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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Alexis Wenzel on October 16, 2016, 05:28:36 PM

Title: Truck Transportation
Post by: Alexis Wenzel on October 16, 2016, 05:28:36 PM
Brothers, good evening! How is it going?

I'll be moving in a couple of weeks and I'll bring my FJ with me, =)

I never transported a bike before so this could be a dumb question to some, but I really don't know...so...

Should I remove all the fluids before the transport truck arrives? Gas, oil, brake/clutch fluids...

Thanks!!
Title: Re: Truck Transportation
Post by: FJmonkey on October 16, 2016, 05:35:30 PM
Remove only what you need to remove. If the move and or idle time will be more than a week then add some fuel stabilizer.  Run the bike to make sure the mix gets into the carbs... The new fuels are bad for storage...
Title: Re: Truck Transportation
Post by: Country Joe on October 16, 2016, 08:43:29 PM
Quote from: Alexis Wenzel on October 16, 2016, 05:28:36 PM
Brothers, good evening! How is it going?

I'll be moving in a couple of weeks and I'll bring my FJ with me, =)

I never transported a bike before so this could be a dumb question to some, but I really don't know...so...

Should I remove all the fluids before the transport truck arrives? Gas, oil, brake/clutch fluids...

Thanks!!

I just looked at the Haulbikes.com website, in their FAQ they say that it is not necessary to drain the gas, disconnect the battery or any such thing. I have never shipped a bike, but gave looked into it a couple of times. None of the major motorcycle shippers mentioned any such preparations.
Title: Re: Truck Transportation
Post by: CutterBill on October 16, 2016, 10:12:54 PM
Just a tip that might help someone... if you need to store your FJ for a while, take a fuel can to your local airport and buy some avgas... it's called "100 Low Lead."  It's pure gasoline with no additives except a stabilizer... keeps for about 2 years.  Oh and it's blue but don't worry about it; won't hurt anything.  Buy some, take it home, pour it in your empty gas tank and run the engine for while.  Better yet, ride it.  Make sure you flush out all of the old crappy car gas out and get the avgas into the carbs.  Works great.

And although it's rated as 100 octane, that's airplane octane.  It's measured differently than car gas.  Using the car gas method, it works out to about 105 octane.  And remember that it has lead in it so do NOT run it in anything with a catalytic converter.

Oh, and tell them it's for your chain saw (lots of pros are doing this) or your dirt bike.  Because avgas doesn't have road taxes built into the price, you can't legally use it on a public road.  They won't sell it to you if you tell them it's for your road bike.  100LL is all I use (whenever possible) in my WR400 and it runs soooo much better than with the swill you get from the local gas station.

Kookaloo, indeed...   :good2:
Title: Re: Truck Transportation
Post by: FJscott on October 16, 2016, 10:38:20 PM
I just shipped an FJ from Seattle to florida on Haul Bikes.com. all I did was add the Stabil, ran it long enough to fill carbs.  Haul Bikes was great to work with and cheap. I will be shipping with them again.

Scott
Title: Re: Truck Transportation
Post by: ribbert on October 17, 2016, 08:16:25 AM
Quote from: CutterBill on October 16, 2016, 10:12:54 PM
Just a tip that might help someone... if you need to store your FJ for a while, take a fuel can to your local airport and buy some avgas...
Kookaloo, indeed...   :good2:

Bill, that is a great tip. We don't have a fuel problem down here but it's a great idea for anyone in the US, good thinking.

Noel
Title: Re: Truck Transportation
Post by: Alexis Wenzel on October 17, 2016, 11:54:25 AM
Awesome, thanks guys!

I believe the tank is full...I only use 94 octanes gas...I remember that last time I rode I filled up the gas.

It'll be a short trip, only 500km. The bike is already stopped for two weeks, but when I arrive at my new home I'll start my project on her. I'm planning to put it all apart, disassemble everything, paint the chassis, work on the brakes, etc...

For sure a lot of questions, doubts and pictures will come on the next month or so...

=)

Thanks once again, and have a great week!