Winter storage question

[nippongreen]

Hi All,
I am a GREAT believer in draining the carb float bowls for winter storage on ALL my bikes.
The problem being is that the drain screws for the ST1100's are near impossible to get at :sad:
The last (3) winters i have disconnected the fuel pump and let it run dry.

My problem with letting it run dry, is that at lower rpms (when it's starving for fuel) would there not be "low oil pressure" issues ?
I do add "Sea Foam" to the last fill up of the season.
Would that be enough to prevent the carbs from gumming up during winter storage ?
Many thanks in advance............Keith....................

 

[RaYzerman]

I have used Seafoam on my '83 Magna for the past few years without draining the carbs. Seems to work, and this bike sits a lot. I think if you're using the bike all the time an occasional treatment is a good thing and it keeps the gums dissolved.

 

[Tom Mac 04a]

I'd use Seafoam and then run the bike to make sure its in the carbs... It will preserve the gas for up to a year. Just make sure the tank is FULL to top to cut down on condensation.

Don't worry about the couple of months for the gas, worry more about battery mantainance!

 

[Sunday Rider]

I do exactly the same thing with the Seafoam as well (just don't over do the Seafoam). Once the bike starves out of gas and dies out, I wait a few minutes and start it again, it always seems to get a few more seconds of running.

You can get at the drain screws with a very long slot screw driver, but it has to be exact as those screws are soft, and they are on very very tight. If you've had the carb out for the cooling hose replacement, then that is the time to loosen them so you can get at them later (of course I forgot to do that when I replaced the hoses, duh).

 

[Coucours Grad]

This time of year I dont ride ALOT but I do cover the girl up....


I then take a sheet of notebook paper and a small wood clamp and write down the last time the motorcycle ran.


That way, if the "over 30 day"point is reached and its rainy I can fire her up in the garage and let her run 30 mins.... If its not raining I take her out for a few laps. Either way I write the new date on the paper.


Seafoam and Stabil are your friends as is no ethanol fuel if its available.

 

[nippongreen]

Thank You for the replies,
I guess i'll stick to the "Sea foam" method from now on.
All The Best.......Keith............