Taking Steamer out of hibernation

[gatordoc]

Mornin' Gents,

I'm just back from deployment overseas and looking take my '96 steamer out of hibernation.  Its been in storage for right around 7 months and located in Southern California, so the climate has been reasonable moderate, indoor storage, etc.

What I know I will need is:
fresh/fully charged battery (need a new one anyway)
fresh gas, or at the least a octane booster and/or carb cleaner such as sea foam
oil/filter change
check/top off all other fluids, tires, etc...

That being done, flush/clean the carbs well and run it at idle until its ride-able, then back-road it until everything clears out, then call it good.  

Sound about right?  Anything dreadfully important that I'm missing?  The Steamer is my only wheels until I go on post-deployment leave and pick up the Pretty Wife, so it's imperative that I get back on the road ASAP.  Taking the Bus and bumming rides sucks...

Also, on an semi-related issue, she was developing a front end shake just before I put her into storage.  Not certain of the cause, but it was getting worse over the last couple weeks before I parked it.  Firm grip on the handlebars quiets it down, but if I loosen up it becomes more pronounced.  Checked the torque on all the front end fasteners, no joy.  Kept riding it since I didn't have a choice at the time, but now that I have the funds and alternatives I don't feel comfortable riding it without addressing the problem.

It didn't do this when I first got it, and took several months to get to where it was noticeable.  Shortly after I got her I unintentionally lofted the front and she came down hard followed by a get-off.  Inexperience got the best of me and I used too much throttle and too much clutch trying to take off from a stop on a hill with a line of cars waiting for me to go.  :oops:  The shake did not become noticeable until a good month or more after that happened, however.  She's had a nap once as well, but that was a slow speed affair and not a get-off.  Heavy bugger, and I'm not a big guy...

Alternatives include a trip to the local Triumph shop and getting a new Scrambler, Street Triple, or Tiger 800 to ride until I get the Steamer fixed (wife would kill me!), picking up a nice low-miles scrambler I found for sale locally, or springing for 4 wheeled transport since we have only 1 car at the moment.  In honesty, one of these options is more appealing to me since I will be able to take my time and get the Steamer up to snuff properly.

Thoughts?

Thanks all, cheers.

[rybes]

mornin :D make sure you battery is fully charged before ya start it. tigers dont like hard startin. deff change the oil and filter. then see if it starts and how well it runs. it might be ok so itll save ya pullin the carbs off for a clean. as for ya front end wobble, id guess at out of blance wheel or maybe a mis shaped tyre ? look for any lumps and bumps that shouldnt be there.

[Mustang]

change the oil put a new battery from walmart in it (40 bucks)
fire it up and ride the cobwebs out of it .
Be prepared for it to not want to easily start , you will likely kill the battery on first try , don't keep trying at this point . charge the battery back up . crank some more , repeat above as necessary .
eventually it will blubber , when it does start let the throttle be adjust rpm with the choke .let her run for a good 15 minutes on choke at around 2000 rpm .

your front end shake is probably your tire starting to cup , hell I have a brand new dunlop on my sidecar rig that shakes like mad when I let go of the bars . if it is bothering you that bad put a new tire on the front .

run your psi at 42 and the tires in front will last longer before they cup , but eventually ALL TIRES on a steamer front end will CUP.

ride the beast it loves abuse ! :D

[BruKen]

what 'stang sed.



http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html (http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html)

http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html#CUPPING (http://www.rattlebars.com/tirewear/index.html#CUPPING)

[gatordoc]

It's alive!!!

Happy to report the steamer is alive and well.  Didn't even need a new battery, or even a charge on the one that had been sitting.  Added a can of Sea Foam to the ~2 gallons left in the tank, jabbed the button and she woke right up.

Very happy to be back up on two wheels.

Thanks for the help gents.

Cheers!

[nightrunner]

So you're sure you have a steamer?