Bike's been sitting - questions

[mattyboy]

I just recently picked up a '97 yzf 600, with 22,000 miles. It's been
sitting in a warm underground parking lot since Mid-September. It started up fine with the old gas, but have not taken it for an actual ride (offseason).

It will be sitting in my COLD garage for a few months yet besides
the occasional ride.

Questions:

-Should I add fuel stabalizer?

-Before taking it for it's first ride, should I replace the fuel?

-Battery suggestions?

-Anything else I need to know?

Thanks,

Matt

[Shorts]

I'd fill it up the rest with fresh fuel and stabilize it, run stabilized fuek through the carbs, then drain them. Change the oil now, or make sure you do it when you take it out to ride again. Put the battery on a tender to keep it charged. I think that's about the minimum to do. If you can get the bike off the cement so the tires don't get flat spots or park it on wood.

[mattyboy]

Thanks

[qwerty]

A little more detail added to Shorts's ideas.

Stabilize a full tank of gas with Seafoam, which I prefer over Sta-bil. Drain the carbs. Run the engine a few minutes to get the stabilizer in the carbs. Then close the petcock and drain the carbs again.

Change the oil and filter now to get the combustion byproducts that turn to acid out. Do not run the engine after changing the oil. I change the oil every three months on something I don't ride much. If you ride before the middle of April, don't worry about another change. I wouldn't ride without a change much past the end of April, regardless of no or few miles.

After you change the oil and filter, remove each spark plug and pour about half a teaspoon of engine oil in the hole. Turn the engine to coat the rings well, then replace the spark plugs.

Air the tires.

[Sev]

If it's only going to be in there for a couple months, and you're going to be taking it out once in a while you don't really need to add oil to the cylinders. But I would add stabiliser of some sort every time you fill up. And if it's going to be sitting for longer then 2 months between rides, drain the carbs.

[Flting Duck]

Ditto on the SeaFoam - great stuff.

If you're going to ride it occasionally (at least once a month) then don't worry about anything else.

When you do run it, take it out and ride so it has a chance to get hot for a while - don't just do a short trip around the block.

Wouldn't hurt to put a smart/floating trickle charger on it (like a Battery Tender Junior) as cold weather can be hard on batteries.