My brother and I have always gone with the principal that after a lay up of any length of time it's best to turn the engine over before starting it up properly just to get the lube round the important bits before the revs kick in. Used to do this with the kill and starter switches but now they're both on the same switch (2018) that's gone. Does anyone else do this or is it old wives' tales we've just come to believe cos our dad did it? If so any ideas about how? You can tell I'm a mechanic . Cheers & Happy New Year guys.
With very old bikes (and cars) it was important to make sure the top end had oil going round it before giving it the beans. If you go back hmm not so far, to the 50's for example, there were a few bikes that you must actually inspect the oil filler tank immediately after starting, to determine that the oil pump was actually working, otherwise the engine would catastrophically seize as you pootled off. With modern (I'm talking about anything 70's and later) bikes, and modern oils, the risk of wear is miniscule. Not only does oil routing design get oil to the required places fast, modern oil also has better coating properties, meaning that even after some months there is enough oil on the part to prevent damage before fresh oil gets to the area. Edit: to answer your question, I think the practice is based on reality, but from a time where it was useful. I don't think it applies today (or for any bike in the last 40 or so years).
Bike on a stand . Ignition off!!! Click up through the gears whilst turning back wheel by hand which rotates engine and will drag oil around cams etc if you’re worried.
Not for me. I may let it idle a bit more if it struggled to fired up, but that only happened once and that was with the Blade and after a 6 month Lay up. It cranked a bit longer but did fire up first time, it did splutter at first (probably old fuel) but once it all settled, rode off as normal. The following year I used a fuel stabiliser and when it came back out, it started as normal and I rode straight away. likewise, on the MT10, I use a fuel stabiliser on that and it’s started up as normal everytime it’s come out of hibernation. Bikes always kept on Optimate’s throughout. I do a deep clean, apply corrosion protectant and a once over (oil level, coolant level, brakes, lights , switches, chain tension, tyres) before it goes away for winter. The most I really do is check tyre pressures when it comes back out, but that’s not always a given either.
Thanks all for the advice. I think I've been doing it out of habit more than anything. It was probably a "safe not sorry" situation. I keep mine under a inside cover on Optimate and give it a decent spray of ACF50. I've not had a single Blade - out of 6 now - that's been a pain to start.
It’s never going to hurt it being over cautious, I disconnect the fuel pump on my rsv when I haven’t started it for a while, it just winds over on the starter for a while, if it keeps your ocd at bay why not and it doesn’t cost you anything.
I pulled the rr7 off the trailer after the last track day, pushed it in the shed and took the battery out. Just before the next track day I'll put the battery back in, change the oil and the brake fluid, let it warm up and then rag the arse off it. Don't worry about it, it'll be fine.
I also have the same view on crancking a little before firing up. This is not possible on my other bike and car so I just keep my fingers crossed. First make sur you have top quality oil in there to start with. option 1: let your battery run low so that the cranking is slow and does not start the engine 2: disconnect the spark plug leads On my CBR the oil pressure build up was instant even after 18 months in hibernation
