Bike storage with PD42 carbs

[Jon D]

Hi all
I have often visited your website for useful tips on looking after my bike, so thought it was about time I contributed.
Thought I would post this for anyone interested.
I have a 1977 750 sohc F2 which I have owned since 1980.
Only does a couple hundred miles a year and sometimes none at all.
Back end of last summer accelerator pump stopped working. Have just got round to sorting it.
Carbs have not been off the bike since 1982. Thought as I need to sort accelerator pump they were probably due a clean. Took them off the bike and started to strip them. Amazingly they were almost spotless internally(surprising given the bad rep the PD42 carbs get). There was a very small amount of dirt/sediment at the bottom of the float bowls which washed straight out with a quick blast of carb cleaner. All jets were clear and accelerator pump was clear but diaphragm was rotted out. So looks like my storage routine works well(apart from accelerator pump diaphragm which at 46 years old was probably due a replacement).
When it goes away for the winter I brim fill the tank and drain the carbs, if I have not used it enough for the fuel (always super unleaded) to be fresh I drain the tank and fill with fresh. I am fortunate in that I have a bone dry centrally heated garage so just put a dust cover over it. I then start it every 6 weeks or so and let it get up to temperature. Then I drain the carbs and brim fill the tank again. I have never used fuel stabiliser although I have occasionally (probably once every five years, and when I know I will use a full tank) put some carb cleaner petrol additive in. I always drain the carbs if I am not going to be using it for more than a couple of weeks. Exhaust was fitted in 2002 and does not seem to have suffered any internal rotting from being started periodically.

I am not claiming this is the right way to store bikes but it works for me and my F2 seems to be happy with it.

Thought this may be of interest given the many conflicting opinions on bike storage, real world experience over many years.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

My Yamaha  XJ 900 was only used in the summer - I never drained the carbs just used Wynn's Dry Fuel with a brimmed tank of SUL over winter. Over 10 winters no problem with blocked jets or flooding - might be the jets were too big to block up lol

[Johnny4428]

Come to think about it I’ve had the Pan for 9 years almost. Never drained anything. Never used additives. And it has been off road some winters for several months at a time. Winter lay up consists of plugging in to optimiser. Maybe should be doing more? Although now I keep it on the road all year.

[K2-K6]

Welcome to the forum Jon D.

Seems like you've been quite effective in looking after the F2, tested over substantial period too  I've always liked the F2, very good to ride and good looking.

The PD cards, I can obviously see there's strong opinions  about them, but do think they are an excellent design in carburation terms. They run more optimum non load mixture (rather than excess) with attendant benefits in more complete combustion, supplemented by the pump to stoke it when needed for acceleration.  In reality,  metering close towards fuel injection system in their accuracy. A very good technical design.

Which colour F2 is it ?

[Jon D]

Hi K2-K6
It is black, but I have resprayed it a couple of times. Not an original colour scheme, I have it to use(although not that much) so it is not standard, so not one for the purists