I'd like to know the longest anyone has gone without needing to tear the carbs down for cleaning?
post the mileage,and time please.
-CS
I bought my bike about 2.5 years ago with 40K miles on it. I don't know when the carbs were cleaned before that (if ever). I went on for another 13K miles and 2.5 years before cleaning the carbs. And even then I did it because I was swapping cams in the engine and had to adjust the carbs, so cleaned them as well. They were not particularly dirty either.
In my old Yamaha, I went without carb cleaning for about 25K miles over 2 years with no problem.
My bike is over 56,000kms. I bought it new. I have NEVER cleaned the carbs or had them cleaned. Bike runs as good as the day I bought it. Better actually cause I am using better oil.
Michael
46000kms on 2 ct110 bikes and still not cleaned them.
however I have cleaned the carbs on my GS as the fuel was black and full of rust flakes and only 26000kms.
But I do not forsee having to do it again any time soon.
Regular use of Seafoam may save a carb cleaning, it's worked wonders in all my bikes.
Two secrets.
1: Use the carb drains - they are not just there for giggles and checking the float level with the carbs on the bike (though they are useful for the latter.)
I recommend draining a small amount (either a teaspoon/5cc or until it runs clear) at each chain adjustment interval (600 miles, 3-4 tanks) to remove any water and fine rust that makes it past the tank filter before it accumulates enough to be a problem.
2: Don't let the bike sit. Ride the thing. Very few things are worse for a bike than sitting still.
2a: In the unfortunate event of winter, drain the carbs completely, put fuel stabilizer of choice in the FULL tank, or drain the tank and fuel lines completely and do something to keep the tank from rusting.
Carbs mostly need cleaning because they have sat with gas that turned to varnish in them. If you avoid that, you shouldn't have to touch them until the float needles wear.
9250 miles (14800km) and I have only changed the jets. It's a 2009 that I bought in 3/2011. It's my daily runner. Ride all but about 2 months a year thanks to global warming.
I should point out that I ride my bike daily.
Michael
I just cleaned mine about 5 mins ago. But this is for a bike I havent ridden yet due to also recently changing out the engine. Really easy to clean though. Super easy