Bike stored for years

[treeno]

Hi. What's the deal if a bike has been stored for years, potentially without being started up. Would new oil, petrol, filters, plugs and tyres bring it back up to scratch or might there be any serious issues caused by it?

Cheers
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Current ride: Ninja 500R

[Bezzer]

Some will start straight up, others will be knackered all depends how well they were prepared for storage. At the least stick it in gear and turn the back wheel to make sure it isn't seized, fresh fuel, charge battery or use jump leads make sure there's oil in it and try the starter. Depending on what happens you can then decide if it's worth the time, trouble and money to get it back on the road.

[Matt B]

Depends how it was stored in the first place, and for how long.

Could be anything from just a drop of new fuel through to horrors like rust in the tank and perished seals. Hard to say without more info.
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[Bezzer]

Some will start straight up, others will be knackered all depends how well they were prepared for storage. At the least stick it in gear and turn the back wheel to make sure it isn't seized, fresh fuel, charge battery or use jump leads make sure there's oil in it and try the starter. Depending on what happens you can then decide if it's worth the time, trouble and money to get it back on the road.

[doggone]

Where it was stored will have a bearing.
Outside under a cover would be bad.
Under a roof should be better but damp, temperature swings and sunlight might still have detrimental effects.
A good garage (or even spare room) which might even be partly heated will be the best.

[treeno]

Cheers for replies. I believe it was garaged for just over 5 years after having done less than 2k miles from new. The things I mentioned in first post were then changed. Current owner has put a few hundred miles on it since it was taken out of storage so it definitely runs OK. I was just wondering if there are likely to be any hidden underlying issues. RE the tank, I need to establish if it was fuelled when it went into storage. If not, how likely is there to be rust in the tank and if there is, is that serious?
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Current ride: Ninja 500R

[MCN]

Oil can deteriorate when left to fester. It can absorb moisture from the atmosphere.
For 'long-term storage' equipment has to be prepared. This involves draining all the oil and fluids out. Replacign all filters and then filling with VOC compounds. (Which evaporate and coat metal surfaces to protect against oxidation from contact with air.)
Tyres can take on 'a shape' if they have any weight applied to them for a long time. Best solution is to support the equipment to keep weight off the tyres or put tons of air pressure in the tyres to keep them 'round'.
After a long time the rubber will suffer from decay but not for several years.
Un-protected external metal surfaces will also oxidise. Parts such as unpainted engine cases, exhaust pipes and associated parts brackets etc.
Aluminium sometimes suffers badly and can become scrap sitting doing nothing. Alumininininum Radiator matrix are prone to 'furring'.

If some care has been done prior to parking it up then the effects of storage will be minimal.
As suggested above, fresh fuel, fresh oil, should be a must.
Also oil and fuel filters can be a problem too as they can store small amounts of water. This can harbour organisms which will/can cause problems if released into a system.
There are some Bacteria which live in water and digest hydrocarbons and will/can block small ports if disturbed by starting an engine and flowing oil/fuel through the system.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Rogerborg]

[Pol Anorl]

fresh fuel, new oil and filter new plugs and it should be fine, carbs may be gummed up though.
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[Vincent]

Crank seals on two strokes can perish and crack over time, causing all sort of running issues....bad and usually expensive news if so
Condensation can also build up inside exhausts, rotting them from the inside without you realising.
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[treeno]

Cool. It's FI so carbs no issue.
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Current ride: Ninja 500R

[Robby]

If it's done a few hundred miles since coming out of storage, then I wouldn't worry. If there are any big storage-related problems, they would have shown up by now.

The tank may be rusty. This isn't necessarily a problem. If the bike is being used, fuel will get sploshed around and it won't rust any further. Fine rust sediment will clog up the carbs, but having a fuel filter catches it. If the rust is bad, then de-rusting with acid is fairly straightforward, I've done it many times.

[Casper]

Mine was chucked from pillar to post and never on the road for 18 years. Clean carbs, oil/filter and new fuel and battery it burst into life. OK i had to free the brakes but i was well under £100 to fix and MOT the bike. Good old Kawasaki

[Pol Anorl]

ahh fi so should be no problemos
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20:30:37 Pyro.: I don't sort of like men, I take every advantage to choke on dick.
Jewlio Iglesias: You live in Liverpool - Chances are, the front door has already been kicked off the hinges

[MCN]

An FI system should have a strainer/filter near the pump. Any shit/rust that can block injectors will be trapped by that strainer.
You can buy dentist mirrors for pennies or a more fancy mirror on a stick for £s and have a shooofti inside the tank to be sure.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.