Luckily he pulled the battery before he parked it so there shouldn’t be too much trouble there.

Scot makes most excellent points, but in regard to what it costs, it was your Dad's bike and it is Father's Day, so I say break the bank and get her done. Not sure where you are located but doing it yourself is a Club Canon, so there is that...but I think you may need professional help, check the dAIRectory for Air Head friendly shops in your neighborhood. check the Air Mail ads, heck I read them first and last (no offense to our awesome editors and writers!, I promise to contribute soon). The point being, these folks are experts and I have never been let down dealing with any of them. I have found may will technical consult over the phone so as to have a 10 minute conversation versus wasting time figuring out if you need a part or not.

You are in the right spot. I am quite handy (having been a gunsmith for years, and a full shop full of tools), the knowledge here will get you going in the right direction for sure.

Courtney
#16121
1988 R100RT

Thoughts...
► I agree, the first thing to do is (with spark plugs removed) put the engine in high gear and see if manually bumping the rear wheel will turn the engine at all. You might try spraying some professional grade penetrant, such as Kroil or PB Blaster, down the plug holes. Don't be stingy with the penetrant.

There's no use to change the oils or spend any other money until the engine turns over.

► The second thing to do is contact your state's Air Marshal and find a Tech Day near you. Make plans to haul the bike to the next Tech Day. Contact the Tech Day host and have a conversation with him so he can be prepared with the parts you might need. If the engine will turn over, there's a good chance they can get it to run by substituting the carbs and fuel tank off another bike.

► Either the engine will NOT turn over and is rusted solid... in which case you need to keep soaking the interior of the cylinders with penetrant, OR... The engine will turn over in some shape, form, or fashion.

► If the engine will rotate fully, THEN you may drain and change all the fluids. DO NOT change the oil filter !! Drain the fuel tank and carbs. Clean the carbs.

► Buy a new battery and (with 2 new spark plugs resting on the cylinder heads) see if the engine will turn over with the electric starter.

► There is a remote chance that if the battery can be used to turn the engine, that fitted with a known good set of carbs, known fresh fuel, and starting fluid, that the Tech Day guys can coax the engine into starting. If so, you'll want a big fan on the engine so it can be run about 5 minutes at various RPM to see if the rings will re-seat and stop burning oil.

In the end, it may still need to be taken apart anyway to run correctly and be reliable, but when the first cylinder head nut comes off you can kiss $1000 goodbye. So you always want to put off engine disassembly as long as possible.

► The ultimate goal of all this exercise is to ride the bike. If you make it this far, then you do indeed own the 8th Wonder of the World, but that is a remote possibility you need to aim for. If you can ride the bike for just 20 miles, then lots of engine ailments will self-heal. Compression will rise and oil burning will dwindle.

At 20-25 miles change all the fluids again, this time with a new engine oil filter. Read up on the perils of the "$2000 o-ring" before you attempt to change the oil filter.

► The hydraulic brakes are probably in worse shape than the engine. You'll need new tires. The fuel tank may have rust holes. You probably have mice in the air filter. In short it's going to be an adventure of mammoth proportions, but in the end you'll end up with one of the very best motorcycles ever made. You cannot buy a new motorcycle this nice on any sales floor in the country, and having been your dad's, it will carry a lot of meaning and memories. Your time will be well spent.

PUT YOUR LOCATION IN YOUR PROFILE AND MORE PEOPLE WILL HELP YOU.

All the best.