Author Topic: How does your bike smell? (Read 4132 times)

robdrobd · « **on:** August 28, 2011, 05:31:49 PM »

My wife complains that my bike smells up the garage (exhaust and gas). Does anyone else have this problem? Bike runs well and us not leaking any fluids. It's a 76 750k

pknopp · « **Reply #1 on:** August 28, 2011, 05:37:42 PM »

You aren't really supposed to start it in the garage. If nothing is leaking or I don't start it in the garage I've never had anyone complain. Even a little gas can smell things up pretty good.

robdrobd · « **Reply #2 on:** August 28, 2011, 05:37:43 PM »

I think my gas cap seal/ gasket is shot. Could that cause the smell(or any others problems for that matter?)

Nortstudio · « **Reply #3 on:** August 28, 2011, 05:44:02 PM »

Hopefully that gasket doesn't drop pieces into the tank. That could cause issues. But probably not with the wife

Gordon · « **Reply #4 on:** August 28, 2011, 05:56:01 PM »

I bet you have a small gas leak you don't know about. It could easily evaporate faster than it's leaking. Doesn't take much to smell up an enclosed space.

pknopp · « **Reply #5 on:** August 28, 2011, 06:00:07 PM »

Quote from: robdrobd on August 28, 2011, 05:37:43 PM

I think my gas cap seal/ gasket is shot. Could that cause the smell(or any others problems for that matter?)

I'd say it's possible.

WarwickE36 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 28, 2011, 06:15:05 PM »

problem isnt with the bike....

fmctm1sw · « **Reply #7 on:** August 28, 2011, 06:27:35 PM »

I bring mine in after a ride and if I go back in later, it's like 150 degrees in there!

Greggo · « **Reply #8 on:** August 28, 2011, 06:31:05 PM »

I think mine smells pretty sexy!

Rgconner · « **Reply #9 on:** August 28, 2011, 06:49:45 PM »

Smells like my grandfather's workshop, where he repaired Hondas and other small engines.

And yes, I start it out by the street, so the wife does not complain tooo much.

Brandotheamazing · « **Reply #10 on:** August 28, 2011, 07:28:36 PM »

Mine smells, had it in the front breezeway of the house i live in for a while, staircase smelled. I have an 84 vf700 in the same spot, no smell.

Duke McDukiedook · « **Reply #11 on:** August 28, 2011, 07:34:27 PM »

Like victory.

ekpent · « **Reply #12 on:** August 28, 2011, 07:39:09 PM »

Is the area where you store your bike also the workshop?? All the junk and crap it takes to work on the bike may smell more than it. I have an offsite shop but it still takes a lot of work to keep it and my garage at home clean and free from oil and gas etc.Throw away or burn old oily rags.cardboard etc,,stuff is not rare,you can get more

robdrobd · « **Reply #13 on:** August 28, 2011, 07:46:08 PM »

Yeah, I do just throw oily and gas rags on the floor

ekpent · « **Reply #14 on:** August 28, 2011, 07:58:48 PM »

MAMA Don't like that

But she will get used to it---------

Doggie · « **Reply #15 on:** August 28, 2011, 08:05:12 PM »

With oily and gas rags on the floor, you have to watch for spontanious combustion. As a Firemen, I have seen it set a garage on fire. Not good.
Doggie

robdrobd · « **Reply #16 on:** August 28, 2011, 08:09:25 PM »

Maybe I will do a little cleaning tomorrow.

vames · « **Reply #17 on:** August 28, 2011, 08:14:24 PM »

Just put a pine tree air freshener in the airbox. Problem solved.

ekpent · « **Reply #18 on:** August 28, 2011, 08:22:15 PM »

What if he has pods

vames · « **Reply #19 on:** August 28, 2011, 08:25:07 PM »

Quote from: ekpent on August 28, 2011, 08:22:15 PM

What if he has pods

He'll need to add a Febreze Injection system, I guess.

Gordon · « **Reply #20 on:** August 28, 2011, 09:31:39 PM »

Quote from: vames on August 28, 2011, 08:25:07 PM

Quote from: ekpent on August 28, 2011, 08:22:15 PM
What if he has pods

He'll need to add a Febreze Injection system, I guess.

If you're not in marketing, you should be.

Spanner 1 · « **Reply #21 on:** August 28, 2011, 09:33:44 PM »

CB 750's have a peculiar oil/gas smell that is completely unique to them and is a total 'smell memory' from when I first encountered one (K1 ) in 1970. When I rescued that 750A in 2006 the 'smell' of that bike totally brought back 40 yr. old memories., especially when I first got it running, it smelled like a 750....I even said it here , how much I recognised that smell from many years before

. It's a very satisfying thing and , if I may say, only recognisable to folks who were first around these bikes a lot of
years ago.

Gordon · « **Reply #22 on:** August 28, 2011, 10:15:31 PM »

Okay, Rob, I'll relent and tell you how I solved the problem of the smelly bikes, once and for all! This information may or may not be useful to you at this stage of your life.

First off, I found and married a woman who finds the smell of gasoline, oil and grease on me to be a turn-on (especially if I'm wearing my coveralls).

Second, the garage is motorcycle territory ONLY! No cars are parked in the garage unless they're being worked on. We both understand and accept this as a fact of life. I have my garage, she has her craft room. I firmly believe that partners in a relationship each need a space that is their own. Her's is climate-controlled, mine is not, so she's happy with it.

When we lived in Denver, as a courtesy I would dig her car out and clear it off in the event of a snow storm before she had to leave for work. Depending on how much snow you get in Syracuse, this may be a deal-breaker.

robdrobd · « **Reply #23 on:** August 29, 2011, 05:13:26 AM »

Yeah, about 185 inches a year!!! Deal breaker and back breaker!

magnum56 · « **Reply #24 on:** August 29, 2011, 06:37:31 AM »

Quote from: Gordon on August 28, 2011, 10:15:31 PM

Okay, Rob, I'll relent and tell you how I solved the problem of the smelly bikes, once and for all! This information may or may not be useful to you at this stage of your life.

First off, I found and married a woman who finds the smell of gasoline, oil and grease on me to be a turn-on (especially if I'm wearing my coveralls).

Second, the garage is motorcycle territory ONLY! No cars are parked in the garage unless they're being worked on. We both understand and accept this as a fact of life. I have my garage, she has her craft room. I firmly believe that partners in a relationship each need a space that is their own. Her's is climate-controlled, mine is not, so she's happy with it.

When we lived in Denver, as a courtesy I would dig her car out and clear it off in the event of a snow storm before she had to leave for work. Depending on how much snow you get in Syracuse, this may be a deal-breaker.

I agree, the garage is my territory, (as close to a man cave as I have), so as long as I can stand it, all is good.

Although my garage is also detached from the house, I could see a potential issue if you have an attached garage.

KingCustomCycles.com · « **Reply #25 on:** August 29, 2011, 07:00:34 AM »

Wives are easy to come by, clean vintage Honda's not so much. Smells like money, and grinding dust.

Lil Red · « **Reply #26 on:** August 29, 2011, 07:09:56 AM »

Well, I just got into a CB400f (See:Barn Find Thread) and posted a comment on the smell of the bike and it seemingly volcanic heat output...attributing it to burning of patina and perhaps varnish...it had sat dry of gas but full of oil since 1985...but speaking of smell memory....it took me back to a CL175 I rode a while in my teens when they were pretty new...And I felt more comfortable about it all after that...and with everything now being watercooled I guess there's just a big difference...Old VW's I had would lend a distinct smell to the garage....now the 400 does too...my wife noted the smell but made no negative comments about it...just that it's distinct from the 79 Guzzi which is also aircooled but has it's own distinct aroma...perhaps due to it being a dry clutch with a seperate gear oil filled tranny....

BobbyR · « **Reply #27 on:** August 29, 2011, 08:02:44 AM »

Lay some newspaper under that whole section from the cylinders to the back of the engine. Let it sit overnight or longer. Look for stains or smell it, if you have a mild gas leak the paper will catch it and you can smell it. If it does not and you have the gas smell, it is venting which happens when it is warm in garage.

xsmooth69x · « **Reply #28 on:** August 29, 2011, 08:08:13 AM »

fresh cut roses on an open meadow

also excellence

Don R · « **Reply #29 on:** August 29, 2011, 08:45:20 AM »

Gordon got it on his first post. If I leave my petcock on I know when I open the garage door. There is no puddle or stain on the engine but I can smell the fuel.

robdrobd · « **Reply #30 on:** August 29, 2011, 09:39:11 AM »

There was a pretty strong smell coming from around the gas cap. I think I will replace the cap gasket and see if it helps a little.

zackblack · « **Reply #31 on:** August 29, 2011, 05:00:30 PM »

Mine smells like napalm when I start it up...

...could be the straight pipes that make it smell that way

mrbreeze · « **Reply #32 on:** August 29, 2011, 05:17:38 PM »

I just got a new to me 74' K tank last month and while it didn't leak on the floor....It did stink up the garage where the hot water heater lives

I ordered new petcock gaskets from Service Honda....installed them and all is well. I make it a point to turn my valve off but it will still run through if your gaskets/seals are bad.

Stev-o · « **Reply #33 on:** August 29, 2011, 07:07:28 PM »

My wife also complained about gas one day, my project K4 had leaked gas and the fumes made it inside from the attached garage. I also don't start the bikes in the garage.

I don't understand why guys don't park there cars in the garage? There is no way I am parking my G35 outside!

bjatwood · « **Reply #34 on:** August 29, 2011, 07:11:56 PM »

I definitely think there is something to the venting when the bikes is warm and slowly cooling down. The morning after a ride I can smell the bike. The next mornning if I haven't rode the bike le smell is gone, no more Pepe le Pew

robdrobd · « **Reply #35 on:** August 29, 2011, 07:13:45 PM »

My truck goes in when snow flies and the bike gets put in storage for about 5 1/2 months. Syracuse winters are pretty rough. Ride until October if lucky, maybe get it back out in late April.

Gordon · « **Reply #36 on:** August 29, 2011, 09:19:02 PM »

Quote from: robdrobd on August 29, 2011, 07:13:45 PM

My truck goes in when snow flies and the bike gets put in storage for about 5 1/2 months. Syracuse winters are pretty rough. Ride until October if lucky, maybe get it back out in late April.

That's perfect, then! Half of the year the bike gets the garage, and the other bad weather half of the year the car gets the garage.

TrueSpin · « **Reply #37 on:** August 30, 2011, 06:58:47 AM »

My bike smells like violence.

In all reality, it smells like a 30+ year old Japanese hunk of crap. It reminds me of the hot transmission smell my old RX7s used to have.

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Author Topic: How does your bike smell? (Read 4132 times)

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