I was out at my friend's place yesterday where my KLX is stored in his garage. I had the key with me so I figured I'd see if it would start. Much to my surprise and delight, she fired RIGHT UP! I was astounded.I actually pulled it out and took it for a spin around the block, just to give her some love.

Keep in mind,the bike hasn't been touched since October, it's in anunheated garage in norther Vermont, and the battery hasn't been on a tender.The only thing I did to'winterize' it was fillthe tank with gas, add some Sta-Bil and ran the bowl dry before I put itaway. I was afraid it was going to be totally dead in the spring.

Isanyone else surprised by this?

 

I'm not really shocked but that is one good battery as it gets some age on it that won't be the case....I keep a Battery tender on all my atv's and motorcycles ,lawn mowers and have done so for years the battery's last a long time that way....Good job on filling the tank and adding sta bil most people don't think to fill the tank and when the temp changes the moisture starts to build in the tank....

 

No surprise here, thats how mine was this past Spring. This year its a bit different though because I've been out riding every few weeks, planning on going out tomorrow actually as the snow has a nice thick crust on it

 

i have never taken my battery out and charged it... its been fine since i got it in april of 06.... fires right up, well after i drain the carb bowl if i forgot to run it out.

 

Notat all. Thekey to your success was running the bowl dry before storingthe bike.We have bikes, ATV's,snow blowers, etc at the gunnery range I work at. When spring rolls around,none of them will start until you drain the float bowl and letfresh fuelcome in from the tank. Onequiment with very small gastanks, like push mowers,we empty the tanks then fill with fresh fuel...they start on first pull after that.

Now, I now this forum has it's share onnon-believers when you tell them something is happening to the fuel when it's left in smallvolume confines for that long, but I've seen too much evidence to the contrary. Something must happen to objectivity once you read mulitiple dissertations by 'Patroleum Engineers' No doubt there are probably ways to compensate via hotter spark, etc, but NO DOUBT, something definitely is happening with the fuel.

 

I'm always concerned about "leaning the engine out" when running it until the carb bowl is empty. I just use the carb bowl drain screw to empty the carb. The screw is a bitch to get to and it's a torx head. The StaBil is a good idea just to keep the tank full with fresh gas. I also spin the starter with the gas off every week or so to circulate the oil in the top end, then take the battery inside and charge it up.

 

This is just my opinion, mind you, but if you run the bowl dry at idle I highly doubt that even the short lean condition you might expose the engine to would generate enoughadded heat to worry about(at idle)...
+1on circulating the oil and keeping the battery charged.

 

mine sat all winter long after I parked it with a flat and didnt drin the carb never do and I leave the gas on. on the first day of spring I charged the battery back up fixed my flat and she fired right up even with a 30f temp[8D]

 

Awesome!

 

Oh look at me,...my bike started right up after sitting.....you suck man!!![8D][8D][8D] OK we are just jealous man.