I think I am going to mothball my 996SPS for a few years - I don't want to sell her but now I have the D16 I can't see me riding her. Any advice on what I need to do to properly mothball her so that she won't suffer during the lay-up? She has a Datatool Veto alarm fitted.
You need to lend the bike to somebody who will regularly start and ride the bike to ensure no standing damage to belts, engine, oil & fork seals etc? I have pm'd you my details. Lol I would: Drain the tank completely and keep it in a well padded box in the house to avoid any condensation damage/petrol contamination over Winter. Get the bike up both ends on paddock stands to stop any flat-spots on the tyres - concrete will also absorb the oils and minerals from the tyre rubber over time, leaving you with "dry spots" on both tyres? Cover the bike completely to avoid dust etc - the vacuum bags seem a good idea, failing that a good indoor cover? Belts.... Ideally take the bike out and ride it every once in a while to heat them up and keep them supple? I was considering taking mine off over Winter and keeping them inside - they would not be under tension as such, would suffer no cold or damp and not start to set in place? Hmmmm... Obviously in a 4v this is a bigger job! Fork seals & engine seals - can dry out if not having a regular oil bath, meaning when you do get it back on the road you have a fork rebuild to contend with. At the very least drop the front end down off the stand and give it a few violent pumps.:biggrin: Battery - get that off the bike and stored indoors, giving it a bump-charge every week, week and a half? Keep it away from dogs, cats, small children, treefrogs etc.
Thanks for the advice. The bike is due a belt service so I was planning to just defer that for a few years and leave the belts on. Getting the battery off may have implications for the alarm - will have to check the manual. Any other thoughts anyone?
Give it a good ride out and change the oil. Either drain the coolant or make sure its antifreeze is OK. Once you have changed the oil, get the plugs out and turn the engine over to get the new oil around the engine. Get some oil into the bores and put the plugs back. I would take all the body work off and store it, but at a minimum take the tank off and empty it. Plastic bags over the bellmouths and the exhausts. Battery off as it will be dead in a couple of years anyway. Good spray with some sort of water dispersing protectorant. Then into one of those vacuum bag thingies with the wheels off the floor. I would turn it over by hand every few months to get the oil around the engine, but dont start it and then leave it sitting as all the condensation in the oil will create havoc. Needs a good run to get that out. Then when you come to get it back on the road, it will need new belts, brake fluid, coolant, and maybe a fork service especially if the are Ohlins (the seals will leak if left standing) and maybe tyres if you cant leave the Sedici alone. Or I could take it to a few trackdays for you, keep everything lubricated:biggrin:
Lol you are not short of test-pilots! Have you got a remote lead on the battery to take a smart-charger as such? Battery would be fine if kept warm & charged occasionally?
I should add that whilst mothballed the bike will be kept in a well insulated garage or maybe even in my house.
