Laying up GS's correctly.

[Suzuki Mad]

As you may have seen from the Projects/rebuilds section I am working at getting my GS1000 running after 11 long years of hiding and being neglected.

Its safe to say that I did nothing to save it, I just rolled the bike in the garage and stopped riding it. I also did the same for my full nut an bolt restored bike, a 1983 GS(X)1100ESD.

Sadly the lack of attention and old fuel has taken its toll on the bikes.

Hopefully I will get both running again, hopefully I will get the GS1000 on the road but its unlikely I will get the GS(X)1100 back to road worthy condition.

So how do you put a bike away for the winter? How do you lay a classic GS up for a couple of years so that it doesn't have issues when you go back to it?

Both tanks are bad with rust. Both sets of carbs are in need of cleaning and sorting. Brake master cylinders need changing. That's all down to not being ridden and used.

I've told the girls that I am never selling the GS1000 or the GS(X)1100 so I need to keep then well.

Any help here guys on how to do that?

[93Bandit]

If it just sits over winter, I put fuel stabilizer in the tank then fill it to the brim with ethanol-free gas and let it run for a few minutes to get the treated fuel into the carbs. Then when I get it out in the spring, I add some seafoam to the first few tanks and ride it hard. Seems to be working for me, although I can't say I'd have a different experience if I chose not to use seafoam in the first few tanks. Who knows if it's doing anything beneficial.

I think most will recommend storing the tank full with stabilizer, but drain the carbs to prevent the fuel from evaporating and leaving behind deposits.

If you're going for long term storage, drain the tank and spray WD-40 inside and be sure it evenly coats the entire tank. Then drain the carbs, maybe even remove them and blow dry them with compressed air.

[Suzuki Mad]

This is what happens to carbs when you don't drain the fuel from them and leave them for 14 years.

[Suzuki Mad]

[Suzuki Mad]

[Suzuki Mad]

Yes. I know they will clean up with an ultrasonic cleaner and a small cost for new seals but if I had put it away properly then none of this would have happened and the bike would have been running fine.

I hear stories from people who have had GS1000, GS(X)1100 's in the garage, 'I just pop out once every 5 years, fire it up and all is well.' Either they have a trick that I don't know about or they are a little inaccurate with the truth.

[Grimly]

I hear stories from people who have had GS1000, GS(X)1100 's in the garage, 'I just pop out once every 5 years, fire it up and all is well.' Either they have a trick that I don't know about or they are a little inaccurate with the truth.

You could do that with the older petrol, but even so it was a bit of a crapshoot. Five years would be pushing your luck, but a couple of years, no problem.
Assuming it wasn't sitting in a warm environment where the float bowls would dry out, of course.
I have a few gallons of decent petrol that's at least ten years old in a well-sealed can. Every so often I fill up my chainsaw with it and fire it up. It works, no problem. I'm not looking forward to it running out, as I will have to change my habits.
I've started buying Stabil and other fuel preservers, just in case. My genset sits for months on end unused and it's got crappy modern fuel in it, so it needs dosed, and I'll have to make a point of dosing other things that will be sitting for more than a couple of months unused.