If you leave a bike sitting/stored for like 4 weeks will there be any problems? I know your suppose to do certain things for storage during winter time but is 4 weeks that long? I plan on letting it run a lil this weekend. O its a Ninja 500...

 

maybe slight rust in the tank and you should probably change the gas just as a precaution steve will give you all the right info though.

 

it shouldnt rust in the tank at all. it will be fine for 4 weeks.

 

just shut the fuel off and start the bike. let it run till it dies, then try and start it again just to be sure the carbs are empty. any time you're gonna let a carbed bike sit for a while you want to have the fuel tank full, and the carbs empty. a full tank won't rust anywhere near as fast (not that it would in 4 weeks anyway) and empty carbs don't gum up. if your bike's fuel petcock doesn't have an "off", just pull the vacuum line off the back of it, plug it, and then run the bike. or just uscrew the carb drains a lil bit and all the gas will dump out of them, but that's messier.

might want to put the battery on a battery tender too. not 100% necessary for just a month, but it's good insurance.

or you could just park it, and bring it to me when you get back and i'll clean the carbs for ya

 

i might be wrong, but isn't it bad to run your carbs dry? because it could damage the jets?

 

a jet is just a brass screw with a hole in it. won't hurt it at all. matter of fact, people do it all the time. bikes with no fuel gauge/idiot light just have a petcock with a reserve. when you run the main tank out and the carbs run dry, you flip to reserve, and go to a gas station.

 

Alright thanks for the help. So I'll just let the bike run w/fuel off till it dies, then cut fuel on and let it run. I plan on letting it run for like 5/10 mins should that be good? Or should I have a friend ride it around the block for a lil while? IDK how to ride yet (long story, MSF this May). And I'll try to fill the tank up w/gas. Cause it has to sit another 3 weeks or so cause thats when school gets out.

 

nonono, cut the fuel off, run it till it dies, and leave the fuel off. try to start it once more with the fuel off just to make sure the carbs are cleared. don't turn the fuel back on until you get back and are ready to ride it again.

 

Or you could just bring it to me and I will ride it while you aren't!

I have never had any problems letting them sit, just not too long. A month ain't nuthin'
...my '00 sat for 4 months and I had problem (turned out it was the fuel pump, but it sat for 4 years before I bought it), but a month and no problems...after I fixxed the fuel pump! My '91 sat for several months also. After charging the battery, she fired right up...but that bike was super reliable for being carbed and built up a bit.

I still think the best be is to bring it to me...and try not to think about me needing parts to build another EX500!!!

 

Hey what extra 500 hundered parts do you have zx636skiv