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Question: Starting up a motorcycle after winter storage. how?

(Posted by: Bobby H on 2010-02-08 17:01:35)

I have not used my motorcycle since about two months ago, now school time is upon me and i cant get it to start my battery is almost dead, from the couple attempts i took to start it, and i dont wana do the get out and push method to recharge it. what are possible ways to start up my bike? will putting it under the sun for a couple hours work? i assumed using V- power 'super' fuel would help me avoid this problem when i try to restart it let me add, the battery is not dead, the motorcycle is new and only had 300 miles on it. but yes i left the battery inside during the storage

Posted by: Eric K on 2010-02-08, 17:23:22

For future reference, always remember to put some Stabil fuel stabilizer in your fuel and run it for awhle prior to storage. This will keep the gasoline from breaking down and gumming up the carburator(s). What I would do: Charge the battery, remove the sparkplugs and inspect them. Are they wet? If so, it is flooded. You can leave these out overnight and much of the gasoline will evaporate. Clean the spark plugs well and then put them back in. You might also leave one out and have someone crank the engine while holding the connected plug to the case to ensure you are getting a spark. If you are not, there are other problems. If you are, then put the plugs back and try again. I would change the gasoline before doing any of this, and if you get it fired up, put in some fuel system cleaner such as "Sea Foam " this should help clean the gunk out of the carbs, unless it is extensive. Also check to make sure that the fuel is turned on if you have a petcock on the cycle. If you forgot this, then that is the problem.

Posted by: James on 2010-02-08, 17:08:56

You need to get a Battery Tender or similar charger for the bike. Let it charge the battery fully before trying to start it again. I don't see how different fuel would get you around a dead battery. If your battery is 3 years old or more, you probably need a new one, especially if you have left it in the bike during storage.

Posted by: mike i on 2010-02-08, 17:24:40

2 months is not long, but for a bike it is! You need to put FRESH gasoline in the bike, and check the spark plugs. Check the air filter too, and get that battery juiced up! I don't care if you have to jumpstart it from a car! (always make sure you follow safe and proper procedures if you MUST do this method, it can be very dangerous...NEVER jumpstart a bike with the battery attached.......do a google search first.) Also make sure the Choke is on all the way, and use RECOMMENDED starting procedures for your bike, since alot of the procedures can vary quite a bit....im saying this since you didn't mention the exact bike and year. ------ But like I said, 99% of starting problems are due to bad gasoline. TRUST ME, I have my bike down for 2 months, it had spanking new FRESH gas in the tank the day I put her in the garage for work. 2 months later, she wouldn't start at all. Put new spark plugs on her, fresh gasoline and BAM....fired up like it wanted to go for a ride NOW! ----- Also check for rust in your gas tank, if there is alot of it, you likely have had rust in the fuel lines/ carburetors, and the rust probably clogged up some of the Jets. Usually rust will cause idle problems or Un-even running, not usually failed starts, but it CAN sometimes! If your storage area has enough room, you could try clutch-dumping it. Basically you put the bike in 2nd gear, Squeeze the Clutch IN....and push the bike as fast and hard as you can, and when you are moving a pretty good speed you hop on the bike and Release the Clutch out, thus starting it up. I've done this before a few times when my battery died on me....NOT FUN! You'll get in shape really fast! But it works.... Usually this method only works if JUST the battery is dead, but it could possibly work for other scenarios sometimes. The LAST resort to starting, would be to use Starter Fluid, if you are stuck in the middle of NOWHERE with NO OTHER OPTIONS! You pop off the Air cover and Air Filter, spray a quick but Firm squirt of spray into the air tunneling....but dont spray it far in there, just in the air hole, but in a visible area. Usually 1 or 2 firm sprays will do it, then just attempt to start the bike. It's kind of like giving your bike Meth or Cocaine, it WILL start the bike up in an instant.....but it's NOT HEALTHY for the bike to do! So only do this if you have no other options left! You can also use Brake Cleaner or typical Carburetor Cleaner products(they all contain Methyl), but I'm talking like....if you're stuck in the middle of NOWHERE, with ZERO options left! It can destroy an engine if you use too much, or if the bike is already too rich inside

Posted by: Jay on 2010-02-08, 17:43:32

I just answered this a few minutes ago for a Bandit 1200, so here is a cut and paste answer: Throw in a brand new set of NGK plugs, your old plugs are likley black, sooty and tired. They are very sensitive to flooding when lying around for too long. Part of the problem too is that the battery is too small and weak on these bikes. Try boosting it from a car battery. Don't run the car, just boost it straight from there. It gives it more spark and turns the engine over slightly faster to give it a fighting chance. It will not hurt the bike, as they are both 12 volts. When you are cranking that big motor with a dinky battery, there is not much juice left over for the coils and starter motor. That's why it starts better on a automotive battery. I assume it ran when you parked it, so it should run just fine now. I bet you will find after it is started for 1/ 2 hour, there will be no more problems for the rest of the season.

Posted by: Everything Sportbikes on 2010-02-08, 22:40:41

Charge the battery first. jumping it form a car might start it and all, but bikes are not designed to charge a battery back up from dead or close to dead. this can overwork the charging system and result in a burned up rectifier or plug connector. many bikes have this happen because of people running a bike constantly on a battery that is bad and barely starts the bike in the first place. sitting for 2 months typically is not long enough for any deterioration of the fuel, unless there are extreme conditions like constant humid wether ect ect. It is possible thought for it to have some water in it from cendensation, so a fresh tank of gas would be good. pull the plugs and replace them or clean them up. this is the time also to do the first oil change even though it is a bit early, but since its been sitting, then all of the break-in assembly lube in the motor as well as the metal shavings from being broke in are sitting at the bottom of the oil pan and need to come out, alons with any water condensation. This should get you on the road and correctly. The first oil change is very important, so you want to do this and get it out of the way.

Posted by: Scooter on 2010-02-09, 05:16:56

You need to do, one of two things. Charge the battery and or, boost the battery. Your battery often times, does not have enough juice. To start a bike, that's been sitting for awhile. A gasoline motor, is not a sealed system. Gasoline evaporates, oil drips down into the pan. A dry motor, is very hard to start. After a few weeks, that's what your motor has become, dry. Your battery has to crank, the motor over long enough and fast enough. To re-lube the motor and then start it. A battery, that's been sitting in the bike for two months, can;t do that.