Winter is coming... our technical experts at Burlen share their top tips to keep your classic motorcycle in pristine shape throughout the cold weather.
If you are planning to put your classic motorcycle to bed this winter, or storing it away for a long period whilst working on
other projects, here's how to keep the carburetter and fuel system in good condition.
other projects, here's how to keep the carburetter and fuel system in good condition.
Pictured: A 1966 Triumph Bonneville imported from the US, converted from 650cc to 750cc
by Phil - Burlen’s in-house Amal specialist since 2008.
by Phil - Burlen’s in-house Amal specialist since 2008.
It is recommended to add a fuel stabiliser into the tank to help prevent corrosion in the fuel system, occurring due to the ethanol - which is hygroscopic and will absorb water - used in modern petrols. The ethanol can also leave a sticky varnish, which can lead to the jets and galleries becoming restricted. This can lead to poor engine performance, particularly at idle speeds.
Once the stabiliser has been added, run the engine for a few minutes to allow the stabilised petrol to flush through the carburetters and into the engine.
You can then turn off the petrol taps and drain the carburetter float chambers of fuel. Alternatively, if the carburetter doesn't have a drain plug on the float chamber, turn off the tap on the bike whilst sat idling, and allow the remaining fuel in the carburetters to be used up, until your bike shuts down from lack of fuel.
One alternative to adding stabilisers to be considered, especially with advancements in fuel technologies, is to look at storing your bike with fuels that have been specifically designed for classic vehicles and motorcycles in mind. Although not as readily available as stabilisers, these fuels have low or zero ethanol content, allowing you to keep your classic motorcycle in storage for longer if required!
We are the world's sole manufacturer of Amal carburetters and spares, built by Burlen's passionate colleagues on-site at our factory in Britain. Visit our website to order Amal parts, or contact our friendly team for technical advice and help.
Once the stabiliser has been added, run the engine for a few minutes to allow the stabilised petrol to flush through the carburetters and into the engine.
You can then turn off the petrol taps and drain the carburetter float chambers of fuel. Alternatively, if the carburetter doesn't have a drain plug on the float chamber, turn off the tap on the bike whilst sat idling, and allow the remaining fuel in the carburetters to be used up, until your bike shuts down from lack of fuel.
One alternative to adding stabilisers to be considered, especially with advancements in fuel technologies, is to look at storing your bike with fuels that have been specifically designed for classic vehicles and motorcycles in mind. Although not as readily available as stabilisers, these fuels have low or zero ethanol content, allowing you to keep your classic motorcycle in storage for longer if required!
We are the world's sole manufacturer of Amal carburetters and spares, built by Burlen's passionate colleagues on-site at our factory in Britain. Visit our website to order Amal parts, or contact our friendly team for technical advice and help.
