hello everyone, i have spent the last three months in europe backpacking and will return to the states tomorrow.  it was very interesting to see all the different gs's around europe and if i ever saw one parked, i always jumped on to get a little taste of my baby back home.  i left her sitting for the past three months and before i left i asked for suggestions on how to store her best.  i disconnected the battery and filled up the tank with gas and added fuel stabilizer. i also put a rag in the exhaust and that's about it.  any ideas on what i should do before i even try to start her up? i am thinking i should recharge the battery of course, clean out the carbs, maybe clean/change the spark plugs, and check tire pressure.  any help is appreciated since i'm dying to get riding again!

facio

First, remove the battery; remove the GROUND / NEGATIVE / BLACK wire FIRST, then remove the POSITIVE / RED cable, and put the battery on a MOTORCYCLE charger. Do NOT charge the battery with an AUTOMOTIVE charger, unless you want to cook / warp the plates and boil off the electrolyte, which means it will be time for a NEW battery.

Did you remember to take a ride, or to run the engine for a while AFTER you added the fuel stabilizer to the gas tank? If not, the OLD gas in the carbs is now BAD gas, so drain the float bowls BEFORE you do anything else. The jets might be clogged, but I don't recommend pulling the carbs until you know that for sure, and the easy fixes for that don't work. It also wouldn't hurt to put a wrench on the crankshaft and turn the engine over BY HAND (think: doing a valve adjustment). You simply want to spin the engine a few times to make sure everything is moving freely inside the cylinders.

Check the oil level; check it a FEW times before you decide it is low, or high, or anywhere in between. If the level really IS high, if the oil is THIN, or if it SMELLS like gasoline, chances are that a carb float needle stuck open, and your crankcase is full of gas, which means you'll have to change the oil and filter before you do anything else.

It really wouldn't hurt to put some light oil on a rag and wipe down the fork tubes, but make sure you clean around the tops of the fork seal dust covers BEFORE you do that. Then, gently pump the forks up and down (while sitting on the bike) to get some of that clean, fresh oil under the dust covers, which will help to lube the fork seals.

Check the tire pressures, then INFLATE them a bit, DEFLATE them a bit, and REinflate them to the proper COLD pressure. That way, you'll know that the valves are functional; I've found a few slow leaks that way, and was able to replace the valve core each time before I found out the HARD way that there was a problem, though my brother had to learn about leaky valve cores the hard way, ruining a tire in the process. This was a NEW valve stem and core installed at the dealership; it worked long enough to fill the tire, but failed overnight. That problem finally convinced my brother to use o-ring valve caps; before that, he'd insisted on using the cheap plastic caps, because he's an idiot.

Next, walk the motorcycle around (in a circle, if you don't have a lot of room to work in, or simply walk it forward and backward) for a bit. Do this in NEUTRAL, NOT in gear with the clutch in; put the motorcycle in neutral, walk it around, and listen for any unusual noises. Check the chain alignment, make sure the wheels are centered, and that the brakes aren't dragging or otherwise gaffed up.

Next, straddle the bike, and bounce on the saddle lightly a few times, which will help to release any stiction in the rear shock. Check the controls; the levers and switches should all be where you left them. Make sure the engine kill switch is in the RUN position; double-check that. While you're in the saddle, re-calibrate your ass to make sure everything feels right and familiar to you.

Now put the bike on the centerstand, wipe down the chain with a rag and some WD-40, to get any residual crud off. Once you're sure the chain is clean, lube it LIGHTLY with a quality lube. You don't want to have to clean a lot of fling-off, so go easy on the lube. You can lube the chain AGAIN, after your first ride, when the chain is warm.

Once you're CERTAIN that everything is working properly, wait for the battery to fully charge, and remember to install it in the reverse order of how you disconnected it. Attach the POSITIVE cable first, and once that is tight, connect the NEGATIVE cable LAST.

When you've got everything ready, you can try to start it, which is another matter entirely, and probably another thread as well.

Most of this is just to reassure yourself that your GS is ready to roll; a lot depends on how anal-retentive you are. I have one friend who would probably prefer to rebuild the engine and gusset the frame after he'd been away for a while, though that probably qualifies as overkill. Only you know how much of this you REALLY want to do, but I've tried to be thorough enough so that you'll have had a chance to check every major sub-section for problems BEFORE you light it up...

The rest is up to you; others might tell you just to ride it, but you should at least CONSIDER doing some of this, just for the peace of mind it will provide.

wow man very thorough, thanks a lot for all the information, it must've taken u a while and i really appreciate it.  i will probably run through all those steps since i can see the point in doing all of them.  it seems a bit easier than i thought, but you're right, cranking her up will prove a feat in itself.  i'll let u know how it goes, again, thanks a lot!

ciao,
facio

You're welcome; I tried to cover most of the high points, since I was up all night building a new computer for a friend, and had time to kill. Now, I just hope no one has tampered with your GS while you were away, and that it actually STARTS when you finally get the chance to fire it up.

Be sure to clean your mirrors BEFORE you take the first ride, and let us know how things turn out for you.

Excellent info drooler.

+1 Awesome !

well, after doing what u recommended drooler, she started right up.  she was dying after a few minutes tho and i rode with the choke on for a while.  some gas was leaking for a bit from a bottom hose (overflow hose?).  after riding for about 30 miles, she runs like a dream.  just another testament to how dependable and hardy these bikes are.  thanks again!

facio