Long Term Storage?

[AK Mike]

So now that I got my new NCX a month ago, and just started riding it this week (since spring has finally arrived here in Alaska), I'm going to have to mothball it in about a week because I'll be travelling... and it will not be ridden again for about a year. I'll be away on travel/training for the next 6 months, and that means I return home in December... and that means I won't be able to ride again till the following May. So... what is the best way to store the bike for this long? On my other bikes for over-winter storage, I always do an oil change, clean the chain and top of the gas tank with stabilized fuel. But it only sits for about 6 months. Now that it'll be sitting for a year, and has hardly any miles on the new oil in the sump, what do you all suggest?

I'm thinking it'll be fine to not change out the like-new oil in there, but I'm thinking it might be wise to completely drain the gas tank rather than topping it off, since stabilized fuel is only supposed to be good for a few months at a time. Oh... and I will be removing the battery and putting it on a tender as well.

If I drain the gas, is there a quick and easy way to do this on the NCX?

What say you-all?

 

[HarveyM]

Here’s a list from another forum:

Change oil.
Drain gas.
Take plugs out and put spray 4-5 oz Marvel mystery oil in cyls, turn over engine. Put plugs back in.
Take battery out.
Put bike on blocks to take tires off ground and unload shocks, forks.
Wipe silicone on tire sidewalls.
Fresh coat of wax.
Cover bike.

 

[670cc]

I’d leave the fuel in the tank and treat it well with stabilizer. In fuel injected machines, I’ve had no issue with fuel stored for a year, even 10% ethanol. To empty the NC tank you would probably need to syphon it, or rig the fuel pump to pump it into a container. Empty tanks invite rust from water condensation.

The oil sounds new enough that I’d leave it be.

The NC owners manual lists steps to take for storage, and I don’t think it even mentions fuel.

I’m no expert on fuel, but I own about 20 engines, many for seasonal use, and despite all you hear about it, old fuel just never has been a problem for me. And, we’ve had ethanol blend gas here for 20 years or more.

 

[b_rubenstein]

Here’s a list from another forum:
Take plugs out and put spray 4-5 oz Marvel mystery oil in cyls, turn over engine. Put plugs back in.

That's 118cc - 148cc in a 335cc displacement cylinder. Turn the engine over a year later without draining the fluid, with the plugs in place, and possibly do severe damage to the engine. The volume has to be less than the volume of the cylinder head with the piston at TDC to be sure hydro-lock won't occur. A teaspoon of some sort of oil is more like it.

 

[Red Rider]

They do make a spray (misting) oil designed to put a mist into the cylinders and coat the walls. Used to use it on my Harleys and my older “stone-age” bikes. Still sounds like a good idea for a storage period like you’re talking about.

 

[670cc]

Do you think dealers or manufacturers are fogging cylinders on bikes that sit long term in their warehouse?

 

[davidc83]

Do you think dealers or manufacturers are fogging cylinders on bikes that sit long term in their warehouse?

Heck, dealers are not fogging cylinders for their bikes in their showrooms and I can take you to a local dealer and show you bikes that have been in their showroom for a year or more. They don't fog their cylinders, they don't change the oil, most don't have gas in the tanks...
For AK Mike: put the battery on a battery tender or just be prepared to buy a new battery next year.
If you have a center stand, place bike on center stand and jack the front end up enough to get tire off the ground (to prevent flat spots on the tires)
If you are close to 600 miles, go ahead and change the oil (needs to be done at 600 miles anyways)
Fill the tank with gas or you will create a rust environment within the tank-use some kind of good fuel stabilizer or a good gas station gas-heck, Shell and Chevron already have their own brands of fuel enhancers/stabilizers/cleaners in the gas or you can go old school and put some 2 cycle oil in the gas which will stabilize the gas for a long time (still using 2 cycle gas from last summer in my chain saw-no issues with it); running 2 cycle gas in 4 cycle engines is no biggee...some cars today (Mazda rx7 rx 8 for example) actually require placing oil in the gas tank every so many tank fills.

 

[Jt105]

To add to what davidc83 said... I would fill the fuel tank, add fuel stabilizer at the 'long-term storage' dosage, and take it for a long ride. This gets the stabilizer to mix with the fuel and flow through the entire system (all the way to the fuel injectors). Then, top off the tank to prevent rust in the fuel tank.

I use PRI-G fuel stabilizer. A friend uses Marine Stabil. Neither of us have had any problems with engines starting after storage.

 

[L.B.S.]

I don't have the quantity eek of engines Greg has lol, but same end results with his observations after quite a few years of storing infernal combustion devices over the past 40+ years, sometimes for easily more than a year at a time.

Now having said that, individuals being what we are, do have little quirks that cause slight deviations in the Matrix of apparent slam dunk logic. I have never had one single instance of ethanol causing me a problem in any machine ever, so it's not that the content causes me to not put in regular gas for storage, only the fact that the highest octane rated fuel simply doesn't have any in it.

I'm more than happy to be proven a fool if I learn something, so if I'm by myself in left field on this, I'll take it with good grace lol. I believe gasoline loses octane points over time just sitting, so this causes me to presume that the higher I put in at the start of storage, (Chevron 94) the potential is maybe there for slight benefit versus none, using plain ol' 10% blend 87 octane.

In addition, Chevron claims "maximum Techron and cleaning additives" amounts for this octane versus lesser amounts in 87, (for what it's worth), so that doesn't seem like a downside either.

If the truth of the matter is that my premise is faulty, or that I'm right, but it's really just a matter of weeks versus months re: deterioration, so it doesn't make the slightest difference, *shrug* it's not as if it has cost me any kind of significant monetary penalty or whatever.

I always put in fuel stabilizer as per instructions, and almost always have a wee bottle of gas line antifreeze and/or octane booster kicking around to use at my discretion as well.

Same as using clip style chain master links, and plugging flat tires with gummy worms, my storage result record is 100% success over my lifetime, so I am very satisfied doing it how I do.

As discovered, unfortunately, advice given can be met with hostility if their results aren't the same, so YMMV...

 

[Jt105]

The gas in my area is all 10% ethanol. I could travel 20 miles and get pure non-ethanol gas, but I don't.

My thought is that with a full tank, any minimal condensation that gets into the fuel tank will be absorbed by the ethanol (similar to what any gas line antifreeze does).

 

[AK Mike]

Thank you all for your ideas and sharing your experiences. If the storage were just for the "normal" (for me) 6 months, I wouldn't be as concerned. But I have never stored a bike for a full year. I'll do as you suggest with the gas, and just leave the tank topped off with stabilized fuel. We don't have any ethanol in the gas where I am so I suppose that works in my favor. And I'll leave the oil as well since it'll have all of about 100 miles of use. Don't think it has accumulated too many acids at this point.

Much appreciated!

 

[FezUSA]

If it's stock (few mods) and you got a good deal on the bike, sell it and buy another one when you're back and ready to ride? Just a thought!

 

[Hank]

I think if you are using it up, the 10% is not a big problem. But for storage it matters. The water separates, not good.

 

[AK Mike]

If it's stock (few mods) and you got a good deal on the bike, sell it and buy another one when you're back and ready to ride? Just a thought!

What!... sell my new NCX?... hush your mouth. Actually, I do see your point, but buying (and selling), a bike is not an easy or cheap thing to do where I'm at. It was enough of a challenge to get this one, and I'm not going to let it go just yet. Maybe after a full riding season, if I determine that it doesn't suit my needs, but not after only 70 miles.

Again, thank you all for the advice. Just today I topped off and treated the gas, washed her down and coated everything in ACF-50, and cleaned and put new wax on the chain. I'll take out the battery tomorrow, then cover her up, stuff some steel wool in the exhaust, (keeps out the mice), prop her up on the center stand, and call it done.

Thanks again and hope that you all at least have a good riding season. I'm going to bop around for the next couple of weeks on my beloved Suzuki TU250X before I give it the same treatment and then head out on my travels.

Cheers

 

[NC750-King]

Good winter storage link https://motorcycle.honda.ca/Content...enericContent_FFH/winter-storage-guide-EN.pdf

 

[670cc]

Good winter storage link https://motorcycle.honda.ca/Content...enericContent_FFH/winter-storage-guide-EN.pdf

Even though that is a Honda document of sorts, it reads more like an advertisement for Honda accessories and chemicals. And, when it mentioned not storing the battery on a concrete floor, an old wive’s tale based on ancient battery construction, the article lost all credibility. I go to the store and I see over 150 car batteries on display on steel racks. Really, in this day, battery cases are not subject to electrical leakage when placed on conductive surfaces.