Tips on leaving a bike for an extended period?

Everyone,

My massive South East Asian adventure begins in only 4 short weeks so I am currently doing the final prepwork for that! :clap:

I was hoping I could get some ideas about anything I might need to do to ensure the bike does not die over the 9-12 months I will be away.

The battery is cactus so I am not worried about that and turning the fuel cock off and putting it up on a bike stand is easy, but what should I do beyond that? :confused1:

I was considering an oil change but it has only been a few hundred clicks since its last one so it is really necessary for a bike that isn't going to be doing anything?

Also, it is being stored in a cool and dry place so no dramas there.

Any and all advice is appreciated.

Marty.

Fill the tank and drain the carbs.

This means turn off the fuel and run the engine until it stalls. Start until there is no combustion. This will prevent the fuel from evaporating and leaving deposits in the jets.

Make sure the tank is full. If the air is moist, the empty part of the tank will fill with moist air. When it gets cooler the water condenses and drops to the bottom of the tank, causing rust or other problems. So, make sure it is full of fuel.

Use fuel stabilizer or drain the fuel that was in the tank before starting the bike again.

+1 on what iamcanjim said but I'm gonna recommend changing the oil as it has collected deposits. Some people like to overfill the oil as it protects the entire bottom end (just don't start it until it's been drained to the correct level). I also like to apply a nice fine coating of armor all and WD40 to protect the appearance.

Cheers!
ChinaV

P.S. massive South East Asian adventure.... inquiring minds want to know :icon10:

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it as usual.

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Originally Posted by ChinaV

P.S. massive South East Asian adventure.... inquiring minds want to know :icon10:

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Yeah, the GF and I are heading to Saigon on Feb 15. We are gonna buy a couple of Minsks and cruise around southern vietnam for about 8 weeks, then head to Laos, ride Hwy 13 north for a few weeks. Then head into Northern Vietnam and do Sapa, Hanoi and Halong Bay for a few more weeks. Then head down the Ho Chi Minh trail through the mountains back down to Saigon. Sell the Minsks and get a boat up the Mekong into Cambodia. Relax at Sihanoukville for a while and then head to Angkor Wat and surrounds. Probably hire and do some dirt biking around there.

Then it is off to Northern Thailand for some riding around the Mae Song Loop for a few weeks. Then head south to tropical thailand and do some scuba diving and relaxing for an indeterminate period of time. Then onto Malaysia for more of the same before getting into Singapore. Also, we are planning on heading to Nepal for a trek at some point.

Total trip around 9-10 months depending on how frugal we can be with the funds. But the above is a rough guideline, the only thing I have booked is the first few nights accom in Saigon when we arrive. The rest depends on the way the wind is blowing and how we are feeling on each day.

I really can't wait. :taz:

WOOHOO! That's a grand adventure bro! I'm sure you'll be taking plenty of pics. Don't forget about the wreck diving off the east coast of Malaysia. Some beautiful bcaches, waters and aquatic life out there. :thumbsup:

CC

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Originally Posted by CrazyCarl

WOOHOO! That's a grand adventure bro! I'm sure you'll be taking plenty of pics. Don't forget about the wreck diving off the east coast of Malaysia. Some beautiful bcaches, waters and aquatic life out there. :thumbsup:

CC

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Yeah I will be taking heaps of pics. I bought a Panasonic Lumix LX3, so it is small but also takes good pictures.

I am happy to post of few pics of my travels as I go along if people are interested. Not really C-moto related but I could put it in the off-topic section...

CC, I am definitely looking forward to the diving in Malaysia. It is meant to be truly epic.