Reviving an old friend

[SacDuc]

So my bike has bee sitting around for a several months. I've been putt-putting about on the wife's bike now and then, but my beloved has rust, cobwebs, etc. 
I guess I need a check list of things to look for as I start bringing her back to life. Anything I should look at for safety or common problems that will keep me from throwing my hands up and saying, "NOW why won't it start!!"

She's an '01 m750.

Thanks.

sac

[Juan]

Among many things you may have to replace your chain, battery, check tire pressure,
Maybe even replacing gas ..! etc.

[SacDuc]

Among many things you may have to replace your chain, battery, check tire pressure,
Maybe even replacing gas ..! etc.

Juan! How are you? Still teaching the Bay Area folks how to pretty up their bikes?

Thanks for the tips.

[Slide Panda]

Carbs eh?

If you didn't put sabilizer in the fuel.. (if you did you can probably skip 1 and 2)

Drain all gas
Clean carbs
New plugs
Charage/Check battery - replace if needed

Once it's running
Flush haydraulics
Do what Juan said


Erm.. I'm missing something here... but heads not in it 100%

[A.duc.H.duc.]

Shouldn't we tell him he's a total noob if he doesn't replace his belts and all other rubber parts?

[mxwinky]

He said it's been sitting for several months, not several years.  Let's not get too crazy.  The battery's a given, unless it's been on a tender.  The gas (may) be toast, and the carbs (may) be plugged.  I just had a KTM that sat for a full year, with gas that was as stale smelling as it gets, fire off on the first kick and run like a champ with nothing more than a simple carb clean because the pilot jet was clogged.  Before you go crazy and tear into it, go for a fresh battery and fresh gas and see what it does.  It may surprise you.  If it had good maintenance before sitting, there's no reason it should need massive replacement of parts unless they're genuinely worn and/or failing.  But mainly, be sure to clean off the spiders.  Those nasty little buggers can bite!

[Juan]

Juan! How are you? Still teaching the Bay Area folks how to pretty up their bikes?

Thanks for the tips.

Good to hear from you as well man.. !! 

[sydmonster]

but my beloved has rust, cobwebs, etc. 
Thanks.
sac

Call PETA and find a new home for your "tenants". - Chris

.... i got nothing. As the lads said. Dump out old fuel, put in fresh. Charge battery and see what happens. I also suggest and oil & filter change too. It also ages like petrol.

[Duck-Stew]

Battery's a given Sacduc, as are the sparkplugs too.

If your vacuum petcock did it's job during the storage period (should have if there is still gas in the tank) AND your bike was parked on it's side-stand...THEN your vertical carb is your first stop. 

With the bike on it's side-stand the vertical carb becomes the lowest point in the fuel system so as the fuel goes bad and varnishes and evaporates the fuel that's after the petcock will flow to the lowest point.  Usually the horizontal carb is lightly varnished as the fuel in the float bowl goes bad...but the vertical carb gets the fuel in it's float bowl in addition to all the fuel past the petcock.

If you remove your oil cooler for access, you should be able to get to the float bowl w/o removing the carbs.


Good luck SD!

[A.duc.H.duc.]

P.S. I was just kidding SD, up in the northern states we let our bikes sit for several months every year... It's called winter.

Justin

[duc996]

1. change belts
2.drain all the fluids,gas,oil etc..
3.battery
4.tires

[A.duc.H.duc.]

So actually SD, I'd say just change the gas if you didn't sta-bil it, charge the battery, check the tire pressure and ride.