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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Bike has sat for a year
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Message started by nomoore on 12/14/07 at 13:13:42

Title: Bike has sat for a year
Post by nomoore on 12/14/07 at 13:13:42

Hello everyone,

I'm a complete motorcycling newbie but have been lurking here for about a month.

I'm about to buy a 95 Savage from a coworker. He's selling it to me for $600 USD. It has been sitting for a year but he says it was running when it was parked. It needs a new battery and he doesn't want to mess with getting it running. He will guarantee me the engine is not seized.

This is what I'm thinking should be done to start it. Please tell me if you have any other suggestions or tips.

Drain tank and put new gas.
Replace battery.
Pull off the carb bowl and clean out the bowl. Spray some carb cleaner into the carb while I have the bowl off. Put carb back together.
Pull spark plug wire off and crank for a minute or two to get oil into the engine.
Hook up spark plug wire, turn petcock on, and try to start it.

Once started I will replace the spark plug and air filter, do an oil change, service the brakes, and grease the fork tubes.

Also, will I need a new gasket for the carb bowl or can I re-use what it has? Should I try to clean the tank out before I put new gas in? Any other suggestions?

This will be my first bike and I'm really excited about it. WooHoo!

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by Reelthing on 12/14/07 at 13:32:21

Good price perhaps - was it sitting inside or outside?

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by nomoore on 12/14/07 at 13:34:08

It was sitting in a barn.

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by Max_Morley on 12/14/07 at 13:36:24

You sure stole that one, lucky person. Max http://suzukisavage.com/yabb2.2/Templates/Forum/default/cheesy.gif

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by Reelthing on 12/14/07 at 13:48:37

I'd check the oil in the site glass and if it was real black then drain it and feel it with clean 10w40 before I started it. Drain the carb - remove the screw at the bottom of the bowl - becareful the '95 drain screw is pretty easy to strip the threads - pull off the gas line flip it to pri and drain the tank - might be a good idea to pull the seat and tank and sparkplug - spray a little wd40 into the cylinder - re-assemble put a gallon gas in it perhaps with a teasp00n of sea foam switch it to pri to fill the carb - new battery and fire that baby up

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by T-Mack1 on 12/14/07 at 13:50:07

Replace Oil and oil filter!!! Real important [smiley=engel017.gif] .

Get a new plug, they're cheap, couple of bucks, and it wil help it start better.

When you go to crank it up to circulate the oil, remove plug first. With the plug out, there is no load on the engine and it will spin-up easier.

T-Mack

EDIT: Trying to start a bike on an old plug could drive you crazy, As for the oil, change it right away, don't wait. The bike is a simple design, and pretty easy to work on. But, sometimes "simple" means "take good care of it"

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by White Knight on 12/14/07 at 14:06:13

31303230302D3A5F0 wrote:

...I'm about to buy a 95 Savage from a coworker. He's selling it to me for $600 USD....

Grab it quick before he changes his mind -- even if it is broke you can part it out for more than that.

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by Capt._Ron on 12/14/07 at 14:30:39

Sweet deal, wish I could find one like that.
Merry Christmas

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by nomoore on 12/14/07 at 14:44:29

Ok. Bike is paid for. Just need to go register it.

So, change oil first, remove plug and spray WD40 to crank it for a minute, put a new plug in, clean carb bowl, fire her up? That sounds super duper easy.

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by SteveRocket on 12/14/07 at 15:19:25

Good luck amd happy and safe riding . You will love the Savage

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by rigidchop on 12/15/07 at 18:11:44

sometimes the slide in the carb will get all gummed up from sitting. i usually spray some carb cleaner directly into the carb while gently lifting on the slide. it usually will free it right up. good luck and congrats on your find.

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by mornhm on 12/16/07 at 08:41:50

Clean the carbs. You'll like the MC better. Then run some cleaner (sea foam or equivalent) through with the gas. I would figure out a way to clean the tank before putting the new gas in it. The better you treat your carbs, the better they will treat you. Check all the wiring for weather checking. Check the tires for weather checking. Tighten the ground connections.

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by Savage_Greg on 12/16/07 at 08:44:10

Tire pressure, too....listed on steering head label.

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by nomoore on 12/17/07 at 06:12:26

I got it running this weekend. ;D I did all the stuff I listed above. I had to take the carb apart and clean the main and pilot jets. And the float was gunked up so I had to work that loose. Put it back to together and it's running ok. It has plenty of power but my dad say's it's running rough. He had motorcycles when he was younger (250 and 450cc) so I guess he knows what he's talking about. If it is running rough I don't notice it that much. It definitely has all the traits listed here of a stock Savage (backfiring when you kill it, poor mid-throttle power). It has 9500 miles so I guess I should start thinking about checking the cam chain tensioner. In the meantime I think I'll find some seafoam to run through it.

The belt drive is a little noisy, especially on deceleration. I spilled some gas on it and I don't think it was noisy before that. Is it too loose or tight or did the gas screw it up?

I love it so far! It desperately needs a paint job and a LOT of polishing but that will come later.

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by nomoore on 12/17/07 at 06:14:14

2624392523264B0 wrote:

Hmmm.... what are you calling "weather checking"? Are you talking about cracked plastic and rubber?

Title: Re: Bike has sat for a year
Post by Savage_Greg on 12/17/07 at 08:06:50

Give it a good wash, spray the whole thing with WD40, and then wax the painted parts. That'll help remove any oxidation, prevent any additional corrosion, and revitalize some of the rubber and plastic parts. Especially if your riding is gonna be slow due to winter weather.