[ducSilver]

Afternoon everyone,

I recently had an accident (non motorcycle related) and will not be able to ride my GT1000 for a couple of months. I was wondering what recommended tasks I should do to the bike in order to be able to ride it once I recover. While I recover, it will be sitting in my garage, unridden. I'm relatively new to the GT1000 so dont hesitate to describes things as you would to a 5th grader.

Thanks in advance for any help you guys might be able to provide!

 

[Chuckracer]

Ethanol free fuel if you can get it wherever you are, or Sta-Bil if you can't...and a battery tender. That's it!

 

[2004 999s]

+1

very affordable; https://www.amazon.com/Lucas-Oil-10576-Safeguard-Conditioner/dp/B004FW77F0

 

[motoFiend]

Definitely, do what Chuckracer said. You said you were new to these bikes. If you don't know already, the tanks are susceptible to the ethanol gas and can make them swell/bubble-up/warp or whatever.

Depending on how long and the temperature, if it is cold, take out the battery and put it somewhere warm with a battery tender attached to it. If you have stands to lift the tires off the ground, do this as well. You can also put something over the exhaust pipe ends to make sure nothing crawls up your tail pipes.

 

[Metman]

I've been told not a bad idea to turn the motor over, without starting, every few weeks to reposition the timing belts. Sounded good to me so that's what I do over the winter, and might suggest in addition to above.

 

[Riderjeff]

I leave my bike alone in the garage all winter every year. All the above tips are good ones, here's what works for me:
1) Battery tender (I have a dedicated unit for my Shorai Lithium-Ion unit)
2) Fuel Stabilizer
3) Change the oil. Some people follow a strict schedule, I just change mine before winter storage. Removes any acids or foreign particles and gives your internal engine parts a fresh clean coat of oil.

12 years now, and it starts on demand every spring!

 

[ducSilver]

Awesome thanks for the replies! I already keep the battery hooked up to a battery tender whenever I don't ride and it never gets below freezing where I am from.

As far as using the fuel conditioner, do I just pour in the recommended amount into my tank (with what I assume is fuel that has ethanol in it) and just let it sit or is it a good idea to run the bike to get conditioner through the engine?

 

[motoFiend]

As far as using the fuel conditioner, do I just pour in the recommended amount into my tank (with what I assume is fuel that has ethanol in it) and just let it sit or is it a good idea to run the bike to get conditioner through the engine?

If it was mine I would try to get as much of the ethanol fuel out of the tank as I could before letting it sit for a few months.

 

[Chuckracer]

I agree. Ethanol raises hell with the Ducati plastic tanks. It would probably be best to run it for a few minutes to get the Sta-bil (or whatever witches brew you choose) in the injectors, then drain the tank. Gotta get that shit outta there.

Could you please fill out your profile so we know where you are? Thanks.

 

[mabrungard]

Ethanol raises hell with the Ducati plastic tanks.

It appears the tank on my 2016 Multi is polyethylene. Essentially the same stuff as modern gas cans. Do other models have a different types of plastic that are susceptible to ethanol attack?

 

[StraDuc]

... Do other models have a different types of plastic that are susceptible to ethanol attack?

If you have a few spare days to kill reading about it just search Sport Classic Fuel tanks on this forum to find out way more than anyone needs to know about susceptibility to ethanol attack.
I now have an alloy tank and don't have to worry about the corn juice killing my tank but I still use StaBil for the bikes during their winter slumber so the government mandated and subsidized junk doesn't ruin the fuel injectors or carbs. Corn should be used to feed the hungry not kill Duc tanks.

 

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

...
As far as using the fuel conditioner, do I just pour in the recommended amount into my tank (with what I assume is fuel that has ethanol in it) and just let it sit or is it a good idea to run the bike to get conditioner through the engine?

You want to make sure the conditioner is mixed very well with the fuel. The best time to put it in is after refueling when that last ride of the season is done. This ensures that the conditioned fuel is in the fuel lines and injectors -- or carb bowls and internals for other such engines.

If you store the bike with fuel you want the gas tank to be full so there's very little air within. This reduces the amount of condensation that will form on the parts that are exposed to air (e.g. top & sides of the tank) and thus reduce the amount of water that coalesces at the bottom of the tank (water is about 2 pounds heavier than gasoline). Your other option is to drain all fuel and run it dry so there is none remaining but I wouldn't recommend this unless the engine is going to be stored for a year or more. Side note: On my outdoor equipment, like carbed leaf blower and lawn mower, I run them dry when their season is over to ensure all fuel is gone from the system. They're smaller, simpler, and easier to do it to. Remember, running an electric fuel pump dry for too long isn't good for it as the fuel lubricates and cools the pump.

In my opinion, I do not recommend running the bike (or any other engine) for a few minutes every few weeks. If the fuel is conditioned and the battery is on a tender then it'll be fine. Running an engine without bringing it up to operating temperature is not good for it over time and it really does nothing but create additional wear-n-tear. In all my years of air-cooled engine experience there has been zero evidence that periodically running an engine for a short, non-operational time, is beneficial to it. Now, if you have the opportunity to actually ride, to bring the engine up to operating temp, and ride it for several minutes afterwards, then go for it as that's fine because the engine is in its zone and parts are meshing as engineered to, moisture is being driven out, seals are being properly lubricated, etc. Just make sure the tires are at the proper pressure

 

[duc96cr]

I agree with most of this. Make sure your battery is full if it isn’t maintenance free. Make sure the tender you buy resets on its own if power gets cut, some don’t. I would drain the tank after circulating whatever stabilizing stuff you use through the system because it’s the only way to guarantee the tank won’t swell, and you won’t have to run through a tank of shit gas when you get home.