Bike has been sitting for 4 years. Fluid changes?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 5,900
Likes: 11,342
From: NE Ohio
oil is still "new" essentially...wouldn't be much concerned about it.
It's the gas I'd wonder about...if it will start, it's possible (probable?) it will run like crap til fresh gas
Just me, I'd syphon as much out as i could, fill with fresh
I figure you'll need to charge the battery too
I'd put a 2amp auto off charge on it
air the tires
Ride boldly ride...
..L.T.A
It's the gas I'd wonder about...if it will start, it's possible (probable?) it will run like crap til fresh gas
Just me, I'd syphon as much out as i could, fill with fresh
I figure you'll need to charge the battery too
I'd put a 2amp auto off charge on it
air the tires
Ride boldly ride...
..L.T.A
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,191
Likes: 2,422
From: USA
It's certainly easy to pop the gas cap and take a sniff test of the fuel.
In my experiences with metal gas cans/tanks and indoor storage, the fuel stays fine for a long time. Like a good decade plus. I've fired up and run many a vehicle stored in a garage on their fuel.
Now stored outside, or where condensation can build up, and especially with plastic fuel tanks, that tends to go bad in but a year or so. Often times less.
So again, where and how the bike is stored will make a tremendous difference, in my experience.
In my experiences with metal gas cans/tanks and indoor storage, the fuel stays fine for a long time. Like a good decade plus. I've fired up and run many a vehicle stored in a garage on their fuel.
Now stored outside, or where condensation can build up, and especially with plastic fuel tanks, that tends to go bad in but a year or so. Often times less.
So again, where and how the bike is stored will make a tremendous difference, in my experience.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 18,464
Likes: 3,723
From: backwoods
I recently had a bike sit for six years inside. Had to choke it to run, I drained most of it. But one carb had black stuff and gunked up. 80 miles and weeks of seafoam, finally took it apart. I am curious how FI bikes are. Do they have all the little orifices where gas can pool
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 17,548
Likes: 7,199
From: Oxford, Nc
I bought the '02 Dyna in my sig pic Sept '21 from a lady in Atlanta that had stopped riding after her husband sold his Ultra. (She was 70 at the time.) First thing I did was check the date on the tires. 15 y.o. and 17 y.o. tires!
She treated the bike like a piece of furniture in a heated garage though and the paint and chrome were flawless
I had the bike shipped and gave it a 5,000 mile service (checked the tensioners 22,000 miles,) plus fork oil and brake fluid and changed out the tires.
Nothing more needed.
She treated the bike like a piece of furniture in a heated garage though and the paint and chrome were flawless
I had the bike shipped and gave it a 5,000 mile service (checked the tensioners 22,000 miles,) plus fork oil and brake fluid and changed out the tires.
Nothing more needed.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,191
Likes: 2,422
From: USA
I recently had a bike sit for six years inside. Had to choke it to run, I drained most of it. But one carb had black stuff and gunked up. 80 miles and weeks of seafoam, finally took it apart. I am curious how FI bikes are. Do they have all the little orifices where gas can pool
The ends of the injectors are small ports to atomize the fuel being sprayed in. This section should completely drain when the engine is shut off, as the valve in the injector just above the port would close, and there's nothing to prevent the tiny bit of fuel in the tip of the injector from dripping off. But, in reality, there will be a wee bit there that will evaporate, and that wee bit will contain some "stuff" that can dry on the orifice holes. So in time, injectors can get blocked and cruddy. Hence the often successful use of injector cleaner every few years. This also has next to nothing to do with long term storage, but more the number of times the engine is started and shut off. As for the injector's fuel line, that is usually sealed off and holds pressure via check valve(s) that should seal it all off from atmospheric contamination.
As for black gunk in a carburetor, I've long been fascinated by the differences between carburetors on a given vehicle, or on essentially identical equipment stored in the same shop in the same way. I haven't seen black gunk myself, but I've seen white, yellow and green. One carburetor on the bike is fine, the olther is a ball of gunk. Why? Similar lawnmowers or such. Everything is fine, but one won't start and is corroded. Why? I suspect there's some odd chemical metallurgy reaction going on. I've got that right now in my old Guzi. The left carburetor is prone to corrosion bloom inside it's bowl. I clean it, but it regularly comes back. The right carburetor never does this. Why? Darned if I know. But that left carburetor is a problem.
But, in general, gear parked inside out of the weather seems to sit just fine for long periods of time.
Thread Starter
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Stage II
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 2
Likes: 4
From: Northeast
Thanks for the replies. Just put a new battery in and she started right up. I think for peace of mind Im going to change the engine oil and gas and pay close attention to how it runs.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 18,464
Likes: 3,723
From: backwoods
I would run seafoam through for a number of tanks. It works when parked. But probably fine. With carbs I have noticed it when trying to go fast, and needing to choke With FI it may or may not compensate.
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