Run the engine or not?

[oldrascal]

I am sitting at my desk looking out at the cold, cold grey countryside with sleet and wet roads.

In my garage sits my newly acquired 2008 GSA...........waiting.

For the life of me, I just can't pluck up the courage to go out for an aimless ramble through this miserable day.

Give me a destination that has to be reached though, and, like the Mounties, I will mount my trusty steed (no, not my wife) and be away irrespective of the conditions. But an aimless tool around...............nah.

I digress.

The weather looks pretty crappy for the rest of the week too so, under these circumstances and with the bike locked in a secure and dry brick garage, is there any point in running it for, say, 15 minutes every day/other day?

I don't know why it should need running as the battery is brand new but its just a gut feeling.

Any views, tips and advice?

 

[Womble]

Don't bother.

You've got an aircooled bike that relies on airflow to get heat away from the pots and the oil cooler for the exhaust valves. Running the bike at a standstill will cause it to get uncomfortably warm, so you'd need gert big fans running to cool the bike.

If you ran it for 15 minutes at idle, you'd not put the power back into the battery that you had taken out to start it, so you would actually shorten the battery life (bike batteries are better when stored fully charged), as well as gradually discharging it.

And condensation from the exhaust wouldn't evaporate, so it would sit around, rusting yout pipework from the inside out.

Just get out and ride the darned thing - if necessary, take up geocaching

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Use it

One of the (main) features of the GS is its ability to give you a great deal of enjoyment;, whatever the weather - although I draw the line at snow or ice and hesitated this week when it was foggy and -2°C. There is no point in starting it up and running it in the garage , as has been said - so if you want to hear it run get up and go!

 

[oldrascal]

Lapsed sports bike rider

That's all good tech info for which I proffer thanks -yup, it makes sense.

As to getting out of my comfy chair to brave the buggery British weather, I am going to have to get acclimatised to the GSA's go anywhere talents.

As I have only owned sports bikes that are definitely not happy in filthy weather, I have just got to get another mindset.

Methinks I ought to go and get some schooling about mud-plugging - that'll do the trick.

Just not quite yet

 

[Ringmaster999]

Old Rascal I like you left the sport bikes behind and bought my 08GSA back in May. With 7000 now on the clock I just can't get over how well she performs what ever the weather or conditions. She even has a nack of looking so good when dirty. All I would say is ACF 50 her and just ride what ever. Just brill

 

[PhilM]

Just start it and run it till the first bar appears on the temp gauge and the steam smoke stops coming out of the exhaust.

Done this with all my bikes for the last 30 years and never done any harm

 

[oldrascal]

ACF50

Thanks for the encouragement Ringmaster but I have never heard of ACF50. A quick Google gave me the answers.

But how would you use it on our bikes? Liberally coat everything or just essential bits - whichever bits those might be.

And won't the oil film pick up a shed load of filth? Questions, always bloody questions............

 

[ELIMINATOR]

yup, it attracts dirt like a ............. thing that attracts dirt.

I've liberally coated my 1150 for the past three winters, everything apart from the petrol tank, and brakes.

Engine coated, wheels, electrical connections separated, (whenever i am near one) ACF'd put back together. Underside of fuel tank, as far as can be sprayed. seat off, depends how anorakish / keen you want to get.

Smokes when you get the engine hot, as it burns off, but this does no harm.

 

[Dee Tee]

Just start it and run it till the first bar appears on the temp gauge and the steam smoke stops coming out of the exhaust.

Done this with all my bikes for the last 30 years and never done any harm

Just done this with my Fleet. Don't mind riding in the Cold,but i'll not veture out with Salt on the Roads. Bikes are in a Lock Up with no access to Electric (For an Optimate) or a water supply (for cleaning) and can't bear to think about putting any of them away with Salt/Slime/Grit all over them.

 

[karnevil]

geocaching????

Whats that then?Geocaching?

 

[Womble]

Whats that then?Geocaching?

I'll save you googling and give you a hint - http://www.geocaching.com

 

[karnevil]

I'll save you googling and give you a hint - http://www.geocaching.com

Too late i found it.Looks like fun

 

[Ringmaster999]

Old Rascal I use the ACF 50 everywhere except for the Brake discs of course. My favored method is to spray it on and spread it with a reg which becomes saturated with it and then you can just spread it that way. It is good stuff which as I am sure you have read forms a thin protective layer which is resistant to corrosion. Make sure you coat the top of the Fuel Pump Comtroler which will help with the possible corrosion build up on the fins that are easily visable on the front left on the fuel tank. I use the bike everyday and will just sometimes hose her down with cold water. Take care and enjoy the new lifestyle of the GSA

 

[Boxerboy55]

. . . whatever the weather - although I draw the line at snow or ice and hesitated this week when it was foggy and -2°C

Did you see what some of the Rufty Tufty Scots were out in on Sunday??

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166825

Tough. Or what?

(not me, I'm a wimpy sunny Sunday rider)

ps - I don't fire mine up during the winter either.

 

[Brian ROSEN]

Fair weather ?

".....although I draw the line at snow or ice......" but I certainly would not expect that of a true Scot!