remove the battery, shut the fuel off and drain the carb(or if injected just pull the fuel line), and FILL the tank. When back, drain the fuel, and fill with fresh fuel, run it to warm the oil up, and move it through the engine, then change the oil with your preferred brand.
Had to scram fast one time(well more than once, but, irrelevant) parked both my Ironhead, and my Buell in my apartment, on a sheet of plywood each. The Ironhead dripped a couple quarts... The property management company was pissed..... But, other than adding oil to one, both fired up when I got back, and rode them...
I think you'll be fine regardless of what you choose.
Chase
3 month or less, fill the tank with good gas, and some stabil, and the tender. Put it on the stand, and roll it when back... Good couple tanks to flush that crap.
3+ up on a stand, and strapped down( so one of my clumsy roommates didn't knock it over). Remove the battery, shut the fuel off and drain the carb(or if injected just pull the fuel line), and FILL the tank. When back, drain the fuel, and fill with fresh fuel, run it to warm the oil up, and move it through the engine, then change the oil with your preferred brand.
Had to scram fast one time(well more than once, but, irrelevant) parked both my Ironhead, and my Buell in my apartment, on a sheet of plywood each. The Ironhead dripped a couple quarts... The property management company was pissed..... But, other than adding oil to one, both fired up when I got back, and rode them...
I think you'll be fine regardless of what you choose.
Chase
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,515
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From: Upstate New York
All of the above and steel wool in the exhausts and I put moth ***** in plastic sandwich bags left open of course and put them wherever there is wiring. Ex: under seat, fuse box area, frame neck and tail light area.