Advice for 1994 Diversion

Motorcycling
1

Hi folks

I’ve not ridden for almost a year and my bike’s just been sitting in the garage all that time. I’ve started it up a couple of times and it’s fine with choke, but it hasn’t moved, just been warmed up. I keep forgetting so the last time was a good couple of months ago!

I’m nearly ready to start riding again. Somebody I know who works in a garage has just told me that the battery is likely screwed, and that the petrol will be mouldy. This makes me a bit scared of trying to ride it to the garage without it being looked at first (I really know nothing about bikes other than how to ride them).

I’ll be taking it to DMC in Dalston, and if anyone knows if they can be recommended for servicing as well as MOT, that’d be good to know (they didn’t do a great job of replacing a front tyre once). I guess I’d better get a full service at the same time. How much am I looking at?

Thanks for help!

2

first thing, if the bike starts ok on choke, the battery will probably be fine. If you want to be sure about it, take it out the bike and plug it into the mains via a wall charger to top it up.
petrol doesn’t go “mouldy” per se, it just loses it’s ability to explode because it evaporates over time. Put a litre of new stuff in it, slosh it around a bit and take it down to the mechanic for a check over. Bearing in mind again if it starts ok on choke then the petrol will probably be fine.

realistically if I were you, I’d get breakdown assist to check you’re covered in case it konks out and go out for a couple of hours. it sounds to me like your bike will be fine.
then I’d consider changing the oil, possibly.