In August this year I became the proud owner of an X-reg Legend TT, a lovely bike in Imperial Green so she's now called "The Green Goddess". I'll be storing the bike in my garage over the winter to keep her away from the tons of salt spread on the roads here in Scotland. This is the only bike I have (I've got 4 other, more modern, Triumphs) which doesn't have fuel injection, so I'm unsure whether I should I drain the carbs. Has anybody any advice as to drain them - yes or no?
I would if you can. The pilot jets clog up so easily. Allegedly E5 fuel is better than E10 but better safe than sorry. The other option is fuel stabiliser but there are varying opinions on whether it works or not.
Thanks for the advice, I'll definitely take it! I read somewhere else on the forum that the easiest way to drain the carbs is to start the engine, turn the fuel tap to off, and let it run and use all the fuel in the carbs until the engine cuts out.
Draining the carbs is a good idea; I speak from experience while owning a Honda 750 - 4 carbs. In storage for a few years; gas in the carb float bowl turned to varnish and clogged its jets. I prefer, now, to drain the carbs from all my engines and use Stabil also in the gas before draining. I have also inserted straight Stabil into carbs on my engines but that has to be drained before attempting to start the engine. One other problem I encountered in that storage time was with the wet plate clutch: clutch plates stuck to one another and clutch no longer worked - just sayin.
My wife had a 99 Legend for many years. I never physically drained carbs, but I did close petcock and run it "dry" each off-season. Never had a carb related problem in the 10+ years she owned it.
Draining the carbs, or at least running them out of fuel is definitely good form. EFI systems fair much better on lay ups than carbs. I've just laid my ZZR up for the Winter by adding fuel stabiliser and brimming the tank.
I have a friend that has a 750 Honda, and a CBX Honda. He swears by Sta-Bil fuel treatment. He say he can fire it up the next spring and it runs fine with the old gas that was treated, still in the tank. He keeps the bikes in mint condition, and bought them both new from the dealer so I believe him.
The fuel stabilisers really do work, however don't just put this in and leave the machine stored, run it for a few miles to allow the stabiliser to circulate around the system whilst burning off the fuel pre stabilisation fluid, that way it uses up all the untreated fuel in the carbs, lines and filter Etc.
