Not Running the Bike

[sevenexpats]

Hey, everybody. Recently purchased my first bike ('89 Honda VT250 Spada) and am gradually learning how to ride. But one thing is I'm taking it slow and getting private lessons on riding. The only really way to do this is rent their motorcycle as I have no way to get to their place safely. So I don't anticipate actually running my bike for a while. What do I have to do to keep it in good order while I get to a point in my rider knowledge that I can take it out the garage. Should I drain the tank? Best practices? Buy a tube and siphon the petrol out into a fuel can? Battery and chain I need to worry about? Should I put registration on hold until I can take it out on the road? Am slowly building up my toolset as well. Just purchased a basic socket set, etc. Been doing all my maintenance with a well broken in multitool prior to getting the bike. Very new to this and don't actually know anyone local to ask about these kinds of considerations. Thanks in advance!

[Jeeper]

Do you have a learner license? If yes, why can't you practice a little around your neighborhood?

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[OddDuck]

Weeeelll... OK, if you really want to take it easy for a bit until you're good to go:

1) set a date on the calendar. On this day, you will wheel it out, fire it up, and go out for a ride.
2) make that date uncomfortably close. Weeks, not months or even a month. Hell, maybe just a few days.
3) put the bike onto a battery charger once a week until the date.
4) don't bother doing anything else to store the bike during this time. Keep wof and rego live, tank full of gas etc.

5) on the calendar date, ready or not, shit weather or not, RIDE THE BIKE.

It doesn't have to be perfect, just get yourself out there. BTW I think you're being remarkably disciplined about your preparation, most starting riders wouldn't be anywhere near this careful.

[KawasakiKid]

Most batteries in good condition will take 8 to 10 weeks minimum without needing to worry about a charge. The most important thing is to store the bike away from weather etc and check tyres before you ride. Unless the lay up period is many months that is what you need to think about. Fuel will not degrade in the short term either. How many months are you planning on storing the bike? Is it in good condition now?

[M.H]

I have a spada as well and while moving cities I left in my parents shed for 3months, went back, checked tyre pressures and fired it up and rode away

[bogan]

2+ months, put the battery on charge every second month to keep it topped up. Likely won't need much.

6+ months, fill the tank with fuel, turn the tap to off, and drain the carbs

12+ months, sell it...

Prior to riding it, you'll want to check the tyre pressures, ensure the chain is lubed up, and just do a basic control/electricals check.

[sevenexpats]

Do you have a learner license? If yes, why can't you practice a little around your neighborhood?

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Haven't sat for the test, but I've got my Basic Handling Skills done. Funny thing is I live at the bottom of a very steep hill and barely any driveable space in the driveway with the vehicles around. I can practice bumping into the wall for clutch control and walking it around, but that's about it.

[sevenexpats]

I have a spada as well and while moving cities I left in my parents shed for 3months, went back, checked tyre pressures and fired it up and rode away

Ah, sweet! Anything special I should know about the Spada? I'm wanting to do some maintenance and all I've got is a metric socket set and a leatherman. I imagine I'll have to pick up some more tools. I was told an impact driver would be good cause it's an older bike.

[sevenexpats]

Most batteries in good condition will take 8 to 10 weeks minimum without needing to worry about a charge. The most important thing is to store the bike away from weather etc and check tyres before you ride. Unless the lay up period is many months that is what you need to think about. Fuel will not degrade in the short term either. How many months are you planning on storing the bike? Is it in good condition now?

I'm estimating 10 weeks until I feel good enough about it to go. The bike is in fairly good order. Just had the WOF done and checked up at (what I understand is) a reputable motorcycle mechanic and gotten his seal of approval. Thanks for the reply!

[sevenexpats]

How are the riding lessons going? Are you starting to feel confident? If so why not ask the instructor to meet you at your place and he can give you a lesson with you on your own bike. I would not do what another poster said in taking it out in any weather on the first day as while you will face bad from time to time the first day is best in fine weather. There is no harm in starting the bike up once a week to let it idle for a few minutes also. Good luck with the lessons.

My very first one, BHS, left me questioning my whole Goddamn life. It wasn't a very positive experience. Really shitty weather conditions (as in torrential downpour, bikes were falling down from wind gusts, couldn't hear any of the what the instructor was saying, instructor didn't seem really keen on instructing...) and general lack of hands-on with the guy while I ran around the lot doing my own thing for a while. But the subsequent ones have been better! I don't know if I'm at that point yet to ask, but I definitely will! Thanks for the reply and the well wishes.

[sevenexpats]

2+ months, put the battery on charge every second month to keep it topped up. Likely won't need much.

6+ months, fill the tank with fuel, turn the tap to off, and drain the carbs

12+ months, sell it...

Prior to riding it, you'll want to check the tyre pressures, ensure the chain is lubed up, and just do a basic control/electricals check.

Ah, for some reason I thought the bike would just implode if left unattended longer than two weeks. Thanks for the reply, and have had the whole prior to ride checklist drilled into my head. As for draining the carbs, won't be 6 months before I get on, but is there a trick to it? I've googled it and can't seem to find a video for a non-ATV or non-cruiser style motorcycle.

[sevenexpats]

Weeeelll... OK, if you really want to take it easy for a bit until you're good to go:

1) set a date on the calendar. On this day, you will wheel it out, fire it up, and go out for a ride.
2) make that date uncomfortably close. Weeks, not months or even a month. Hell, maybe just a few days.
3) put the bike onto a battery charger once a week until the date.
4) don't bother doing anything else to store the bike during this time. Keep wof and rego live, tank full of gas etc.

5) on the calendar date, ready or not, shit weather or not, RIDE THE BIKE.

It doesn't have to be perfect, just get yourself out there. BTW I think you're being remarkably disciplined about your preparation, most starting riders wouldn't be anywhere near this careful.

I feel like your reply makes me want to be a better human being. Setting dates? I hadn't even thought of it. But yeah, that's sound advice. Thanks for your reply. I've just been idling the bike every few days. Would it still need to have the battery charged? Got all my wet weather gear so I should be good to go, shit weather or not. Again, thanks for the inspirational reply. As for being careful, as soon as I told my family about learning to ride a motorcycle, my sister began sending me ER-style pics of motorcycle crash vics, so it kind of slowed my roll down about learning.

[Jeeper]

I've only been riding for a few months and the first time in rain was enough to get my heart racing.

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[Jeeper]

Best thing I did was to attend Ride Forever Bronze course once I got a little comfortable with the idea.

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[haydes55]

Just ride the thing.

[T.W.R]

:eek::gob: !! Peter actually said something reasonably bright :crazy: oh well it's just a couple of days off the full moon so there's bound to be the odd weird thing happening :pinch:

[HEsch]

I feel like your reply makes me want to be a better human being. Setting dates? I hadn't even thought of it. But yeah, that's sound advice. Thanks for your reply. I've just been idling the bike every few days. Would it still need to have the battery charged? Got all my wet weather gear so I should be good to go, shit weather or not. Again, thanks for the inspirational reply. As for being careful, as soon as I told my family about learning to ride a motorcycle, my sister began sending me ER-style pics of motorcycle crash vics, so it kind of slowed my roll down about learning.

I did some variant of this, except I made myself sit my L test before I went looking at bikes, so at least I was road legal, if not all that confident, when I took it out. I also booked a Bronze ride forever course as soon as I could (I think 2 months after I got the bike) which was fantastic. I had taken it out a few times local to home (no steep hills or driveways to contend with, thankfully) so was confident "enough" to go out. Definitely recommend the course as soon as you can manage it. I like the suggestion of getting a lesson that starts from your place so that the instructor can walk you through getting out of your street.