Run stored bike for a bit?

[milu]

Can of worms……

Bike been stood about 10 weeks on battery tender and paddock stand.
I’m a bit concerned about lack of lubrication when it comes to start up. I know running for a short while without full heat is a bad idea which is why I’ve left alone.
But I’m not keen on the oil draining either. I’m thinking maybe try to crank without starting a couple of times. Then start and a short ride to fully heat up.
Then don’t leave it too long next time.
Or I’m worrying over nowt.

[xstian]

10 week's? Just start it and ride as normal.

[Cylon2007]

milu said:

Can of worms……

Bike been stood about 10 weeks on battery tender and paddock stand.
I’m a bit concerned about lack of lubrication when it comes to start up. I know running for a short while without full heat is a bad idea which is why I’ve left alone.
But I’m not keen on the oil draining either. I’m thinking maybe try to crank without starting a couple of times. Then start and a short ride to fully heat up.
Then don’t leave it too long next time.
Or I’m worrying over nowt.

Worrying over nowt, due to the sh*te weather since end of September my bike hadn't moved until last Tuesday, it had been on an optimate, so I checked the tyre pressures and took it out for about 3 hours, gave it a clean and put it back in the garage. All was well

[catso]

xstian said:

10 week's? Just start it and ride as normal.

Exactly, my bikes will stand longer than this over the winter and, other than keep the battery charged I won't do anything before starting them for the first time.

In fact my 916 has been standing since May due to a leaky fork seal that I need to get around to replacing. As I had just serviced it in March I won't even be changing the oil this coming spring.

[trickywoo]

Agree with everyone else. I don’t touch my bike between November and march.

If you do want to run it up do so for at least 20 minutes. Probably more like 30 as you want the oil hot not just the water.

[Biker 1]

The fking weather will just not play ball!!!!
I had an hour's blat last Saturday & have used my bike perhaps once/month since September. I can't remember a longer period of damp slimy roads here in SE England.
Getting VERY tedious.... Anyway, bike gets a battery charge every weekend - seems to take an hour or so for the smart charger to do it's magic.
Back to OP: I too think you're over worrying.

[milu]

Over thinking
Thought as much but never hurts to ask
Cheers

[tinhead]

Mine will be stood for at least 4 months, maybe longer knowing our weather. While i do think they'll be fine just left alone, sometimes I turn them over on the starter every now and then to circulate some oil around, without the fuel pump running so no unburnt fuel washing the bores.

Probably unnecessary but I don't think it can do any harm.

Also every month I'll move them to rotate the wheels and also pump the forks, always do that now after the seals in my Ohlins forks only started weeping after the Daytona was left unridden for a while a few years ago.

Basically any excuse to take the covers off the bikes to cheer me up from the winter blues.

[Bob_Defly]

tinhead said:

Mine will be stood for at least 4 months, maybe longer knowing our weather. While i do think they'll be fine just left alone, sometimes I turn them over on the starter every now and then to circulate some oil around, without the fuel pump running so no unburnt fuel washing the bores.

This seems completely unnecessary, possibly even doing damage to parts that oil has drained away from.

My Winterisation (4-5 months) routine is just: fill them up, charge the batteries every now and again, oil change in the Spring, ride. Nothing else is required IMHO.

[trickywoo]

Bob_Defly said:

oil change in the Spring.

If you are only doing one change in 12 months it’s best to do it before the layup. Reason being is that the corrosion pack in the oil will be tip top and contamination in the used oil which could promote corrosion will be at a minimum.

[Tyrell Corp]

trickywoo said:

Agree with everyone else. I don’t touch my bike between November and march.

If you do want to run it up do so for at least 20 minutes. Probably more like 30 as you want the oil hot not just the water.

30 mins idling 'if' for an air cooled I think in danger of overheating, even in cold weather.

[Jazoli]

Tyrell Corp said:

30 mins idling 'if' for an air cooled I think in danger of overheating, even in cold weather.

You could leave an air-cooled motor idling until it emptied the tank and it wouldn't overheat, then fill it up and do it again and again.

[trickywoo]

Jazoli said:

You could leave an air-cooled motor idling until it emptied the tank and it wouldn't overheat, then fill it up and do it again and again.

If it’s old and crude maybe. Any modernish air cooled engine will likely have an oil cooler and run more oil capacity than an equivalent water cooled engine. You could therefore say an air cooled engine may need running longer than a water cooled one to get the oil hot.

I’m any case only a mug is running an engine unattended for any length of time.

[Simon_GH]

I imagine the majority of motorbikes sit unused over the winter months. I used to take mine out at least once a month over winter but I’ve let that lapse. Had a lovely ride out on Boxing Day though - not far but got everything up to temperature and most importantly reminded myself why I got a bike licence in the first place.

[Bob_Defly]

trickywoo said:

Bob_Defly said:

oil change in the Spring.

If you are only doing one change in 12 months it’s best to do it before the layup. Reason being is that the corrosion pack in the oil will be tip top and contamination in the used oil which could promote corrosion will be at a minimum.

I thought it was the opposite, that a bike stored for 5 months will have oil that has absorbed moisture over that period? So best the change it then, no?

[Tyrell Corp]

trickywoo said:

Jazoli said:

You could leave an air-cooled motor idling until it emptied the tank and it wouldn't overheat, then fill it up and do it again and again.

If it’s old and crude maybe. Any modernish air cooled engine will likely have an oil cooler and run more oil capacity than an equivalent water cooled engine. You could therefore say an air cooled engine may need running longer than a water cooled one to get the oil hot.

I’m any case only a mug is running an engine unattended for any length of time.

Sure, the reason why dynos use huge fans even on water cooled bikes, for just a few ten second full power runs.

My old kawasaki 550 used to get hot stuck in trafffic in blazing summer heat.

Running a motor at idle seems unnecessary to me and even damaging long term...but I maybe wrong.
A guy over on KZ rider forum bought a kawasaki z650 brand new in the late 70's and has over 200k miles now, just on oil changes and basic service items. He runs it up and lets it idle every couple of weeks if not ridden.

[trickywoo]

Bob_Defly said:

I thought it was the opposite, that a bike stored for 5 months will have oil that has absorbed moisture over that period? So best the change it then, no?

Any moisture will be evaporated on the first decent run.

Used oil can itself be corrosive due to contamination by combustion byproducts.

Synthetic oil is a great product but it’s still best to layup a bike with new oil.

[Bob_Defly]

trickywoo said:

Bob_Defly said:

I thought it was the opposite, that a bike stored for 5 months will have oil that has absorbed moisture over that period? So best the change it then, no?

Any moisture will be evaporated on the first decent run.

Used oil can itself be corrosive due to contamination by combustion byproducts.

Synthetic oil is a great product but it’s still best to layup a bike with new oil.

Interesting. I can't actually find any evidence that one approach is better than the other. Either way the oil is changed fairly regularly anyway (was last done in Aug/Sept) and full syn, so it's probably pretty good to sit over Winter.

[podman]

Bob_Defly said:

trickywoo said:

Bob_Defly said:

I thought it was the opposite, that a bike stored for 5 months will have oil that has absorbed moisture over that period? So best the change it then, no?

Any moisture will be evaporated on the first decent run.

Used oil can itself be corrosive due to contamination by combustion byproducts.

Synthetic oil is a great product but it’s still best to layup a bike with new oil.

Interesting. I can't actually find any evidence that one approach is better than the other. Either way the oil is changed fairly regularly anyway (was last done in Aug/Sept) and full syn, so it's probably pretty good to sit over Winter.

The evidence is actually in every owners manual, this is from my 2022 H2 but everything from my 1981 LC to the 1994 Blade is along the same lines.

Essentially change oil, remive the fuel from the sustem, chock it up, seal the exhaust , remove the battery and leave it be.
I do add oil into my classic bikes tanks as well as a tea spoon down the bore.




Regards firing the bike up every few weeks over Winter, it does do far more harm than good .

As the engine cools, it draws moisture into the engine , these pictures are from my old SRAD, bought from a chap who did fhis practice.

The other side of this is, it rusts the steels in the clutch pack and cause: the clutch to “stick” and makes it difficult to free off first ride of the year…

[Krikkit]

It doesn't draw water in, but water from the combustion products in the blow by end up suspended in the oil. If it's not hot enough to evaporate them from the oil you get sludging and corrosion.

10 minutes running every couple of weeks is by far the worst idea for winterised bikes