How to burn a lot of petrol and nearly gas yourself

Start up all four hibernating bikes in the same garage.

Ducati - well, I was out on that over Christmas, so it's had a bit of
use. It doesn't like cold weather at all, but it fired up OK.

Street Trip: fired instantly, despite not having been used for nearly
three months and settled down happily.

K1100: a tad slow on the starter, but no problems. Gave the fast idle
lever a little tweak so it was turning over at just under 2k rpm.

400 Four: hasn't been used since October, at least. Turned it over on
the kick and then hit the starter button. Spun but only seemed to be
catching on one pot. Remembered that it's a bit sensitive to choke,
backed the choke off a bit and it came up too. Twiddled the idle speed
adjuster for a fast idle of 2500rpm.

Exited the garage, coughing a bit, and left them all for 20 minutes,
checking the temp gauge on the Triumph and the BMW, and feeling the
engine cases on the other two. Gave them all some good blips of the
throttle and some healthy revs just in case they felt like oiling up.

When they were all nice and hot, shut them down and put them back under
their dust sheets. And that's it for the next fortnight, as Chile
beckons tomorrow. Amazingly, BA seems to be getting its flights out to
South America and back, but we're expecting delays.

But blimey, this winter is complicating biking a bit.

 

I did the same myself yesterday with the trannie & R1.

I nearly choked to death too

--


Nige,

BMW K1200S
Honda Transalp XL600V
Yamaha R1
Range Rover Vogue

 

Why?

I've not turned the ZRX over since november, or the 10R over since
sometime before that. They get swapped over on the optimate about
every 6 weeks or so, and that'll be fine until spring.

 

my R1 is up on both paddock stands, tyres partly deflated,[1] liberal oiling
where necessary,
blanket and optimate.
[1] some idea i read somewhere, might even have been here.

 

Mines blathered in GT85 & I meam blathered.

That stuff is fucking magic.

--


Nige,

BMW K1200S
Honda Transalp XL600V
Yamaha R1
Range Rover Vogue

 

Well, the Triumph and BMW would probably be fine, but the Ducati
definitely gets a bit cranky in the cold. A fighting fit battery makes
no difference.

 

Our second Thunderace was like that. If left too long (several months)
it needed a squirt of oil in the cylinders to get enough compression
to fire.

 

Similar exercise a few days before xmas.
The scoot does not hibernate, it gets used several times per week.
GS500 took a while to fire, should have turned the fuel tap to prime.
400 Four fired up just fine.
Bantam decided to be plain bloody obstinate, jumpleaded the flattery
from the GS500 and it fired eventually after much kicking and cussing.

Removed all 3 batteries and brought them home for some charge, as
expected the Bantam battery[1] is fucked. The other 2 will get regular
charging attention until the bikes are needed.

[1]Sealed 7ah Gell type removed from a dud UPS of dubious age so no
great surprise, it just happened to be looking for a home when I
converted the Bantam to 12v. Money will be spent on an appropriate
Varta.

 

Try starting a D14 Bantam in cold weather, they are obstinate bastards
at the best of times.

 

A sin I tell you!

 

The GSXR didn't get turned over or put on an Optimate for 5 months
over last Winter and started first push of the button in the Spring.

I fully expect it to be the same this Spring.

 

Makes note of location with nicely warmed up, fueled up bikes..... now ,
where did you say you keep the keys ?

 

That's my understanding. I drain the carbs (I also drain the tanks, but
that's only because I put the petrol in the machine that's running).

I charge the batteries and check the tyres every so often and that's it.

If I take one out it's a proper run (20+ miles) to get it hot but TBH if
I do take one out it's to actually use it.

 

Never had a problem with my Bantam or my 125/150 MZs (the Bantam had the
same engine as the MZs).

So I'd suggest there's something wrong with it.

 

Some bikes "just need it", the Duke used to be a bastard if not run every
couple of weeks.

So, now I just do all bikes out of habit.

 

No, the 175cc D14 is famous for its unwillingness to start. The 125 and
150 models were fine, and the starting issues were (almost) fixed in
the later D175s with the vertical spark plug. Very carefull ignition
timing is a great help but they can still be obstinate especially in
cold weather. Fitting 2 head gaskets to reduce the compression is
also said to help, I have not tried that yet.

 

"I'd suggest there's something wrong with it".

 

" "

 

*ding*

My "motorcycle over-wintering preparation" has been remarkably similar
for the past 18 years[1]:

Step 1: Park it in the garage.
Step 2: There is no step 2.

The preparation for riding several months later is to put it on the
Optimate for a few days beforehand, kick the tyres, possibly check
chain but usually not. Ride.


[1] And that's with a grand total of four bikes, Nige!

 

Never had a starting problem with my D14/4.

It did catch fire a couple of times though . . . . .