Hi all,

I have been with the group for about a year now and read a lot about
the W650 on this forum and elsewhere. I thought of waiting until
retirement (4-5 years) to get one but now, after 2 years of waiting,
I'm changing my tune and planning to get one next spring. I live in
Montreal (Canada) but have a small apartment in South of France where
my wife and I go for 5-6 weeks a year (that is until retirement,
after that it will be for 6 months a year (I hate the cold winters)).
I keep a scooter there for our transportation and put it in storage
for the rest of the year in my sister's garage nearby. I've stored it
lifting it on blocks, with a full gas tank, the carburetor drained,
injecting oil in the cylinder, plugging the exhaust pipe and putting
the battery on a charger. I had absolutely no problems with it when
starting it this spring, so again I've put it away in the same manner
this year. From your experience, would that treatment be ok for a W
or would the motorcycle deteriorate not being used more than that (we
travel about 1000 km in those 5-6 weeks) for the next 4-5 years?
Would turning the motor over with the kick start a couple of times
during the winter help? Any other ideas? I would appreciate all your
comments. Thanks. Robert

Hi Robert;

Will your W650 be stored in France, or Montreal?

I store my Dub in an unheated shed for about five months of the year,
using much the same technique as you employ with the scooter. But I
like to ensure I've got fuel stabiliser throughout the fuel system
before retiring the bike.

Ray Ford.

开云体育

Robert,

Will you be keeping the W in France? You lucky, lucky man. I've had a couple of great biking holidays in the Languedoc, perfect W country. I think the W was invented for visiting Medieval towns and exploring castles....anyway, as for storage...I'd go for taking the tank off and draining it, this will allow you easy access to the plugs which I'd pull out, and give a good squirt of oil down the holes (replace plugs). Drain the carbs, and then store the tank indoors somewhere. The bike with no tank on is easier managed/covered, and less attractive to casual thieves........if corrosion could be a problem, you could try ACF 50 (which my local bike shop now keeps! hurrah!) Just spray it over everything...within reason (ok, not the brake disks/seat etc)...oh yeah, get both tyres off the ground if you can, ie centre, not side stand....

Keep us posted on your travels.....pictures involving bikes/sunshine/Vin Rouge/smelly cheese/crusty bread/pretty girls etc are always welcome...

Mark,
N.Ireland (Pissing with rain, but hey, Fridays Fish & chip day!)

Hi Ray,

I will buy and store the bike in France, the winters there are not
very cold, it freezes a couple of times a year during the night but
always gets up above freezing during the day. The garage is unheated.
I think the stabiliser is a good idea. In fact, I bought some in
Montreal to bring over there (could not find it in France) but
abandonned the idea since it is a flammable item and is not allowed
on planes. What I did though is empty about half the gas in the tank
and mixing the rest with new gas before starting the engine after
that long period. If someone would know where to get the stabiliser
in Europe (France preferrably), I would appreciate.

Robert

--- In W650riders@..., Ray Ford <rif@...> wrote:

Hi Robert;

Will your W650 be stored in France, or Montreal?

I store my Dub in an unheated shed for about five months of

the year,

using much the same technique as you employ with the scooter. But I
like to ensure I've got fuel stabiliser throughout the fuel system
before retiring the bike.

Ray Ford.


On 5-Jul-07, at 3:05 PM, picka48 wrote:

Hi all,

I have been with the group for about a year now and read a lot

about

the W650 on this forum and elsewhere. I thought of waiting until
retirement (4-5 years) to get one but now, after 2 years of

waiting,

I'm changing my tune and planning to get one next spring. I live

in

Montreal (Canada) but have a small apartment in South of France

where

my wife and I go for 5-6 weeks a year (that is until retirement,
after that it will be for 6 months a year (I hate the cold

winters)).

I keep a scooter there for our transportation and put it in

storage

for the rest of the year in my sister's garage nearby. I've

stored it

lifting it on blocks, with a full gas tank, the carburetor

drained,

injecting oil in the cylinder, plugging the exhaust pipe and

putting

the battery on a charger. I had absolutely no problems with it

when

starting it this spring, so again I've put it away in the same

manner

this year. From your experience, would that treatment be ok for

a W

or would the motorcycle deteriorate not being used more than

that (we

travel about 1000 km in those 5-6 weeks) for the next 4-5 years?
Would turning the motor over with the kick start a couple of

times

during the winter help? Any other ideas? I would appreciate all

your

comments. Thanks. Robert

Thanks Salvy,

I will certainly find a way to get the gas stabiliser for it, your
reaction and Ray's are convincing me it has to be done. Thanks

Robert

--- In W650riders@..., Salvyrider <salvyrider@...> wrote:

I second the vote for fuel stabilizer. SeaFoam or STA-BIL will do

the

trick. The important thing is that you run the bike once the

stabilizer is

mixed into the tank - to get it into all the nooks and crannies of

the

carburetors. Best to do this on the road so it goes into every

channel.

For a six-week sleep, I would not bother draining the carbs.

Keeping the

bowls wet with stabilized gas may be better than drying them but

that's just

my opinion.

You may also want to change the oil before the hibernation to start

with

fresh oil that won't go clotty on you. But this is probably

overkill.

For longer hibernations, you can oil the cylinders by

spraying "fog" oil

through the spark plug holes. This is sold in aerosol cans (pretty

common

around here because boat owners use it) but you could use any old

oil,

worked onto the cylinder walls by spinning or kicking the motor

briefly. In

addition to filling the tank, you may want to mix in a little 2-

cycle oil

into the fuel to prevent tank rust. This won't be necessary for a

short

seasonal break but I might do it for the six-month break just to be

on the

safe side. You just have to be watchful of fouled plugs once you

get her

running again.

I once pickled a bike for over 10 years using this technique and it

kept

both the tank and engine corrosion-free. (I changed the plugs after

running

the oil out of the system.)

Others will chime in but I don't think kicking the engine will be

necessary

once it's in storage. Good luck.


-S



On 7/5/07, Ray Ford <rif@...> wrote:

Hi Robert;

Will your W650 be stored in France, or Montreal?

I store my Dub in an unheated shed for about five months

of the

year,
using much the same technique as you employ with the scooter. But

I

like to ensure I've got fuel stabiliser throughout the fuel system
before retiring the bike.

Ray Ford.

European fuel is manufactured to a more consistent standard than NA
fuel, and so Stabil type products aren't so apparent over here. Our 5
or 6 of our eight bikes overwinter from Oct/Nov to Mar/Apr with nothing
done to the gas, other than running the carbs out... (Change the oil
etc) Never had an issue starting in the new year.






I will buy and store the bike in France, the winters there are not
very cold, it freezes a couple of times a year during the night but
always gets up above freezing during the day. The garage is unheated.
I think the stabiliser is a good idea. In fact, I bought some in
Montreal to bring over there (could not find it in France) but
abandonned the idea since it is a flammable item and is not allowed
on planes.





___________________________________________________________

Tiscali Broadband only ?9.99 a month for your first 3 months!

Hi Mark,

Yes the W stays in France. I know i'll miss it when we're in Montreal
but to be on that bike in a so beautiful country will always be
something to look forward to. For instance, I just think of the very
winding road (read hairpins!) that goes on the south side of the Ste-
Victoire (Cézanne's mountain)into Aix-en-Provence, coming to it and
riding along this so impressive rocky mountain, what a joy! I'll find
a way of posting a few pics.

As for the gas tank, I'll keep it in mind once I get the W. Thanks

Robert

--- In W650riders@..., "Mark Campbell" <scrubby64@...>
wrote:

Robert,

Will you be keeping the W in France? You lucky, lucky man. I've had

a couple

of great biking holidays in the Languedoc, perfect W country. I

think the W

was invented for visiting Medieval towns and exploring

castles....anyway, as

for storage...I'd go for taking the tank off and draining it, this

will

allow you easy access to the plugs which I'd pull out, and give a

good

squirt of oil down the holes (replace plugs). Drain the carbs, and

then

store the tank indoors somewhere. The bike with no tank on is

easier

managed/covered, and less attractive to casual thieves........if

corrosion

could be a problem, you could try ACF 50 (which my local bike shop

now

keeps! hurrah!) Just spray it over everything...within reason (ok,

not the

brake disks/seat etc)...oh yeah, get both tyres off the ground if

you can,

ie centre, not side stand....

Keep us posted on your travels.....pictures involving

bikes/sunshine/Vin

Rouge/smelly cheese/crusty bread/pretty girls etc are always

welcome...

Mark,
N.Ireland (Pissing with rain, but hey, Fridays Fish & chip day!)
----- Original Message -----
From: "picka48" <lemieux.robert@...>
To: <W650riders@...>
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2007 8:05 PM
Subject: [W650riders] Seeking advice on long-term storage

Hi all,

I have been with the group for about a year now and read a lot

about

the W650 on this forum and elsewhere. I thought of waiting until
retirement (4-5 years) to get one but now, after 2 years of

waiting,

I'm changing my tune and planning to get one next spring. I live

in

Montreal (Canada) but have a small apartment in South of France

where

my wife and I go for 5-6 weeks a year (that is until retirement,
after that it will be for 6 months a year (I hate the cold

winters)).

I keep a scooter there for our transportation and put it in

storage

for the rest of the year in my sister's garage nearby. I've

stored it

lifting it on blocks, with a full gas tank, the carburetor

drained,

injecting oil in the cylinder, plugging the exhaust pipe and

putting

the battery on a charger. I had absolutely no problems with it

when

starting it this spring, so again I've put it away in the same

manner

this year. From your experience, would that treatment be ok for a

W

or would the motorcycle deteriorate not being used more than that

(we

travel about 1000 km in those 5-6 weeks) for the next 4-5 years?
Would turning the motor over with the kick start a couple of times
during the winter help? Any other ideas? I would appreciate all

your

comments. Thanks. Robert




Go to temporary photos site - ::
Send an email to W650riders-nomail@... to stop email

delivery.

::
Send an email to W650riders-normal@... to resume

email

delivery.
Yahoo! Groups Links

Hi Larry,

I've noticed that european fuel is almost white compared to the more
yellow redish color of the fuel here while I don't know anything
about the consistency standard. My worry is that the bike will not
move for 11 months a year. I guess from what your saying that I might
not find stabilizers in Europe, a mechanic in the village there did
not even know what I was talking about when I mentioned it. I'll have
to ask around how to send it from here. Does anyone know how long the
stabilizer is good for, one, two, five years? Does it turn to varnish
at some point? Thanks for your input.

Robert

--- In W650riders@..., "larry.botheras@..."
<larry.botheras@...> wrote:

European fuel is manufactured to a more consistent standard than NA
fuel, and so Stabil type products aren't so apparent over here.

Our 5

or 6 of our eight bikes overwinter from Oct/Nov to Mar/Apr with

nothing

done to the gas, other than running the carbs out... (Change the

oil

etc) Never had an issue starting in the new year.






I will buy and store the bike in France, the winters there are not
very cold, it freezes a couple of times a year during the night but
always gets up above freezing during the day. The garage is

unheated.

I think the stabiliser is a good idea. In fact, I bought some in
Montreal to bring over there (could not find it in France) but
abandonned the idea since it is a flammable item and is not allowed
on planes.





___________________________________________________________

Tiscali Broadband only ??9.99 a month for your first 3 months!

Just drain the float bowls, put the battery on a maintenance charger and put Mobil 1 into the motor. The oil won't suck in moisture, the fuel will light up after 11 months, and the battery will be fine. If you REALLY worry, run the bike almost out of fuel and drain the remainder into a fuel can. Top the fuel can off with pump fuel, seal and leave.
Refill from that can and go to the petrol station.
Modern bikes don't vent fuel vapour so the fuel will remain healthy in the tank. Only the float bowl fuel will 'go off'...which is the reason it is sometimes hard to start over-wintered bikes. The moment fresh fuel gets into the bowls, it'll light up like it was running yesterday



Hi Larry,

I've noticed that european fuel is almost white compared to the more
yellow redish color of the fuel here while I don't know anything
about the consistency standard. My worry is that the bike will not
move for 11 months a year. I guess from what your saying that I might
not find stabilizers in Europe, a mechanic in the village there did
not even know what I was talking about when I mentioned it. I'll have
to ask around how to send it from here. Does anyone know how long the
stabilizer is good for, one, two, five years? Does it turn to varnish
at some point? Thanks for your input.

Robert

--- In W650riders@..., "larry.botheras@..."
<larry.botheras@...> wrote:

European fuel is manufactured to a more consistent standard than NA
fuel, and so Stabil type products aren't so apparent over here.

Our 5

or 6 of our eight bikes overwinter from Oct/Nov to Mar/Apr with

nothing

done to the gas, other than running the carbs out... (Change the

oil

etc) Never had an issue starting in the new year.






I will buy and store the bike in France, the winters there are not
very cold, it freezes a couple of times a year during the night but
always gets up above freezing during the day. The garage is

unheated.

I think the stabiliser is a good idea. In fact, I bought some in
Montreal to bring over there (could not find it in France) but
abandonned the idea since it is a flammable item and is not allowed
on planes.





___________________________________________________________

Tiscali Broadband only ??9.99 a month for your first 3 months!

Go to temporary photos site - ::
Send an email to W650riders-nomail@... to stop email delivery. ::
Send an email to W650riders-normal@... to resume email delivery.
Yahoo! Groups Links





--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.1/888 - Release Date: 06/07/2007 06:36

开云体育

Shelf life for gas was 6 months, it was considered stale after that.

Shelf life for ethanol seems to be half that (previous experience with 65 trainning bikes, I rotated my personal bikes but Maui and Hawaii only ran 1 class per month).

Still, I would recommend filling your tank before storage, with stabil or something similar in it..but I would drain the tank and fill with fresh gas before I rode it . I would fill the tank because if it is not full, condensation can build up inside it which will result in rust.


James Franklin
2411 Pine Summit DR. E
Jacksonville, Florida 32211

808-225-0994 (cell)





From: Salvyrider <salvyrider@...>
Reply-To: W650riders@...
To: W650riders@...
Subject: Re: [W650riders] Re: Seeking advice on long-term storage
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 14:20:45 -0400

Without European motoring experience, I don't know much about the shelf life
of continental petrol. This is an interesting area to explore. Obviously,
our proclivity towards stabilizer is based on our experience with Yankee gas
- which goes bad amazingly fast. I've seen it go in a matter of a few weeks
under the right conditions.

(And you have not lived until you've experienced the heady bouquet of stale
gasoline. Mmmmmm.)

Good luck.

-S

On 7/6/07, Jonhaddock@... <jonhaddock@...> wrote:

Just drain the float bowls, put the battery on a maintenance charger and
put
Mobil 1 into the motor. The oil won't suck in moisture, the fuel will
light
up after 11 months, and the battery will be fine. If you REALLY worry, run

the bike almost out of fuel and drain the remainder into a fuel can. Top
the
fuel can off with pump fuel, seal and leave.
Refill from that can and go to the petrol station.
Modern bikes don't vent fuel vapour so the fuel will remain healthy in the

tank. Only the float bowl fuel will 'go off'...which is the reason it is
sometimes hard to start over-wintered bikes. The moment fresh fuel gets
into
the bowls, it'll light up like it was running yesterday

Hi Larry,

_________________________________________________________________

Shelf life for gas was 6 months, it was considered stale after that.

Shelf life for ethanol seems to be half that (previous experience with 65 trainning bikes, I rotated my personal bikes but Maui and Hawaii only ran 1 class per month).

Still, I would recommend filling your tank before storage, with stabil or something similar in it..but I would drain the tank and fill with fresh gas before I rode it . I would fill the tank because if it is not full, condensation can build up inside it which will result in rust.


James Franklin
2411 Pine Summit DR. E
Jacksonville, Florida 32211

808-225-0994 (cell)





From: Salvyrider <salvyrider@...>
Reply-To: W650riders@...
To: W650riders@...
Subject: Re: [W650riders] Re: Seeking advice on long-term storage
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 14:20:45 -0400

Without European motoring experience, I don't know much about the shelf life
of continental petrol. This is an interesting area to explore. Obviously,
our proclivity towards stabilizer is based on our experience with Yankee gas
- which goes bad amazingly fast. I've seen it go in a matter of a few weeks
under the right conditions.

(And you have not lived until you've experienced the heady bouquet of stale
gasoline. Mmmmmm.)

Good luck.

-S

On 7/6/07, Jonhaddock@... <jonhaddock@...> wrote:

Just drain the float bowls, put the battery on a maintenance charger and
put
Mobil 1 into the motor. The oil won't suck in moisture, the fuel will
light
up after 11 months, and the battery will be fine. If you REALLY worry, run

the bike almost out of fuel and drain the remainder into a fuel can. Top
the
fuel can off with pump fuel, seal and leave.
Refill from that can and go to the petrol station.
Modern bikes don't vent fuel vapour so the fuel will remain healthy in the

tank. Only the float bowl fuel will 'go off'...which is the reason it is
sometimes hard to start over-wintered bikes. The moment fresh fuel gets
into
the bowls, it'll light up like it was running yesterday

Hi Larry,

_________________________________________________________________

Shelf life for gas was 6 months, it was considered stale after that.

Shelf life for ethanol seems to be half that (previous experience with 65 trainning bikes, I rotated my personal bikes but Maui and Hawaii only ran 1 class per month).

Still, I would recommend filling your tank before storage, with stabil or something similar in it..but I would drain the tank and fill with fresh gas before I rode it . I would fill the tank because if it is not full, condensation can build up inside it which will result in rust.


James Franklin
2411 Pine Summit DR. E
Jacksonville, Florida 32211

808-225-0994 (cell)





From: Salvyrider <salvyrider@...>
Reply-To: W650riders@...
To: W650riders@...
Subject: Re: [W650riders] Re: Seeking advice on long-term storage
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 14:20:45 -0400

Without European motoring experience, I don't know much about the shelf life
of continental petrol. This is an interesting area to explore. Obviously,
our proclivity towards stabilizer is based on our experience with Yankee gas
- which goes bad amazingly fast. I've seen it go in a matter of a few weeks
under the right conditions.

(And you have not lived until you've experienced the heady bouquet of stale
gasoline. Mmmmmm.)

Good luck.

-S

On 7/6/07, Jonhaddock@... <jonhaddock@...> wrote:

Just drain the float bowls, put the battery on a maintenance charger and
put
Mobil 1 into the motor. The oil won't suck in moisture, the fuel will
light
up after 11 months, and the battery will be fine. If you REALLY worry, run

the bike almost out of fuel and drain the remainder into a fuel can. Top
the
fuel can off with pump fuel, seal and leave.
Refill from that can and go to the petrol station.
Modern bikes don't vent fuel vapour so the fuel will remain healthy in the

tank. Only the float bowl fuel will 'go off'...which is the reason it is
sometimes hard to start over-wintered bikes. The moment fresh fuel gets
into
the bowls, it'll light up like it was running yesterday

Hi Larry,

_________________________________________________________________