Old fuel

[Wave2k]

Not specific to a bike, but does affect alot of you summer old riders so thought id ask.

Everywhere i search says something different, 2months 3months 6months, but i wanna hear if you have ever actually had any trouble after a winter of storage.
gummed up injectors or jerky or hesitant drive.

My Vette has been garaged since October last year, same tank of fuel and only been around the block a couple times as ive been away working.

Im hoping its ok when i head back to collect it, but wanna be prepared for any problems.
Now prevention would have been the best cure, however i didnt intend to be working away for that long and this winter has been another frozen tundra which is the vette doesnt deal too well with.

My first plan is to fill her up and hopefully at least dilute it, then perhaps run one of those fuel injector cleaners through it.
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[Lord Percy]

I left a vehicle sat on the drive for over a year and it started again just fine. It was a rugged diesel Fourtrak though. Dunno if diesel or petrol is any different with being left for a while.

I'm pretty sure I've also found jerry cans of very old petrol and been fine using that too.

A quick internet search suggests most peoples' experiences are from leaving their engine less than a year and it was always still fine.

Being garaged since October is what, 6 months? Personally I'd just get in and get it started.

[DrDonnyBrago]

I've left a bike for 4/5 months, started fine without issue.

Personally, I'd top up then drive it as is.

[UncleFester]

Either store it with a drained tank or a full one and always use the higher octane if leaving it full.

Full tanks don't suffer condensation contamination so much and the higher octane fuel doesn't degrade as fast.
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2017 Z1000SX

[DrDonnyBrago]

[Rogerborg]

[UncleFester]

[skatefreak]

old CBR600 F3 (Carbed) was in the garage for 3-4 months with a nearly full tank...
Pulled her out the other day, just finished the tank, no problems

-Jvr

[doggone]

I'd be surprised if there wee any problems for at least a year with petrol.
Diesel is now a good percentage bio-diesel and there were a lot of scares about fungal growth as inhibitors breakdown over a few months.
Storage conditions are a factor, large temperature changes and dampness the main thing.
Petrol is probably going to lose more volatility over summer than winter.

[Baffler186]

Old Chinese 125, left standing for a year (or slightly more). Fired up after a few kicks, wouldn't idle but it would run ok. Quick carb clean and fresh fuel and it was running as good as it ever did.
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Current: 2009 SV650 S, 1990 Kawasaki GT550
Previous: 2009 CBF125, 1998 GSF600, 2004 FZ6 Fazer, 1978 CB400a Hondamatic

[cheeseman]

I think the greatest risk is the non-volatile mess that's left behind when it evaporates gumming up injectors etc. Leaving it with a full tank might be better for preventing this and should definitely reduce condensation damage.
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XJ600S->Sprint ST 955i * ; Now ST1100 + W650

[weasley]

My experience is thusly:

When I bought my Thundercat it had been MoTed 12 months previously, ridden into a garage and switched off. I turn up 12 months later and the thing very nearly fired and ran, but the battery wasn't up to it. A quick charge and it started and ran perfectly, and has done for 13 years since. I have balanced the carbs but never had them apart.

It also tends to get laid up over winter, with periods of, maybe, 3-4 months sometimes between starts. It always goes on the prod of the button and runs cleanly.

My lawnmower is also similarly neglected and always fires up on the 2nd (or, rarely, the third) pull after the winter. Other engines as well: leaf blower, strimmer.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[fozzym]

Never had a problem leaving a motor 3or4 months over the winter, bike lawnmower ect.
I've heard it said to either drain or fill the tank though I've never bothered with that.
With the mower I always run it with fuel off till it dies so there is only fuel in the tank not the system. You can do that with a bike if it has a fuel tap.

[cheeseman]