Longterm Storage

[FastCurrey]

I did a search for other threads with the same question and after page seven I gave up.  Here's the deal I have orders to Diego Garcia for a 365 day rotation and I do not know what to do with my bike.  I have stands and my dad said he would keep her in his garage in Alabama.

I am worried about my seals.  I know I can do the battery tender or just chuck it and buy new when I get back.  I am curious about what will happen if she sits for a year and does not get ridden at least a few times a month?

I am stuck between selling and storing.  Just looking for thoughts on Pros and Cons of storage.  I dont want to return to a bike suffering from $4K worth of dry rot.

Guidance please.

 

[VaBusa]

I'm certain you can store it safely...hopefully those that have done so will chime in and let you know what they did to keep the Busa in tip-top shape

 

[Jester0769]

send it to me, Ill keep it in the shop, start it up, ride it around the block once or twice a month. and keep her clean too.

Ill do it for a dollar a day.

Just let me know.

Josh

 

[dwnhllthng]

haha, a dollar a day aye? I was thinking more like I need two busa's....just lend it to me for 365 days I'll ride it and keep it warn in. But in all seriousness I stored mine for 10 months one time, didnt do anythin to it what so ever and it was in tip top shape like I never left it. I would CERTAINLY not sell the bike, I would only worry about the battery. And if you have front and rear stands just to keep the tires from getting flat spots or bulges in them get it off the ground.

 

[MC MUSTANG]

(FastCurrey @ Jul. 03 2007,12:25) I did a search for other threads with the same question and after page seven I gave up.  Here's the deal I have orders to Diego Garcia for a 365 day rotation and I do not know what to do with my bike.  I have stands and my dad said he would keep her in his garage in Alabama.

I am worried about my seals.  I know I can do the battery tender or just chuck it and buy new when I get back.  I am curious about what will happen if she sits for a year and does not get ridden at least a few times a month?

I am stuck between selling and storing.  Just looking for thoughts on Pros and Cons of storage.  I dont want to return to a bike suffering from $4K worth of dry rot.

Guidance please.

So your in Vegas and you just got a "Short Tour" on DGar? Only people who say Short and Long tour that I know of are Airmen - there was a member On Nelis... what was his name???

There are several members in Vegas... I bet if you put the bike in storage they would start it for you a few times while you were gone...

Check with ToyKraz and see if you can work something out with him...

 

[Professor]

Change all of the fluids. Add some fuel stabilizer (I like STA-BIL) to a fresh full tank of gas. Ride it to get the fresh oil circulated and the treated fuel in the system. Top the fuel off. Use the stands.

Battery tender might save the battery, but I'd swap it for a new one when you get back unless it is pretty fresh now.

Thanks for serving. I had a friend that was at DG for about 6 months. Take extra sunglasses, needle nose pliers (if you like to fish). That was the items he requested in a care package I sent him just after Christmas.

 

[Nekosohana]

OK, let's ask the simpler questions (Occam's Razor).

Your dad has already said he would watch it, right? Can he ride? If not can he push it? If not do you have any family that could ride it for you?

Is it a garage or a barn? If it's a closed "normal" garage, then you can leave it there and have them run it once a month. If it's a barn then you should find alternative methods.

As for dry rot, I can't attest since the longest I stored mine was 6 months, and my friend just tossed a wax on it, and then it was Plexus (or something similar) since then. Came back to a shiny bike.

 

[BusaWhipped]

FastCurrey, leave it with me, I'll take good care of her for you.

Tango1300, can I combine the mileage for the challenge?

 

[Revvv]

So far you have gotten good info on storage.

In terms of the bike holding up while not being ridden; It will do just fine. My 2003 sat up for a year and a half without being ridden. It was completely neglected. A set of tiers and a new battery got me going without any problems. I did have to run a fuel injector cleaner through a tank of fuel, but all in all things were good.

I would be sure that the bike is placed on stands, on a tender, and fired up and ran until warm at least once a month to make sure nothing corrodes.

 

[FastCurrey]

You got me, MC. I am stationed at Nellis and heading out for some fun in the sun at DG. A while back Spudley offered to let me keep it at his place but I do not know if I will return to Vegas. I have several friends in the area that would let me keep the bike at their place.

My dad's garage is the typical concrete floor with closing door. My dad does not ride and I don't know that he ever did - probably why I didn't get into riding until so late in life. I trust him to start up the bike and run it for 20 mins every month that's easy.

My biggest fear was the seals around the fuel system, the breaks lines, bearing seals, etc. I do have front and rear floor stands I bought through the site from the Redline sponsor so that is covered.

I appreciate the feedback from you all and will keep you guys in the loop. Ever since work caught on to this site I can't access it from a gov puter which means i have to get my info while at home...

 

[DaCol.]

(Professor @ Jul. 03 2007,11:34) Change all of the fluids. Add some fuel stabilizer (I like STA-BIL) to a fresh full tank of gas. Ride it to get the fresh oil circulated and the treated fuel in the system. Top the fuel off. Use the stands.  

Battery tender might save the battery, but I'd swap it for a new one when you get back unless it is pretty fresh now.

Thanks for serving.  I had a friend that was at DG for about 6 months. Take extra sunglasses,  needle nose pliers (if you like to fish). That was the items he requested in a care package I sent him just after Christmas.

+1 I did this with my bikes for 6 years while in Africa, only riding them every 6 months when I came home for 20 days ! Never had a problem, just put the bike on stands to get the tires off the floor. And I never used any of my battery tenders, but never had a starting problem either !  

 

[DaCol.]

"OH Yeah", I put shop towels in my exhaust after running the bike until everything was HOT ! Suppose to keep the moisture out, well, I don't know, but it worked for me  

 

[FastCurrey]

Thanks, Col. Never even thought about moisture in the exhaust and motor.

 

[Sane_man]

(FastCurrey @ Jul. 03 2007,17:53) Thanks, Col. Never even thought about moisture in the exhaust and motor.

I wouldn't worry about moisture or humidity in Vegas.

 

[reiny]

After reading all the replies and thinking about it, ya know it would'nt hurt to put down a sheet of 3/4 fir plywood to cut down on the concrete moisture factor.It wud prolly cost ya 50.00 bucks for complete piece of mind.
All year round my busa sits on 1" thick rubber.Its a piece of rubber my brother gave me .It comes from a "moving sidewalk" ,from an airport(an old discarded one, thats in great shape for my use!)
I like the fact that the aluminum parts of the bike are not direct contact with the concrete.
Thats just my thoughts.

 

[DaCol.]

Hummmmmmmm, what alum parts would be in direct contact with the floor if the bike isn't laying on it side

 

[FastCurrey]

(Sane_man @ Jul. 03 2007,18:54)

(FastCurrey @ Jul. 03 2007,17:53) Thanks, Col.  Never even thought about moisture in the exhaust and motor.

I wouldn't worry about moisture or humidity in Vegas.

I'm going to take it to Birmingham Alabama to sit in my dad's garage. The humidity there should be easier on the ruber seals than the dry heat here. As long as I rider her weekly here in Vegas the seals have a chance to move and lubricate keeping them "healthy" but just sitting on the stands in this heat seems like it would expedite dry rot... just my thoughts.

 

[bitabur]

I'm sure you can rub something on any rubber seals you're worried about to extend their protection... In my mind I'm thinking something like vaseline that would seal out air and not evaporate or drip away would do really well to protect seals.

Really though, I don't think you'll have any problems at all, a year just isn't that long. Keep her on stands to save the tires, throw on a battery tender, should be fine.

 

[00Negative]

Holy SH** this place rocks!

Such maturity and true friendliness is absolutely AWESOME!

I'm sooo glad I found this site after I picked up the Busa. Who says nothing in life is free?

I have the same issue (kinda) coming up real shortly. I leave for 7 months and I have my sister house sitting (dirt cheap rent too). She rides... but it's a little, baby GSX600R. I'm going to make sure she can handle the bike before I leave in a couple weeks! /threadjack.

FastCurrey: Enjoy your tour maing... take lot'so pics!