Winter Storage and/or sealing the tank

[phrank80]

I was planning on cleaning/sealing the tank and was wondering if I should put some of that gas treatment in the tank and just emptying it while I seal it, or should I just not even bother with the sta-bil (sp)? Thanks

[Matt]

When I bought my snowblower, the guy said NOT to use Stabil, the gas in New England is already treated to prevent freezing and gas won't go bad in 90 days anyhow.

I used Stabil in my bike the first winter and when I took it out in the spring, it ran like crap. I had to bing the rev limiter a few times to get it to clear out. I used the proper measurement and everything, the bike JUST didn't like it. Sooooo, never again.

My bike sits for 90 days at the most. I top off the fuel tank, put on a battery tender and stuff the airbox and exhaust with steel wool to keep the mice out - and that's it.

[phrank80]

The thing is that there will be no gas in it and it will be off the bike. I was concerned about the rest of the bike (i.e. the carbs). Would they be ok? Thanks

[HS2020]

I would make sure to cover up the exposed area of the engine. This will ensure that you get nothing down into the carbs anyway. As for the tank You can take it off and dlet it dry out and cover it up to where no air can get into it. The air and little bit of moisture is what cause the rust to get in there. Hope this helps you out.

[The CyberPoet]

If you seal it with the POR-15 gas tank kit, just leave the tank sitting on a counter or shelf indoors. The POR-15 surface treatment will keep it from being able to rust on the inside, and you won't have to concern yourself with whether the gas is old come spring.

If you're using a rust remover as the sole step (aka, Yamaha's Fuel Tank Rust Remover), then fill the tank to the rim with gas and remove it again come spring (put it in your car, etc, where it will dilute with fresh gas).

If you're thinking of using a latex sealant (Kreem, RedKoat), don't. It covers up rust instead of treating it properly, and the latex can break down in a few years.

For more, see: CyberPoet's How to deal with Rust in your Motorcycle Gas Tank.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet