Pulling the Ninja out after winter

Postiez · February 22nd, 2010, 08:41 PM

So I rode my bike untill the first day it snowed and am now pulling it out 2 months later. This being my first winter is there anything you seasoned vets do beside lubing the chain and checking tire pressure that I should do?

backinthesaddleagain · February 22nd, 2010, 09:18 PM

Ok this will sound strange, but mice like to build nests in bikes, hide food in exhaust pipes, airboxes. So if bike doesn't run right, and you drained fuel/ran stabil thru it, check the airbox and muffler.

mrlmd · February 22nd, 2010, 09:24 PM

Did you plan on laying it up for a few months? It's not a good idea just to park it and not properly put it away for the winter.
Did you change the oil beforehand? Better to store it with fresh clean oil than have it sitting for months with dirty contaminated oil in it.
Did you put fuel stabilizer in the gas tank? Did you fill up the tank to prevent water condensation in the tank?
Did you charge the battery up periodically or keep it on a battery tender/trickle charger?
Come back and tell us if it starts and if it runs OK. You may need a dose of Seafoam or Berryman's in the gas tank to clean out the carbs if it runs like crap, and maybe new gas in the tank. If the battery is dead hopefully it will be OK after you charge it up.
If the bike does start and runs OK, be real careful when you start riding in the cold as the tires are hard and don't have much grip 'till they warm up, which may take a few miles of riding, And the very bottoms of the tires contacting the road warm up a lot faster than the curved part of the tread so you have to be real careful around curves for a while or you may slide out on the cold road surface.

Postiez · February 23rd, 2010, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrlmd

Did you plan on laying it up for a few months? It's not a good idea just to park it and not properly put it away for the winter.
Did you change the oil beforehand? Better to store it with fresh clean oil than have it sitting for months with dirty contaminated oil in it.
Did you put fuel stabilizer in the gas tank? Did you fill up the tank to prevent water condensation in the tank?
Did you charge the battery up periodically or keep it on a battery tender/trickle charger?
Come back and tell us if it starts and if it runs OK. You may need a dose of Seafoam or Berryman's in the gas tank to clean out the carbs if it runs like crap, and maybe new gas in the tank. If the battery is dead hopefully it will be OK after you charge it up.
If the bike does start and runs OK, be real careful when you start riding in the cold as the tires are hard and don't have much grip 'till they warm up, which may take a few miles of riding, And the very bottoms of the tires contacting the road warm up a lot faster than the curved part of the tread so you have to be real careful around curves for a while or you may slide out on the cold road surface.

Ya the snow got the best of me and I didn't winterize it as well as I should. I did put stabilizer in though. I kept her in my dads shed and she fired right up when I went to pick it up. My dad warned me of the tires and I still managed to slide the rear a bit coming to a stop light ><.

The bike seems to run okay besides feeling a tiny bit slow and sort of uncomfortable when going around corners in the front. I kind of just attributed that to it still being below 40 out and me being pretty rusty without riding for 2 months.

Thanks for the help

mrlmd · February 23rd, 2010, 07:38 AM

Get a can of Berryman's B12 Chemtool (about $3.00) and put some in the tank in the recommended dose (I thinks it's an ounce/gal gas), it may run a little better as it cleans out the carbs. Seafoam is another one, but many like Berryman's better and it's cheaper too.
Just take it slow on the cold pavement. Some people lower their tires pressures a pound or two when it's cold, to get a better grip on the road.

CC Cowboy · February 25th, 2010, 02:46 PM

Clean the bike completely
Go over every nut and bolt and check for tightness

Postiez · March 2nd, 2010, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrlmd

Get a can of Berryman's B12 Chemtool (about $3.00) and put some in the tank in the recommended dose (I thinks it's an ounce/gal gas), it may run a little better as it cleans out the carbs. Seafoam is another one, but many like Berryman's better and it's cheaper too.
Just take it slow on the cold pavement. Some people lower their tires pressures a pound or two when it's cold, to get a better grip on the road.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

Clean the bike completely
Go over every nut and bolt and check for tightness

Done and done. Thanks guys =D

subiegy2010 · March 3rd, 2010, 05:11 PM

I'll probably be pulling mine out of storage within the next month or so. I winterized by changing the oil and putting in about half a can of seafoam (I know, a bit much). I think I'm going to keep the clean oil in there because I honestly can't imagine any damage being done by not changing it again. Do you guys think I should ride the bike for a few miles with the seafoam still in the tank, then drain it and put in fresh gas; or just drain it right away?

mrlmd · March 4th, 2010, 06:31 AM

You don't have to change the oil again.
The bike may not start or may run like crap with that high a dose of Seafoam in the gas. Isn't the recommended dose 1 oz/gal? You may have to drain it out (put it in your car's gas tank) if that's a problem and refill it with fresh gas.

subiegy2010 · March 4th, 2010, 01:55 PM

I don't remember what the recommended amount was exactly but I think I was supposed to add about 1/3 of the can, and I ended up using 1/2.

DarkNinja52 · March 4th, 2010, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrlmd

You don't have to change the oil again.
The bike may not start or may run like crap with that high a dose of Seafoam in the gas. Isn't the recommended dose 1 oz/gal? You may have to drain it out (put it in your car's gas tank) if that's a problem and refill it with fresh gas.

Easiest way to drain the tank?
also, im having a ridiculous tough time draining the float bowls.. something i should have done at the start of winter, but really had a frustrating time, any tips? sorry if im thread jacking.. ignore me if you deem it appropriate

mrlmd · March 5th, 2010, 09:30 AM

DN - Why do you want to do either of those things?
Does the bike start and run?

Timm3h · March 5th, 2010, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkNinja52

Easiest way to drain the tank?
also, im having a ridiculous tough time draining the float bowls.. something i should have done at the start of winter, but really had a frustrating time, any tips? sorry if im thread jacking.. ignore me if you deem it appropriate

Why Drain the tank? Why not just add more fresh gas to have a higher gas ratio? Unless you have a full tank i guess

DarkNinja52 · March 6th, 2010, 01:48 AM

I have a full tank with fuel stabilizer in it and would love to put fresh fuel in there instead of run it with the stabilizer, and yea the bike runs! (: not really an issue, more of a curiousity/is it easily do able type of thing...

would def love to drain the float bowls atleast once before next winter so i dont spend 3 months trying to do it again haha

kkim · March 6th, 2010, 02:04 AM

remove fairings. at the carb, remove the fuel line leading into it and place fuel line end into a gas can. open fuel petcock to "prime". gas should empty into the gas can.

to drain the bowls...
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Draining_the_carbs

DarkNinja52 · March 6th, 2010, 02:41 AM

thanks kkim

as for the bowls, i checked out the wikis on ninja250 but still seem to be having trouble, there really isnt as much room as it seems like in the wiki's.. also out of curiosity, do you have your favorites/bookmarks set up so you can find all these links so quickly? youre like a magician with a magic black hat

mrlmd · March 6th, 2010, 04:36 PM

You are wasting your time and energy trying to do that, it accomplishes nothing. Just use up the gas you have by riding it around and then fill it up again. It will clean out your fuel system and carbs as you run it through.

Flashmonkey · March 8th, 2010, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrlmd

You are wasting your time and energy trying to do that, it accomplishes nothing. Just use up the gas you have by riding it around and then fill it up again. It will clean out your fuel system and carbs as you run it through.

Well it's a good exercise in how to do it, but unless your bike is misfiring or your exhaust is popping/crackling like hell, I'd say this is just a waste of gas. I poured in a full can of seafoam into my ninjette before winter and she started up and ran just fine this past weekend. Everything sounded and felt fine after about 5 minutes of running time.

My gixxer...well that's another story altogether. Same pre-winter storage procedure as the ninjette (except I didn't drain the floats) and when I managed to get that bike started, she was misfiring and the exhaust was popping like a mofo. Needless to say, I drained that tank of gas.

Sailariel · March 8th, 2010, 03:50 PM

I filled the tank to the top and added Marine Sta-Bil as prescribed. I then took a hemostat and pinched the vacuum hose. That enabled me to run the carbs dry. After six weeks, I drained the tank using a Kerosene siphon pump into a 5 gal gas can. Poured that into the cage. Went to the gas station and filled the 5gal can, treated the gas with Marine Sta-bil (the blue stuff) and poured it in the tank. Yesterday, I put the petcock into the Pri position and the bike fired right up. The battery was right up there since it was hooked up to a battery tender all winter. Checked the tyre pressure, took the bike off the stands, and went for a ride. When I came back, the bike was nice and warm, and I changed the oil and filter. The bike is good to go. Next week I will take it to our local independent MC mechanic for a general tune up and valve adjustment.

mrlmd · March 9th, 2010, 09:35 AM

Next time, change the oil and filter BEFORE you lay the bike up for the winter, so that the old oil with all the acids and dirt in it doesn't sit in your engine for 4-6 months.
And make sure you didn't crack or gink the vacuum hose with a clamp on it if you left it on all that time.
You don't have to drain the carbs dry, the Stabil, or if you use Seafoam or Berryman's or anything else, will keep the carbs clean. After you put it in the tank you run the engine for a few min. to get it through the whole system. No need to drain anything.
When you store the bike, the gas tank should be full, to minimize the air space in there, to try and prevent condensation (moisture) from forming in the tank, to eliminate water in the gas. Don't empty the tank and leave it empty.
Also, another little tip - check you exhaust and air filter box, little critters, mice, bugs. like to nest in there over the winter and can clog things up. They should be sealed up or covered if you store the bike anywhere outside or in a garage for the winter. (Probably don't have to do that if you keep the bike in the living room.)

February 22nd, 2010, 08:41 PM	#1
Postiez ninjette.org member Name: Nick Location: SALT LAKE CITY, UT Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): Red '08 250 Posts: 233	Pulling the Ninja out after winter So I rode my bike untill the first day it snowed and am now pulling it out 2 months later. This being my first winter is there anything you seasoned vets do beside lubing the chain and checking tire pressure that I should do?

February 25th, 2010, 02:46 PM	#6
CC Cowboy ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Whodat Location: Ware Is.,MA Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): I pass the wind! Posts: A lot. MOTM - Mar '13, Jun '14	Clean the bike completely Go over every nut and bolt and check for tightness __________________________________________________ If everything seems under control; you're just not going fast enough!

March 6th, 2010, 01:48 AM	#14
DarkNinja52 ninjette.org sage Name: aj Location: New York / PA Join Date: Jul 2009 Motorcycle(s): Red 09 Ninja 250r aka Sheila (RIP), Red '10 Ninja 250r aka Sasha (Sold), White '13 Ninja 300 (To be Purchased) Posts: 855	I have a full tank with fuel stabilizer in it and would love to put fresh fuel in there instead of run it with the stabilizer, and yea the bike runs! (: not really an issue, more of a curiousity/is it easily do able type of thing... would def love to drain the float bowls atleast once before next winter so i dont spend 3 months trying to do it again haha __________________________________________________

March 6th, 2010, 02:41 AM	#16
DarkNinja52 ninjette.org sage Name: aj Location: New York / PA Join Date: Jul 2009 Motorcycle(s): Red 09 Ninja 250r aka Sheila (RIP), Red '10 Ninja 250r aka Sasha (Sold), White '13 Ninja 300 (To be Purchased) Posts: 855	thanks kkim as for the bowls, i checked out the wikis on ninja250 but still seem to be having trouble, there really isnt as much room as it seems like in the wiki's.. also out of curiosity, do you have your favorites/bookmarks set up so you can find all these links so quickly? youre like a magician with a magic black hat __________________________________________________

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February 22nd, 2010, 09:18 PM	#2
backinthesaddleagain ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Greg Location: Rhode Island Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2013 ZX6R 636 Posts: A lot.	Ok this will sound strange, but mice like to build nests in bikes, hide food in exhaust pipes, airboxes. So if bike doesn't run right, and you drained fuel/ran stabil thru it, check the airbox and muffler.

February 22nd, 2010, 09:24 PM	#3
mrlmd ninjette.org sage Name: Marc Location: Crawfordville, Florida Join Date: Jan 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Suzuki S50, 2006 Kawasaki Ninja EX250F, 1990 Honda PC800, 2000 Yamaha TW200 Posts: 848	Did you plan on laying it up for a few months? It's not a good idea just to park it and not properly put it away for the winter. Did you change the oil beforehand? Better to store it with fresh clean oil than have it sitting for months with dirty contaminated oil in it. Did you put fuel stabilizer in the gas tank? Did you fill up the tank to prevent water condensation in the tank? Did you charge the battery up periodically or keep it on a battery tender/trickle charger? Come back and tell us if it starts and if it runs OK. You may need a dose of Seafoam or Berryman's in the gas tank to clean out the carbs if it runs like crap, and maybe new gas in the tank. If the battery is dead hopefully it will be OK after you charge it up. If the bike does start and runs OK, be real careful when you start riding in the cold as the tires are hard and don't have much grip 'till they warm up, which may take a few miles of riding, And the very bottoms of the tires contacting the road warm up a lot faster than the curved part of the tread so you have to be real careful around curves for a while or you may slide out on the cold road surface.

February 23rd, 2010, 07:38 AM	#5
mrlmd ninjette.org sage Name: Marc Location: Crawfordville, Florida Join Date: Jan 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Suzuki S50, 2006 Kawasaki Ninja EX250F, 1990 Honda PC800, 2000 Yamaha TW200 Posts: 848	Get a can of Berryman's B12 Chemtool (about $3.00) and put some in the tank in the recommended dose (I thinks it's an ounce/gal gas), it may run a little better as it cleans out the carbs. Seafoam is another one, but many like Berryman's better and it's cheaper too. Just take it slow on the cold pavement. Some people lower their tires pressures a pound or two when it's cold, to get a better grip on the road.

March 3rd, 2010, 05:11 PM	#8
subiegy2010 noob in training Name: Ilya Location: Milwaukee, WI Join Date: Aug 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250R (sold) '05 SV650S Posts: 175	I'll probably be pulling mine out of storage within the next month or so. I winterized by changing the oil and putting in about half a can of seafoam (I know, a bit much). I think I'm going to keep the clean oil in there because I honestly can't imagine any damage being done by not changing it again. Do you guys think I should ride the bike for a few miles with the seafoam still in the tank, then drain it and put in fresh gas; or just drain it right away?

March 4th, 2010, 06:31 AM	#9
mrlmd ninjette.org sage Name: Marc Location: Crawfordville, Florida Join Date: Jan 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Suzuki S50, 2006 Kawasaki Ninja EX250F, 1990 Honda PC800, 2000 Yamaha TW200 Posts: 848	You don't have to change the oil again. The bike may not start or may run like crap with that high a dose of Seafoam in the gas. Isn't the recommended dose 1 oz/gal? You may have to drain it out (put it in your car's gas tank) if that's a problem and refill it with fresh gas.

March 4th, 2010, 01:55 PM	#10
subiegy2010 noob in training Name: Ilya Location: Milwaukee, WI Join Date: Aug 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 Ninja 250R (sold) '05 SV650S Posts: 175	I don't remember what the recommended amount was exactly but I think I was supposed to add about 1/3 of the can, and I ended up using 1/2.

March 5th, 2010, 09:30 AM	#12
mrlmd ninjette.org sage Name: Marc Location: Crawfordville, Florida Join Date: Jan 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Suzuki S50, 2006 Kawasaki Ninja EX250F, 1990 Honda PC800, 2000 Yamaha TW200 Posts: 848	DN - Why do you want to do either of those things? Does the bike start and run?

March 6th, 2010, 02:04 AM	#15
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	remove fairings. at the carb, remove the fuel line leading into it and place fuel line end into a gas can. open fuel petcock to "prime". gas should empty into the gas can. to drain the bowls... http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Draining_the_carbs

March 6th, 2010, 04:36 PM	#17
mrlmd ninjette.org sage Name: Marc Location: Crawfordville, Florida Join Date: Jan 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Suzuki S50, 2006 Kawasaki Ninja EX250F, 1990 Honda PC800, 2000 Yamaha TW200 Posts: 848	You are wasting your time and energy trying to do that, it accomplishes nothing. Just use up the gas you have by riding it around and then fill it up again. It will clean out your fuel system and carbs as you run it through.

March 8th, 2010, 03:50 PM	#19
Sailariel ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Alex Location: Belfast, ME Join Date: Jul 2008 Motorcycle(s): 2010 Honda NT-700-V, formerly, Green 2008 Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	I filled the tank to the top and added Marine Sta-Bil as prescribed. I then took a hemostat and pinched the vacuum hose. That enabled me to run the carbs dry. After six weeks, I drained the tank using a Kerosene siphon pump into a 5 gal gas can. Poured that into the cage. Went to the gas station and filled the 5gal can, treated the gas with Marine Sta-bil (the blue stuff) and poured it in the tank. Yesterday, I put the petcock into the Pri position and the bike fired right up. The battery was right up there since it was hooked up to a battery tender all winter. Checked the tyre pressure, took the bike off the stands, and went for a ride. When I came back, the bike was nice and warm, and I changed the oil and filter. The bike is good to go. Next week I will take it to our local independent MC mechanic for a general tune up and valve adjustment.

March 9th, 2010, 09:35 AM	#20
mrlmd ninjette.org sage Name: Marc Location: Crawfordville, Florida Join Date: Jan 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Suzuki S50, 2006 Kawasaki Ninja EX250F, 1990 Honda PC800, 2000 Yamaha TW200 Posts: 848	Next time, change the oil and filter BEFORE you lay the bike up for the winter, so that the old oil with all the acids and dirt in it doesn't sit in your engine for 4-6 months. And make sure you didn't crack or gink the vacuum hose with a clamp on it if you left it on all that time. You don't have to drain the carbs dry, the Stabil, or if you use Seafoam or Berryman's or anything else, will keep the carbs clean. After you put it in the tank you run the engine for a few min. to get it through the whole system. No need to drain anything. When you store the bike, the gas tank should be full, to minimize the air space in there, to try and prevent condensation (moisture) from forming in the tank, to eliminate water in the gas. Don't empty the tank and leave it empty. Also, another little tip - check you exhaust and air filter box, little critters, mice, bugs. like to nest in there over the winter and can clog things up. They should be sealed up or covered if you store the bike anywhere outside or in a garage for the winter. (Probably don't have to do that if you keep the bike in the living room.)