Caring for classics

[Forest]

Hi Lads

My 'new' bike will arrive in NZ fairly soon. It is a 2001 model with around 100 miles on the clock. Once it gets here I intend to put it straight into its new home - my living room!

Although it is a fairly modern bike, it won't really practical to ride it on the road and I won't bother to get it vinned. Given that the bike won't be ridden, are there any special techniques I can use to keep the mechanicals in good order?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Edbear]

Must be something pertty special, to have a work of art the size of a m/cycle in your living room! Any pics or clues as to its identity?

In da old days we took out the spark plugs and squirted upper-lube or a light oil in the chambers, sprayed CRC over everything and just kept it clean.

Even my mates old Duc GT is ridden occaisionally!

[Ghost Lemur]

I don't quite understand. 2001? Classic?

Even if you aren't planning on riding it (poor humiliation for a machine that was designed for that sole purpose) I'd still VIN it. If you don't when it first comes in it'll be near/impossible to do later down the track if you change you mind or go to sell it (vinned = more $$$ value).

[Paul in NZ]

Hi Lads

My 'new' bike will arrive in NZ fairly soon. It is a 2001 model with around 100 miles on the clock. Once it gets here I intend to put it straight into its new home - my living room!

Although it is a fairly modern bike, it won't really practical to ride it on the road and I won't bother to get it vinned. Given that the bike won't be ridden, are there any special techniques I can use to keep the mechanicals in good order?

Thanks in advance for your help.

if you don't get it vinned and registered now - you will face many many problems in the future and many possibly never be able to register it thus reducing it's value and possibly making it impossible to export.

Do yourself a HUGE favour and register it NOW while you have all the paperwork and proof of ownership. You can put the rego on hold permanently afterwards.

As for keeping it in good condition - change ALL the fluids (fresh oil etc) and cycle it through the engine. Remove the battery and put it on some sort of conditioning charger (it will be rooted if you don't use it so it's toast anyway)

Give everything a good clean and polish or cover with grease (your choice) and see if you can jack it up under the chassis to take the weight off the tyre (but they will be rooted anyway)

Cover with a breathable cotton dust cover to keep the light out. You might want to drain the floats and tank and spray some innox or light oil in there and same for the mufflers / exhaust.

Check the american sites 'cos they store bikes over the winters and are used to it.

Take LOTS of pictures before you let it slowly rot away in your garage so you will have something to remember it by....

[jim.cox]

Hi Lads

My 'new' bike will arrive in NZ fairly soon. It is a 2001 model with around 100 miles on the clock. Once it gets here I intend to put it straight into its new home - my living room!

Although it is a fairly modern bike, it won't really practical to ride it on the road and I won't bother to get it vinned. Given that the bike won't be ridden,

What a frigging waste.

Bikes are MADE to be ridden.

=mjc=
.

Just my $0.02

[Forest]

Thanks for all the feedback lads. I don't want to post details about the bike just yet, but I'll put up some photos and details as soon as it comes out of the container and I take possession. Suffice to say that this is the only bike that I have ever really wanted. It just took me five years before I was in a position to buy one for myself.

I'm especially interested in the comments regarding vinning. What you're saying makes a lot of sense - it isn't going on the road so it should be fairly easy to get the rego put on hold.

Regarding not riding the bike: I love to ride and I already own a bike that I use for heavy mileage. I'd be happy just to look at this one.

[Forest]

Take LOTS of pictures before you let it slowly rot away in your garage so you will have something to remember it by....

That's a good point. I guess that quite a few classic bikes have been killed by "enthusiasts" through benign neglect.

I don't intend for this one to die at my hands!

[Paul in NZ]

That's a good point. I guess that quite a few classic bikes have been killed by "enthusiasts" through benign neglect.

I don't intend for this one to die at my hands!

Oh yes - just live near the ocean and put a non breathable cover on it and ignore it for a year.... Bugger - a $12,000 factory paint mint 67 Bonnie reduced to a $4,000 parts bike...... sad.....

One thing you should NEVER do is start it every month and run the engine for a few minutes. Ride it for 30 mins to get everything fully up to temp and boil off the moisture in the oil. Better to do a decent ride twice a year that start it endlessly...

[Forest]

Oh yes - just live near the ocean and put a non breathable cover on it and ignore it for a year.... Bugger - a $12,000 factory paint mint 67 Bonnie reduced to a $4,000 parts bike...... sad.....

One thing you should NEVER do is start it every month and run the engine for a few minutes. Ride it for 30 mins to get everything fully up to temp and boil off the moisture in the oil. Better to do a decent ride twice a year that start it endlessly...

Thanks - that is exactly the sort of information I was after.

[Paul in NZ]

Thanks - that is exactly the sort of information I was after.

Oh - and if it is a belt driven Ducati - don't start it at all until you are SURE the belts are OK....

You can buy fuel stabilisers etc which are OK for 12 months or so but I'd drain it all and spray oil OR fill right to the top.