[bomber21]

Hi all,
I am hoping to get some advice on how to store my 05 Katana 600 for about 12 months. I am going on a 1 year national guard deployment and my bike will be stored in my shed. I have asked around and gotten various opinions on what I should do but would like to get opions from here in case I have missed anything. I live in central Florida and the shed is neither heated or air conditioned. Any help would be greatly aprreciated.

 

[Clint]

Welcome to M-J. A search on storage or winterization will get you lots of info. The two most critical issues are the fuel and the battery. Stabilize the fuel and run the engine to treat the entire system. Ideally, you'd have someone run the bike once a month to keep the carbs from drying out entirely. Put a tender on the battery.

Aside from that, you can go as far as you like with cleaning, waxing, treating the cylinders with fogging oil, etc.

 

[omegajim]

the only problem with a battery tender is there won't be anyone to add water to the battery.

So I would just advise you to get a new battery when you get back.

 

[aleekat]

get some gas stabilizer. Add to the tank, run the bike for about 5 minutes or drive it a little. Top off the tank. Pull the battery and store indoors somewhere. When you get back, charge the battery, fire it up and go. Been using this method for yrs on everything from weedeaters to cars.

 

[mrlmd]

Any way you can get the bike resting on it's frame bottom rather than on the tires to eliminate sitting in one spot for a year and developing a flat spot on the tire? Is the shed floor concrete or wood or dirt/grass? It's not a good idea to leave the tires sitting on dirt for a year.
When you add stabilizer and the top off the tank, you leave no room for condensation and moisture (water) to get into the fuel.
You might want to loosely cover it to keep a year's worth of dust from settling on it, but allow some air circulation beneath the cover.
Close off all openings- air filter, exhaust - to keep critters and bugs from making a home inside there.

 

[Easy Rider]

the only problem with a battery tender is there won't be anyone to add water to the battery.

OK......so here we go ......with everybody's own personal preferences and biases....with a little mis-information thrown in for good measure.

Let's start here. If it is a "real" battery tender and not just a trickle charger, there should be no need to add water as the TINY little maintenance current will NOT cause the battery to gas and loose water, anymore than it would if just sitting.

Then, the guy is in Florida. Absolutely NO reason to remove the battery from the bike; NONE (well, unless maybe that's the only way you can charge it occasionally or with a tender).

So, to add MY personal preferences and biases......... :mrgreen:

Change the oil, stabilize a FULL tank of fuel, run it a bit, let it cool, "fog" the cylinders, connect a battery tender (or arrange for someone to connect a charger for a couple of hours each month), throw a cover over it and don't worry. Might want to have someone move it a foot or so every couple of months too, on the off chance that a flat spot develops on the tires.

If you are near the coast, you might want to spray some WD40 liberally on a wrag and wipe down all the shiny (metal) parts too.

 

[Easy Rider]

Close off all openings- air filter, exhaust - to keep critters and bugs from making a home inside there.

You HAVE lived in Florida for a while, haven't you ?? :mrgreen:
Excellent point. :bluethum:

 

[aleekat]

Having not lived in Florida, I would think that the salt in the air would be attracted to the battery posts. Someone maybe enlighten me?

 

[NCxM50]

Close off all openings- air filter, exhaust - to keep critters and bugs from making a home inside there.

This is particularly important, no matter where you live. I had a pickup truck parked for 8 months while there was a legal battle over the title when I lived in MA. During the winter, field mice had actually managed to get in and make a nest under my valve covers. If I hadn't been intent on replacing all the top end gaskets once I got the title, the results could have been bad to say the least.

Also, the tires could pose a problem. Even if you lift the bike or have it rolled to prevent flat spots, you still run the risk of drying them out, even in a climate like florida (even though it would be less likely, I've seen it happen here in coastal NC and we're almost as humid as FL) You're options are to plan for new tires upon your return, to hope for the best, or find some sort of tire treatment to prevent drying out. I can't recommend a treatment though, as I'm able to ride pretty much year round here in NC, so I don't store my bike. At worst, it goes unridden for most of January.

As for the battery, ER makes an important point. Get a TENDER. Not a trickle charger. If you can't get a tender though, or don't want to, then I would disconnect the battery (removal not necessary) and just replace it or charge it when you return. I wouldn't suggest running a trickle charger for a year straight.

Before you add fuel stabilizer, make sure you read the label before you buy a particular product. I use a winter stabilizer for all my lawn equipment, and it specifically states it is not intended for storage periods any longer than 6 months. So make sure you get something that will keep for a year.

 

[Clint]

I use a winter stabilizer for all my lawn equipment, and it specifically states it is not intended for storage periods any longer than 6 months.

That would seem to be a completely worthless product then. Gas rarely goes bad before then anyway!

 

[bomber21]

Hey everybody,
thanks for all your replies and helpful insights. I have heard differences about changing the oil or just drain it all out and leaving it drained and also about squirting a little oil in the spark plug holes. I have a center stand and it will be used. Any ideas or thoughts about the oil?? Closing all the openings was a good idea as I live in a rural area and squirrels do get into the step on occasion.

 

[Clint]

I don't think I've ever heard of anyone suggesting you drain it of oil. I'm not sure what the point would be.

If you put oil in the cylinders, you need to pull the spark plugs and crank the engine to spread it on the cylinder walls. You can also buy fogging oil that you spray in the plug holes.

This is why I start mine every 4-5 weeks over the winter... to recoat the cylinders and keep seals and carbs from drying out.

 

[mrlmd]

You want to change the oil BEFORE you store it, to not let it sit with all the dirty oil/acids etc in it for a prolonged period. Then it's also less of a hassle to get it started up again when you return.
It's not only mice that get into exhausts and other openings - various wasps, ants, bees, spiders and other bugs get in there and clog it up and you may not know that 'till you go and try to restart it. Seal up the carbs and air intake system with a heavy duty plastic bag or something tied over them and spray everything down with some sort of anti-corrosion spray. A spray of light oil or WD40 or similar will prevent rust on all the metal and chrome also and should be fairly easy to wipe off when you return.
Fogging the cylinders is a good idea for prolonged storage, to try and prevent rust and corrosion.
Or you could just give someone the key and let him ride it around for a year while you're gone.
And make sure you come back so you can ride it again.

 

[NCxM50]

That would seem to be a completely worthless product then. Gas rarely goes bad before then anyway!

In the event you don't actually want to read the links below (and who would blame you, theres a ton of crap to sift through), I'll sum it up.
Older gasoline mixes, while less refined, actually lasted longer, and like you said, 6 months would not be a problem.
However, modern gases have detergents, chemical additives, and are more refined, resulting in gasoline that is more "sensitive". i.e., it goes bad faster. Modern pump gas can start to go bad as early as 9 days when stored in the worst of conditions, and even when stored properly, can start to deteriorate as soon as 30 days. Faster in warmer more humid climates, slower in dryer cooler climates.
The stabilizer that I use is specifically designed for lawn products in that it's only intended for winter storage, and is actually a mix of fuel stabilizer and gasoline anti-freeze. So, not entirely useless, and everything I own has started up on the first try in the spring.

What this gentleman would seem to need is a true fuel stabilizer, especially being in a particularly hot and humid climate with intentions to store the bike for a full year (i.e. at least one spring and summers worth of awesome florida humidity and hotness)

for those who are bored and want to read all about fuel deterioration and proper storage practices:

Fuel Degradation In Storage.

Gasoline Stabilizers

Chevron Products: Technical Bulletin: Longer-Term Storage of Gasoline

Does Gas Go Bad?

SwRI Lighter Side

Protect your equipment with clean fuel

 

[Camp21178]

Welcome aboard, and thank you for your service. Here's a site that might help. Motorcycle Winter Storage Check List God bless!!

 

[Clint]

That's why I only buy the oldest gas I can find. It lasts longer.

Zeus be with you.

 

[mrlmd]

Camp - that checklist has everything we've said, but it's all in one place for easy reading.:bluethum:

 

[Easy Rider]

During the winter, field mice had actually managed to get in and make a nest under my valve covers.

Also, the tires could pose a problem. Even if you lift the bike or have it rolled to prevent flat spots, you still run the risk of drying them out,

OK, Lucy, you're gonna have to 'splain those two things.

How do you figure mice got UNDER the valve covers......
and
Why would the tires "dry out" more when just sitting than they would being ridden every day.....or every few days. I think they would NOT.

 

[NCxM50]

How do you figure mice got UNDER the valve covers......

How do I figure? Beats me, but I know there were there. Once I got the title in hand, I did some work on the truck that included replacement of the gaskets. When I popped the valve covers, there they were, one mama field mouse and 2 babies, all in a nest of straw/dry grass neatly nestled between my rocker arms. I have no clue how they got in there to be honest, but they were definitely there. Once I cleaned everything out, and replaced the gaskets among other things, that motor ran for another 70K miles until I sold the truck.

Why would the tires "dry out" more when just sitting than they would being ridden every day.....or every few days. I think they would NOT.

Stress is one of several factors that contributes to dry rot. When a vehicle is rolling, the stress on various parts of the tire is spread equally. When a vehicle is sitting still, the stress is concentrated. If you're vehicle is sitting for a week, it's not going to be a big deal. When it sits for extended periods of time (i.e. a year) those parts of the tire that are under greater stress have a greater chance of dry rot. Of course, I'm not sure how much of an issue that would be with floridas humidity since thats another factor, but I wouldn't risk it.
But I suppose I mispoke when referring to keeping it lifted. As long as the bike is lifted and there is no stress on the tires, there wouldn't be much chance of dry rot as long as it isn't kept in a particularly dry place.

 

[omegajim]

tires don't rot like they used to; and when they do, I don't believe the humidity effects them as much as the temperature (ie fluctuations from very hot to very cold, not really the case in FL).

although a flat spot from sitting a year would at least seem plausible.

The single most dangerous thing to a tire is uv rays - if kept out the sunlight, this won't be a problem.