After long winter hibernation...

[XLFREAK]

It should be no news to anyone in the "snowbelt" that we are slowly coming out of one of the worst (record-breaking) winters in a very long time. Tons of snow and lots of days when the temp never got above Zero or out of the single digits.

My Sporty was put up on Nov 20, 2007, after a very enjoyable ride on the 19th. It has a full tank of gas, and the battery tender has been on it the whole time. It's got a Harley cover over it, and is parked in my garage. Not too many miles before putting it away, I did an oil change.

I did not start it for this whole period of elapsed time... and this has been the longest time since getting the bike in the Fall of 2006.

Even though the temperatures are beginning to warm just a little, we still have a little snow left (here in the Midwest), there is a ton of sand on the roads and more pot-holes than I've ever seen. I'm not real anxious to get out on the roads before they are cleaned and fixed up a little ---nevertheless, the end of winter is in sight, and one day soon it will be time to at least take the cover off and see about starting it.

What, if anything should I do different... for that first start?

__________________________________________

[Moved On / My Own Choice]

Originally Posted by trekster

My Sporty was put up on Nov 20, 2007, after a very enjoyable ride on the 19th. It has a full tank of gas, and the battery tender has been on it the whole time. It's got a Harley cover over it, and is parked in my garage. Not too many miles before putting it away, I did an oil change.

What, if anything should I do different... for that first start?

Honestly - pretty much NADA

I'd check air/oil just to make sure everything looks good.

I'd poke my head around it to make sure no critters gnawed on any wiring.

But stored for such a relatively short period of time and done properly as you seem to have, there shouldn't be an issue with just starting her if she's been unmolested.

K

[wandrur]

What should you do differently? You could dance a jig. Or an interpretive dance about how excited you are.

But, seriously. Like Kev said, so long as it's been unmolested in the meantime, hop on that sucker, warm it up a little, and get on the road.

[celtic]

Originally Posted by wandrur

What should you do differently? You could dance a jig. Or an interpretive dance about how excited you are.

But, seriously. Like Kev said, so long as it's been unmolested in the meantime, hop on that sucker, warm it up a little, and get on the road.

FUNNY POST.


the only thing I can add is:

START MOLESTING IT RIGHT AWAY

[johnnysquire]

Here's my spring startup procedure. I follow it religiously, and haven't had a problem - and I don't even own a battery tender.

0. Remove bike cover.
1. Roll bike into middle of garage.
2. Check floor where bike was for unexpected substances (gas, oil, rat poo).
3. Check the tire pressure, fill as needed.
4. Turn petcock to "On".
5. Pull enrichener.
6. Push "Start", expecting a few cranks.
7. Raise jiffy stand.
8. Ride away, smiling.

[nodak]

did you put any fuel stabilizer in ? that to me is always a concern with the newer fuels.

[jrogers329]

Hopefully you can ride it soon. I rode to work today and it was 75 and sunny when I left. Took back roads home and enjoyed the ride!

[CrazyDave]

It was 27 today and was supposed to get to about 50 today. I hadn't rode the bike since Dec 26. No stabilizer or battery tender. I just fired up the bike once a week (it wouldn't start if it was under 30).

Checked the tires yesterday and each needed about 5 PSI, which I gave my yellow bitch from my air compressor.

Went out this morning (at 27 degrees as I said) and fired the yellow bitch up. Stumbled and stalled a couple of times warming up (I thought that wasn't supposed to happen with EFI?).

Rode to work, took a short ride during lunch, and then a nice long 49 degree ride after work.

Long story short. As long as you make sure your tires are inflated to the proper PSI and you fired up your pony once a week you should be good to go. I meant to check my oil when I got home tonight, but forgot. Will do that tomorrow.

Off-topic comment. We usually see riders do the hand wave. This time of year here in Michigan you see riders do the "thumbs up" instead. Meaning "Yeah, we're out here riding finally at last while others are waiting for temps to get into the 70s to ride. Good to see another cold weather rider". Meaning, "Freaking A dude, the riding season is finally here after a long damn winter. To heck with the RUBS" A dude on a BMW motorcycle (with very loud pipes for a BMW) slowly passed me on the interstate today giving the thumbs up and I tailed him for about 20 miles. He took the same exit as I did and (interestingly enough) pulled off at the HD dealer as I went by to my bank further on down the road. If I didn't have time critical appointments I would have liked to have stopped to talk to that guy. His BMW was nothing like what I had ever seen and I'm sure talking to him would have been enjoyable. The bike was a cross between a cruiser and a touring bike. It was hard to tell where the gas tank stopped and the frame started. An unusual eye catching bike. I do love my sporty, but his bike was very sweet. I would love to know what it was. BMW makes great all-terrain touring bikes. This one looked like a cruiser that could handle anything (dirt, you name it).

[Gone]

About the only thing that I would add, is to pull it out in the sun for a little while, and let it warm up a little that way before starting it. It seems to help. I'm in southern Michigan-I stored my bike in the garage on New Year's day, and dragged it out 2 days ago. I didn't start it at all in the interim, though I did put the trickle charger on for a couple days before pulling it out of the garage. As long as you had gas stabilizer in it, and the fluids were proper when you stored it, you're good.

I went for a little ride today, and I can attest that there is still a LOT of sand on the roads here. So, I think I'm going to wait for a good thunderstorm to wash everything off before I do a lot of riding.

Originally Posted by trekster

It should be no news to anyone in the "snowbelt" that we are slowly coming out of one of the worst (record-breaking) winters in a very long time. Tons of snow and lots of days when the temp never got above Zero or out of the single digits.

My Sporty was put up on Nov 20, 2007, after a very enjoyable ride on the 19th. It has a full tank of gas, and the battery tender has been on it the whole time. It's got a Harley cover over it, and is parked in my garage. Not too many miles before putting it away, I did an oil change.

I did not start it for this whole period of elapsed time... and this has been the longest time since getting the bike in the Fall of 2006.

Even though the temperatures are beginning to warm just a little, we still have a little snow left (here in the Midwest), there is a ton of sand on the roads and more pot-holes than I've ever seen. I'm not real anxious to get out on the roads before they are cleaned and fixed up a little ---nevertheless, the end of winter is in sight, and one day soon it will be time to at least take the cover off and see about starting it.

What, if anything should I do different... for that first start?

__________________________________________

[KC_Sporty_Gal]

Did you put stabil or sea foam in the tank before you stored it?