22 November 2010

Exercising Motorcycles

I'll tell you what I did today, then you give me your thoughts-

It's a gusty, cloudy 72 degrees outside...
Not totally out of the ordinary for November here, but these days come few and far between.
I pushed all three bikes out of the garage onto the drive and started them all. Once they were all warmed sufficiently to run without the application of choke I left the two 'Wings idling and rode Pizza bike eight miles, including a blast down the highway to click my way through all five gears up to (ahem...), highway speed.
I brought the Guzzi back home, left it idling, mounted the '89 'Wing, and did the same thing on it.
Then while the Guzzi and newer 'Wing idled I did the same thing with the '87 Interstate. All three bikes ran/idled for 30 minutes before I shut them down and put them back under roof.

I know it is important to allow an engine to warm enough to boil moisture out of the oil, and running them for 30 minutes should also be enough to recharge drained batteries.
But is there a better way to accomplish my mission than doing it this way?

6 comments:

jinksto said...

All of the extra idling isn't really needed and just serves to foul your plugs more quickly. Just warm them up until you can close the choke and go for a ride. Most bikes, especially, Honda's don't really charge at idle any way and about 5 minutes at *ahem* highway speed is really all you need to keep the bat_1 topped up unless you had a VERY hard start on one.

Bloviating Zeppelin said...

If there is, I'm not aware of it. I'd do the same thing in Winter when I had a bike. The thing I would make sure I DIDN'T do was to ignore my bike for more than two weeks. I'd start it up every week.

BTW, are you keeping both Hondas, or are you going to only keep the 89?

BZ

Greybeard said...

My plan is to sell the '87 in the Spring, BZ. I'm hopeful I'll actually be able to make a profit on it when enthusiasts begin to get the "itch"...
Unless you're interested in it.
But that would be quite a ride home!

Timothy Frazier said...

I only have the one and I ride to work every day unless it's raining or icy. But I also have a battery tender that I keep plugged in via the powerlet when she's going to be sitting in the garage for more than a day.

Plus she's got fuel injection so she cranks right up most days.

Bloviating Zeppelin said...

Holy crap, would it ever! Indiana is a pretty decent distance from Fornicalia.

However, some day, after retirement, I'd like to take a trip and visit all of my members of The Usual Suspects blogroll on a motor and document the trip!

BZ

Dixon Webb said...

Greybeard . . . Three might be fun but surely a pain too. When I had more than my daily ride, I used to start the other and let it idle until it would do so without the choke - then I would ride with the the 4 speed box in 3rd at perhaps 30-40 mph for 1-1/2 miles to the local Starbucks, and back. Did it twice a week for 2 years and it seemed to work pretty well. . . Bump