Wind knocked my bike over

[m2736185]

Well I came out to walk the dog only to find my bike on the ground, thanks to the strong wind and freezing rain It wasnt easy getting it back up. From what I can tell the only main damage was the right handle bar is a little bent and my exhaust now has a little dent in it. Is this easy to repair? Anything else I should check for? I think i should put it in storage for 2 months now

[md86]

Yeah , the gas in your carbs probably spilled down into your engine . You'll wanna change the oil and dribble some good oil into your cylinders before you start it next . The bent bar should be easy enough to replace , and the exhaust would be costly to replace (i.e. live with it if it don't kill you to) .

[m2736185]

Is the a particular reason for changing the oil? Or do you mean before I store it?

[JoeCool]

When ever a bike gets tipped over gas from the carbs gets into the engine oil, which contaminates it.

You need to change the oil before you plan on riding it again.

Take care and good luck getting everything fixed as cheap as possible 8)

[The CyberPoet]

And that bent handlebar needs to be replaced, or you may find the bike suddenly acting funky (vibrations, possible odd headshake) -- double checking the steering stem bearings (rotate and feel for changes in resistance, notchiness) would also be wise.

PS - was it parked on the centerstand at the time? I'm guessing not...

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[m2736185]

Nope, the centerstand was removed. I ordered screws to put it back on but I only got 1 screw about 2 inches long I hope that does it. Can I atleast start the bike to make sure it runs okay before i change the oil? I think ill just put in into storage now so Ill throw 5 quarts in there and drain the carbs. Im confused about the whole brake bleeding process. Do you remove the fluid out of that little rubber nipple around the calipers?

[TurboMike]

My 99 Kat is new to me (and bikes in general). It seems to be over on its weight on the kickstand more than any other bikes I've experienced. Given the same pavement and wind, is a Kat more stable (talking about wind pushing it over) on the kickstand or the center?

[m2736185]

The center without a doubt

[smoubara]

sorry to hear about it man. a bunch of my buddies chip in for a storage lot. they fit 5 bikes in a 130 dollar a month lot. if i didn't have shelter, my bike would fit in too. just a thought. best of luck with the repairs

[The CyberPoet]

Im confused about the whole brake bleeding process. Do you remove the fluid out of that little rubber nipple around the calipers?

Brake bleeding is done under pressure. There are three ways of bleeding the brakes: with the OEM equipment, with SpeedBleeders, and with a MityVac or equivilent.
SpeedBleeders are replacement bleeders that have an one-way valve in them to permit stuff on the inside out under pressure (when they're opened) but not permit anything to go backwards into the system. A MityVac is a manually operated hydraulic pump that (depending on the direction it's connected in) either pushes fluids up into the system or sucks them down out of the system.
There are details on how to do it in the mechanics forum. The instructions of how to do it with the SpeedBleeders can be found here: KR: CyberPoet's SpeedBleeders offer.

My 99 Kat is new to me (and bikes in general). It seems to be over on its weight on the kickstand more than any other bikes I've experienced. Given the same pavement and wind, is a Kat more stable (talking about wind pushing it over) on the kickstand or the center?

Centerstand. The centerstand puts the weight on three points (2 feet of the stand plus the front tire). Because of the way it's set-up, if it rocks on the centerstand, the weight shifts front-to-rear, and the front wheel lifts while the rear wheel touches down, keeping it stable in an upright position. This is far, far more stable than the sidestand, where a push towards the right side of the bike can flip it over on it's side. Additionally, the centerstand will work readily on poor surfaces (dirt, etc) and most slope angles, while the sidestand can dig in and let the bike fall over (soft surface) or let the bike roll (slopes if the bike is not in gear).