Restarting after storage...?

[El motociclista]

Okay,
My bike has been sitting for awhile (~7weeks). I need to replace the starter relay before I can get it to start. My question lies in whether or not I need to be concerned about lubricating the cylinders before restarting the engine. Do I? If so, how do I go about doing this?
This is what the Haynes manual says (in the back on Reference pg. 34):
"...If no kickstart is fitted, flick the engine kill switch OFF and the ignition ON and crank the engine over a couple of times to work oil around the uppers cylinder components. If the nature of the ignition system is such that the starter won't work with the kill switch OFF, remove the spark plugs, fit them back into their caps and ground their bodies on the cylinder head. Reinstall the spark plugs afterwords."

Is cranking the engine over done simply by rotating the rear wheel? Is this enough to get oil from the crankcase into the cylinders? Also, when they mention the starter above, are they referring to the starter switch? Is oil carried to the cylinders simply by pressing the stater switch?

[scottpA_GS]

In a high gear rotating the rear wheel will will work fine. After only 7 weeks though, unless you parked it outside in the rain next to a salt mine uncovered I wouldn't worry about it 

[El motociclista]

 

Cool, thanks.

Btw,
How long would a bike have to sit for this to be an issue?

[ajaxgs]

myself i just leave the choke off and crank till the oil light goes off then i use he choke to start

[erbilabuc]

mine sat for 8 months and all i did was push it in 4th gear for about 100 feet downhill, let it sit for about 4 hours and vroooooooom

[El motociclista]

mine sat for 8 months and all i did was push it in 4th gear for about 100 feet downhill, let it sit for about 4 hours and vroooooooom

Was there a reason for letting it sit for 4 hours before starting it??

[yamahonkawazuki]

was prolly tired lol

[ohgood]

Someone will flame me for suggesting this:

If you know it's going to sit for a while, pulling the plugs and squirting a very small amount of oil in the cylinders. Then rotate the rear wheel in 6th a couple times. Put the plugs back in and we'll assume you've already run a fuel stabilizer through the carbs. The oil will be fine.

Now, if no precautions were taken, or precautions were unknown, I'd pull the plugs, squirt oil in the cylinders and rotate the rear wheel in 6th. Not to mention changing the oil BEFORE the first start. Making sure all the cables are free and not rat infested is a good idea too. THen you're getting into tires, bearings, chain, etc.

Remember, a 'squirt' does not mean filling the cylinders up. THAT would be a very bad thing.

[scottpA_GS]

Mine sat for 10 years  I squirted no oil in the cylinders I did rotate the engine by hand once

Granted it sat in a heated garage but 10 years is a tribute to show that sitting for 7 weeks is nothing 

[sledge]

7 weeks is nothing..... fire it up and stop worrying. The bike will have spent longer than this in a crate on its way over from Hamamatsu and then sitting around in the dealers before it was sold. Oil will have pooled around the valve-gear and will be held in the galleries, it will be flowing around the mains and top-end within 2-3 revolutions.
The amount of "wear" a one-off cold start like this will cause is totaly, totaly negligable and wont compromise the lifespan of the engine in any way.

[Kasumi]

^^^^^

Well said, if i do store a bike of xmas i just keep it in my garage parked like normal, its not heated - granted not anywhere near as cold as outside. Then when it gets to bringing it out of storage even after a few months all i do is make sure battery is charged then fire her up. Just the same as a cold start almost maybe a touch harder but she starts non the less.

[El motociclista]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all of your experienced advice. I thought I might be overly concerned about this but this is my first bike and I just want to make sure I'm doing the right things. Cheers everyone