Advice, please.

[Seoul City]

I have a very tidy NC29 kept in a garage and well wrapped up in blankets. My normal routine is 2 months in the UK and 2 months abroad. When I leave the UK I always remove the battery and put the bike on stands. Whenever the weather is reasonable during my 2 months at home the bike gets ridden quite a lot. However, my query concerns the times when the weather is crap.
When the bike can't be taken out on the road I have got into the habit of charging the battery and then running the engine for about 15 minutes, revving it occasionally, about once per week.
What I would appreciate your comments on is this:- am I doing more engine damage in the long-term by sticking to this routine, and would it be better not to run the engine at all until the weather is suitable to getting the bike on the road? This could mean that the engine is not run for periods of anything up to, say, 3 or 4 months, or even longer.
(And before anyone brands me a soft, fair-weather biker, ask yourself how keen you will be to ride out in the sort of weather we're having at the moment when you're seventy!!!!)

[bourney]

I wouldn't say it was doing any harm.

Probably doing yourself a favour. Fuel can go stale if not used in as short as 1 month! So leaving it maybe 4 months without running could mean you'll have to pull the carbs off and clean them out.

I wouldn't say you're doing anything wrong. Just don't over rev it when not under load (i.e. sitting in your garage not moving)

[tanuki]

I personally would say leave it alone, I've always left fuel in the tank of my bikes when they are not used over winter and never had it go off, and my winter lay ups are generally 5-6 months at a time.

I would say don't keep starting the bike all you will do is cause moisture to settle on the bits that get warm.

Leave the bike on it's stands with the tyres off the floor, put the battery on an optimate, turn the fuel off and cover it up.

When the time comes round to riding it again turn it over a few times with kill switch turned off to get the oil slashing about then turn the fuel on and warm he bike properly before you take it out.

[marty400]

Hiya guys,

Is fuel stabilizer worth using?

what about with Fuel injection bikes as well?

[Dan Norton]

Im 30 and i would never ride in this weather!

[LUCAS]

Ok here is what i was told:

If you are planning on not riding the bike for a few months and not starting it it's a good idea to drain the carbs of the fuel. I have an NC29 and it is fairly sensitive to stale fuel (month or more). The fuel in the tank i wouldn't worry too much about. After turning the motor over a few times and hence filling the carbs back up with fuel it fires up fine

Another tip i was given was to do an oil and filter change prior to storing it away so it has fresh and clean oil. Fire her up to allow the new oil the get around the engine and you're all sorted.

Removing the battery and either charging it once a month or keeping it permanently on an Optimiser is recommended.

I personally don't like the idea of anything mechanical being sat still for a long period of time so i start my bike once a week if it's not being used however this is the area which you could be doing some harm.... Starting the bike up once a week is ok but make sure you allow the motor to get hot. Dont just start it for a minute and thats it. Condensation can build up in lots of places so the temperature needs to be taken up so it is evaporated; the reason that silencer boxes on cars used to go to the shop and back rot to nothing quickly is that they fill up with water. I wait until the temperature rises on the gauge to the normal operating temperature as my method.