I'm about to buy an old (2001) bike - need old ppl's advice

[.blue]

So I'm upgrading from my 2008 bike to a 2001 Ninja or 2000 GSXR.

These bikes are not fuel injected and they have a choke and a little nob to turn the fuel on/off/reserve. Lol.

This is pretty alien to me. Seems straightforward and I've done a bit of reading on how carbs work, what the choke does etc. But any more tips on how to take proper care of it?

e.g. Some people advise turning the fuel tap to off after riding to stop the carbs gumming up. Are there any other little things like this that I don't strictly need to do but will help keep the bike in good condition?

[Wildfire]

Get the carb's balanced properly and make sure your linkages are all clean and lubed up.

Also just beware of ethanol in the fuel gumming up the carbs.

[Biker 1]

Wildfire said:

Get the carb's balanced properly and make sure your linkages are all clean and lubed up.

Also just beware of ethanol in the fuel gumming up the carbs.

This.

I'm no expert, but my mate properly balanced the carbs on his bike regularly - said it made a massive difference to power & fuel mileage...

[Wildfire]

If you're riding in winter, check the tinternet to see whether the bikes are prone to carb icing too. My M600 is and I just sick a dash of Pro-FST in with each fill up.

Downside to my current job is that I am doing loads of miles, so come cold weather I will have to take a bottle of it with me!

[Gunk]

My 1994 'Blade runs on a bank of carbs, fuel tap (with reserve!) and a big choke knob. It's been utterly reliable, once set up the fueling (on standard jets, air filter and exhaust) is perfect, no flat spots and super-smooth. There's something very satisfying about precision mechanical engineering on these bikes, they really are a work of art.

[srob]

I feel old

[peterg1955]

srob said:

I feel old

me too... I have yet to own a bike that doesn't have carbs and a choke lever!

although that may be about to change next month

[patchb]

I never bothered turning the fuel off on my old zx7r unless I was leaving it for more than a few days. Other than that, choke on for starting, turn that off when the revs start to rise. Get on and ride it.
If it's ridden often it shouldn't need any more regular maintenance than an Fi bike.

Carbs are lovely when they're set up right, such smooth fuelling

[Moulder]

patchb said:

I never bothered turning the fuel off on my old zx7r unless I was leaving it for more than a few days. Other than that, choke on for starting, turn that off when the revs start to rise. Get on and ride it.
If it's ridden often it shouldn't need any more regular maintenance than an Fi bike.

Pretty much this for me with my ZX6r G2, but I never turned the fuel off even if it was weeks between use.

Whilst no engineer, I would think that for this to be effective you would have to turn the fuel off whilst running, and then wait for it to "run out".

[.blue]

Fantastic thanks for the help all. The bike I'm probably going to buy seems smooth right through the rev range with no noticeable flat spots so I'm not going to mess with the carbs until this changes.

So unless this changes, I take it it's not worth messing with the carbs.

Edit - I also have to manually operate the lights it seems.

Edited by .blue on Wednesday 27th July 15:10

[black-k1]

Moulder said:

patchb said:

I never bothered turning the fuel off on my old zx7r unless I was leaving it for more than a few days. Other than that, choke on for starting, turn that off when the revs start to rise. Get on and ride it.
If it's ridden often it shouldn't need any more regular maintenance than an Fi bike.

Pretty much this for me with my ZX6r G2, but I never turned the fuel off even if it was weeks between use.

Whilst no engineer, I would think that for this to be effective you would have to turn the fuel off whilst running, and then wait for it to "run out".

Great until you get a slightly sticky float and return to the bike to find the petrol you left in the tank is now a puddle on the floor.

[rat840771]

A 2000 GSXR should be injected?

Pre 96/97 was carb

[peterg1955]

.blue said:

Edit - I also have to manually operate the lights it seems.

Haha that caught me out the other way round when I test rode a new bike a few weeks ago, I looked for the light switch for a good couple of minutes before it sunk it that they are 'always on' these days

[Moulder]

black-k1 said:

Moulder said:

patchb said:

I never bothered turning the fuel off on my old zx7r unless I was leaving it for more than a few days. Other than that, choke on for starting, turn that off when the revs start to rise. Get on and ride it.
If it's ridden often it shouldn't need any more regular maintenance than an Fi bike.

Pretty much this for me with my ZX6r G2, but I never turned the fuel off even if it was weeks between use.

Whilst no engineer, I would think that for this to be effective you would have to turn the fuel off whilst running, and then wait for it to "run out".

Great until you get a slightly sticky float and return to the bike to find the petrol you left in the tank is now a puddle on the floor.

Given.

[Harry H]

I'd like a bike with a kick start. It's very satisfying when the engine bursts into life from your own effort rather than pushing a button.

Mind you after three kicks with no result it's nice to just push the button anyway.

[MotorsportTom]

I left my blade for 6-7weeks without turning the fuel off and it was before I'd balanced my carbs.

No puddle and it started fine after a long prod on the starter.

You think manual choke and lights are a chore.


Ride a bike of Srob's likely to be manual advance/retard of the ignition amongst other fun stuff!

[battered]

MotorsportTom said:

Ride a bike of Srob's likely to be manual advance/retard of the ignition amongst other fun stuff!

Does he still have a big glass syringe on top of the tank that he has to pump up and down every few seconds?

[Dakkon]

I bought a '95 VFR earlier this year, playing with the carbs is all part of the 'fun'

[srob]

black-k1 said:

Great until you get a slightly sticky float and return to the bike to find the petrol you left in the tank is now a puddle on the floor.

My Venom was doing that all day on Sunday. Think it was protesting to the heat. Had to switch on fuel, tickle carb, drench hand in petrol that swewed out of the float chamber, switch off fuel, start bike quick (not always that easy with a Velocette's 'technique'), switch on fuel quick before it died.

Which meant that this:

Harry H said:

I'd like a bike with a kick start. It's very satisfying when the engine bursts into life from your own effort rather than pushing a button.

Mind you after three kicks with no result it's nice to just push the button anyway.

Would have been nice in that heat!

The most satisfying is a proper bump start. None of this getting someone to push you; a proper, rock back onto compression, run with bike, side saddle as you drop the clutch then carry on and swing your leg over whilst accelerating away. If done properly, surely the coolest way to leave the pub. If it goes wrong (which it often does ) painful, humiliating and expensive

[srob]

battered said:

MotorsportTom said:

Ride a bike of Srob's likely to be manual advance/retard of the ignition amongst other fun stuff!

Does he still have a big glass syringe on top of the tank that he has to pump up and down every few seconds?

Some do. The 1922 Raleigh does, although the oil actually pumps on the 'up' stroke. So you push it back down when it's fully up as it's stopped pumping then.

Most by the late 20s (which is what most of ours are) had mechanical oil pumps (although they were total loss) but still had the manual pump on the tank as people didn't trust that kind of technology!

All were manual ignition too, which saves changing gear which is handy. Some are levers, some have another twist-grip on the LH bar