Spring Startup

Finally the cold and ice are subsiding.  Time to get those two wheels turning. You don your riding gear and head for the garage, shed, basement, or backyard.  grabbing those “I missed you handlebars”, you head for the street.   Mmmm… pushes a little heavy.  Did it gain weight?  No it must be the tires are a little low.  you can top them off when you fill up.

For those of us who have a manual petcock, we will turn it on and operate the choke, hit the starter button and….  Hey she turned over a whole half a turn.  No problem, flip out the kick starter, follow through and……  nothing!  Kick kick and kick after kick.  Dang still nothing.

Sound familiar?

Lets go over some things that can cause and prevent this most frustrating and costly situation.

A proper storage ritual is not as time consuming and costly as the consequence for neglecting this very easy process.

That bike may roll heavy due to low tire pressures or dragging brakes.  Properly stored motorcycles are stored resting straight upright and level with the front and rear suspension fully extended.  Main stands are convenient to get the weight off the rear wheel of course but not the front.  you will need some ingenuity in this area and be sure to remember it will be there for a while.  Stability is the key word.

With your wheels fully “unloaded “You will have some options with the tires.  Tires store well without being inflated, but this is inconvenient come spring so you must plan accordingly.  Air pump… air tank… air compressor.  Silicone spray on the fork seals (the seals not the dust cover or boot) will keep them from drying out avoiding a leak come spring’s first touch down.

With the wheels and suspension extended you will be able to periodically spin them and operate the brake system to keep it in working order.  Some spray lube at all of the pivots keeps them working and corrosion free.

Every three weeks is a good interval for operation of all mechanical controls if you can but any is better than none.  This of course is easier with the bike elevated as mentioned.

The engine that did not spin easily can be a combination of a low battery or slightly corroded cylinder(s).

 When an engine’s cylinder(s) are left dormant over extended periods they can be left in an open (to the elements) position.   This can lead to corrosion in the combustion chamber causing anything from friction to a loss of its seal.  Spraying a fogging agent in the cylinder(s) and/or periodic spin through are proper prevention for this most costly of all storage demons.

 Motorcycle batteries are compact in size therefore are short lived without good storage habits.  use distilled water only for batteries that need topping off.   a battery charger with a 1/10th amp hour rating should be used to charge the battery.  Of course the battery must be prepared correctly from purchase.    see (“Batteries and their care”)* 

 So your battery spins your free engine over and still no life?  Fuel?  Fuel has suffered in its quality since the Gas Crunch of the 1970’s.  Many volatiles are in present day fuels and can leave deposits that are unwanted clogging many metering holes essential to the proper air fuel ratios of your motorcycle’s carbs.  This happens due to how carburetors work period.  SEE (“Carburetion for motorcycles”)*

Prevention is in its simplest form.  Do not leave fuel in the carbs.  IT MUST BE DRAINED!  You can not run it out.  An additive can damage some of the sensitive rubber parts in the carbs.  The best thing to do is  DRAIN THE CARBS!  This procedure whatever it may be for your particular model is essential to preventing contamination of your carbs.  Even carbs that sit more than two weeks need the carbs drained releasing stale fuel that has a lower flash point. 

Oil with all of its quality lubrication ability still has a demon side.  Oil goes through a chemical change from the temperatures imposed upon it by your engine.  It becomes acidic after reaching certain temperatures and can damage important engine internals.  This can be avoided with a simple oil change before storage.  putting in fresh oil without starting the engine will avoid any corrosion to the internals.  oil also loses lubrication abilities over time.  even this fresh oil should be removed before any spring startups.  sounds costly but not as costly as internal engine corrosion.  for more on oil and oil changes see “oils well that ends well”*.

Finally, use a good chain lube for the type of chain you have and cover with a cover that cause the least condensation while keeping it dry if outside or any place without moisture prevention.

These tips will help you enjoy the dawn of riding season from the start and saved you some of your hard earned money.

Here’s hoping to give you a wave from the other lane!

Ross