hard starting woes

[mattyam]

having had my mv f4 on life support (optimate) i wheeled it outside while i gave the shed a tidy. i decided to start it up and it was hesitant. half a dozen prods later it coughed then eventually fired into life. the fuel has been in the tank for about 6 months. the last couple of times the bikes ran, its just been started and not taken for a run anywhere. worth mentioning as i know batteries can be the cause of starting woes, especially on italian stuff but it did go completely dead a while ago. since been charged ive kept it on a trickle charge. i know that starting bikes up and not running them isnt good practice but ive not been in a position to do so. has anyone else had this happen, granted it was fucking cold here this morning. once it started and up to temp  it ran nicely

[Superdunc]

Fuel. 6months is a life time with modern fuel.  You really need to ad a fuel stabilizer or use a storage fuel if you are going to leave the bike for any length of time.

[Damnthistinleg]

Modern fuel is shit.

I don't even bother trying to kick off the XR if the fuel has been in the float bowl for more than a couple of weeks. I'd be kicking it over for hours if I did.  Drain some fresh stuff through and it starts first time.

Twats.

 

[mattyam]

i had an o shit moment when i realised the fuel had been in the tank since the dark ages. 

[marvin]

5 hours ago, Superdunc said:

Fuel. 6months is a life time with modern fuel.  You really need to ad a fuel stabilizer or use a storage fuel if you are going to leave the bike for any length of time.

This. Battery may still be slightly borked too. Run it on some fresh 97 with a new battery. 

[pirks]

Storage fuel is the dogs danglies, expensive as hell but worth it when you come to start the bike next spring and the bike fires into life like it did when you put it away 6 months earlier.