I do both with it, good coating of ACF and for the money it is what it is, have a few others to keep for Sunday best. Keep on-top of the cleaning and comes back good as new.
Not been riding long.. but wanted the Blade. Its only for one year, insurance will be cheaper next year.
I'd love to pick something up like that, I'd give it the similar treatment too, get rid of ant tatt and put it back to standard. Nice little easy project! I had a brand new 2003 in blue, loved that bike! There are some bikes you just wish you'd kept.....that was one of them!
Damn, stop giving the "secrets" away as my other half occasionally reads this forum over-my-shoulder...!
Just been out today, very cold and incredibly muddy but can't recommend getting an old dirt bike enough. I'm new to this but it only takes a couple of hours for it to stop feeling really weird and then there's loads to learn and places to discover.
Can you please not?! I cannot even begin to describe how jealous I am right now! Even with a buggered up neck I’d get out of half the chance! Hope you had lots of fun
I make do with the car. Rear wheel drive can be entertaining this time of the year. The Speed Triple is tucked up under cover, on the charger and paddock stand. I'll start it in the garage in a few days to remind the neighbours how nice those Arrow cans sound.
I've done exactly the same, cover / trickle charger / paddock stands. Don't have prpoer winter gear and concerned bits might drop off this weather - which even at my age would be a disappointment! The Leo Vince is a great reminder to neighbours both sides that I still have a bike though, even if it is only for a few minutes every now and then.
Same here, haven’t bothered with the trickle charger but on the ABBA covered up. Start her every two weeks just to keep the neighbours used to the Racefit and what’s coming in the spring.
I wouldn't bother Liam, just remove the battery and bring it indoors. I always fill the tank to the brim, add stabiliser then just cover the bike up and leave it. General consensus is that idling the bike now and then over winter is worse than just leaving it.
Yup starting it up when it's freezing can be bad as it can inadvertently be filling parts of the bike up with condensation. Only going for a ride (so both engine , gear box and everything else gets properly warmed up)and then cleaning it afterwards will keep it tip top. Keeping the tank full is also a good habit, again this stops condensation forming on the inside walls of the tank.
As others have said. I have a full tank and just keep it on optimate on paddock stands so both wheels are off the ground. Also rotate the wheels occasionally so pressure isn't always on same bit of wheel bearings. Try to get out on it when I can during winter.
Those using fuel stabiliser, can you recommend one/share what you’re using? I used to be one of the start it up every few weeks and run it to fan temp type, but reading more and more that it does more harm than good for the reasons already stated. Saying that, the first time I started my blade up after a good few months of hibernation, it sounded like it was struggling to start and when it did, it made weird burbling/burp like noises for the first 10-15 seconds before settling. Same thing happened to the MT10 after 2-3 months of sitting in the garage. Now that the MT is going to be in hibernation properly, I figured I’ll try fuel stabiliser. ————— as for the original thread/question. I’m still out and about on the NC750. I’m still really enjoying it to be honest! It’s just easy to use in town and having the storage space in the faux tank is awesome although I’m starting to fill it up with all kinds of crap I wouldn’t normally take! I gave it a coat of ACF50 the day I got it and then gave it a deep clean/degrease about 6 weeks later and another coating of ACF. It is looking in a sorry state for a bike which has just ticked over 3000 miles, but I’m persisting and going to leave it till winter is over before getting it valet’d, ACF’d and Ceramic coated. So many of the fastenings and parts of the bike are showing salt corrosion already, but then, there’s a shit ton of it on the roads. My black kit looked like it had been covered in talc with the amount of the stuff on the road. I’d given all my lights and indicators a quick wipe down before the commute and by the time I got home today it was completely caked again. Hopefully the next few days forecast rain will wash most of it away, even if it does mean riding in the rain!
I used STA-BIL in my bike. It has really impressive reviews, both on Amazon and elsewhere. STA-BIL 22208 Fuel Stabilizer - 8 oz. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00125ZMD2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_g2m.Fb1P07WNC?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I’ve used Sta-Bil - put it in a near full tank, run for a few minutes so it gets pulled through and then top the the tank off to minimise the air pocket. Battery is on a trickle charger and I don’t fire it up till spring. I spin it on the starter with the kill switch on once a month for long enough for the oil pressure light to extinguish just to move the oil round.
I'm surprised you need fuel stabiliser. I normally just put the bike away with whatever fuel is in it, disconnect the battery and in the spring fill it up with fresh fuel and off we go. Never had a problem doing this. Maybe I've been lucky.