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[cahdbiker]

HI Everybody, I will not be riding my 09SEUC for a few months due to recent back surgery. I start it every two weeks and let it idle till the heads get hot just to make sure that the injectors don't get gummed up. However I am also thinking about putting some fuel stabilizer in the tank which has about 4 gallons in it. Is this a good idea since I am starting it up every week or two anyways, or should I just leave it alone. Just for the record, I don't let it get hot enough as to cause condensation in the crankcase oil. Thanks in advance for your input. CAHDBIKER

[VaEagle]

I would use the Sta-Bil in the storage ratio (the amount per gallon is on the bottle) on a full tank with not much of an air gap at top. From the latest I have read about storage of a bike you should NOT run the engine periodically unless you run it while moving for about a half hour or so. Just because you don't run it long and you think condensation could not build up doesn't mean that it doesn't due to the short startups or just temperature changes overnight or on a daily basis.
I'm sure you have fresh fluids in all areas and use a automatic battery charger too...
Hope your recovery goes well and you are back on the road soon!

[110tHunDer]

 
Store the bikes for 5 months or more every year here in the good ol' Midwest.   Never, EVER start them and haven't used Sta-Bil in anything after it oozed through the gaskets and discolored the carb on the concourse-quality '69 Road Runner.  '85 Monte Carlo SS sat for 5 years, no Sta-Bil.  Blew right off like it had been running 5 minutes earlier when I went to start it.  Chit's overrated.

[Fired00d]

Store the bikes for 5 months or more every year here in the good ol' Midwest.   Never, EVER start them and haven't used Sta-Bil in anything after it oozed through the gaskets and discolored the carb on the concourse-quality '69 Road Runner.  '85 Monte Carlo SS sat for 5 years, no Sta-Bil.  Blew right off like it had been running 5 minutes earlier when I went to start it.  Chit's overrated.

Brian w/the new gas (10% ethanol) you still feel comfortable w/no additive during those down times? I ask because I had some gas for my lawnmower go bad over the winter and it really concerned me about gas sitting in the bike.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[grc]

HI Everybody, I will not be riding my 09SEUC for a few months due to recent back surgery. I start it every two weeks and let it idle till the heads get hot just to make sure that the injectors don't get gummed up. However I am also thinking about putting some fuel stabilizer in the tank which has about 4 gallons in it. Is this a good idea since I am starting it up every week or two anyways, or should I just leave it alone. Just for the record, I don't let it get hot enough as to cause condensation in the crankcase oil. Thanks in advance for your input. CAHDBIKER

Yes, I would recommend a good fuel stabilizer during storage.  Add the stabilizer to the fuel, slosh it around to mix it, and then let the engine run long enough to get the stabilizer distributed throughout the fuel system including the injectors.  Then shut if off, hook up a battery tender, and don't start it again until you plan to ride.

The reason you shouldn't just start the engine and run it for short periods during storage are related to several things.  First, when you start a cold engine there is a certain amount of excess fuel that washes down the cylinder walls and collects in the oil.  Second, moisture forms immediately on the relatively cool parts and also winds up in the oil.  Until you get the engine and oil up to full operating temperature and keep it there long enough to drive off that moisture and fuel, that stuff just lays there creating acids.  And getting the engine and oil up to fully stabilized normal operating temps can easily take ten miles of riding, so just running it under no load in the garage for a few minutes isn't helping.

Btw, some folks might say you can just fire the bike up and let it run for a half hour or so in the garage.  Not only is that not a good answer for removing the contaminants from the oil, but unless you have a couple big fans moving air over the engine you can cause localized overheating.  Don't do it.

I store my bike for at least four months every winter, and I fill the tank and add stabilizer, take a ten mile ride, park the bike in the garage, hook up the tender, and leave it alone until spring comes.  I have never had an issue with clogged injectors or other fuel system problems, and we have reformulated fuel in this part of the world with ethanol in it.  I did it the same way back in the carb days, except I drained the float bowl, and also never had a problem with those.

Jerry

[110tHunDer]

Brian w/the new gas (10% ethanol) you still feel comfortable w/no additive during those down times? I ask because I had some gas for my lawnmower go bad over the winter and it really concerned me about gas sitting in the bike.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

We've had 10% ethanol-blend gas in this area for almost as long as I can remember.  Don't use Sta-Bil in anything, including the mower can, and have never had a problem.  I do drain the carbs on the mower and the snow blower every year, but don't do anything special with the bikes or the cars/trucks.  Fire 'em up and ride/drive as normal after storage.  Maybe I'm just lucky, but don't plan on changing anything.

[dlaws01]

Ditto 

[Fired00d]

We've had 10% ethanol-blend gas in this area for almost as long as I can remember.  Don't use Sta-Bil in anything, including the mower can, and have never had a problem.  I do drain the carbs on the mower and the snow blower every year, but don't do anything special with the bikes or the cars/trucks.  Fire 'em up and ride/drive as normal after storage.  Maybe I'm just lucky, but don't plan on changing anything.

Might be it... I have been adding Sta-Bil each winter (and doing what Jerry mentions above) for many years and haven't experienced any problems on the bike. What I experienced recently on the lawn mower just verified that I was doing what (IMO) was the right thing (much easier for me to turn the lawn mower upside down and drain the fuel then it is the bike )... w/all that said our (past/present) experiences usually dictate what we are comfortable with.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[phato1]

I sue a stabilizer in all my small engines like the mower, backup generator and snow blower, I add it to the 5 gallon gas containers when I fill them so I won't forget. I also give the tanks on the bikes an occasional treatment- usually every 3rd or 4th tank full during the season also to avoid any moisture issues due to the crappy fuel we sometimes are subjected to (I know this make it seem like I'm drinkin' the kool aid from the additive makers but it makes me feel better)
When the time comes in late November - or after the first application of de-icer on the highways by the state crews I do almost the same as Jerry, Fresh lubricants in all three holes, fill the fuel tank, add stabilizer and go for a ride to get everything up to normal operating temp then park it in the garage, lock it up as securely as I can, plug it into the battery tender station, cover it and leave it until spring returns.

Personally I use STARTRON stabilizer. But whatever brand you buy make sure it's formulated for the ethanol blended fuel.

[Midnight Rider]

Might be it... I have been adding Sta-Bil each winter (and doing what Jerry mentions above) for many years and haven't experienced any problems on the bike. What I experienced recently on the lawn mower just verified that I was doing what (IMO) was the right thing (much easier for me to turn the lawn mower upside down and drain the fuel then it is the bike )... w/all that said our (past/present) experiences usually dictate what we are comfortable with.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Gary...I've had bad problems with moisture in my gas in the lawnmowers the past couple of years.  Perhaps it has something to do with the small volume of fuel in the lawnmower tank itself, but I've had to drain the carb more than once this year alone on the Honda Harmony walk behind mower (fortunately it has a drain plug on the carb bowl), and finally had to put some Sta-Bil in the tank, and in the gas cans I use for the mowers.  I also started using smaller cans that only hold 2.5 gallons and add the Sta-Bil to them as well, just in case.  I never had an issue with any of the bikes, but I've never had to store the bike for months on end either, as it does not get that cold down here and snows about every 10 years, so they've been ridden at least every 6 weeks or so.  I certainly don't think it hurts anything to use the stuff.  Perhaps in a car, because of the larger volume of fuel, it's not a big deal? 

A lawnmower that won't run will make me say very bad things to it that the neighbors would prefer not hearing...

[Georgehjr]

question re oil changes: Is the groups opinion to change the oil in Oct then let them sit the 5 months Or change it the spring and start the season with fresh oil ?

[hdaliaconis]

Jerry's advise re. fuel is correct way to do it.  No treatment is a bad idea.  Re. oil, change it at the end of the season and start the new season with the same oil.
 JMO

[D-N-D]

Use Sta- Bil Stabilizer works great I use this in my 1926 Ford Model T every winter and no problems come spring starts right up.