How I Winterizing My Motorcycle...

 

 

 

Winter is fast approaching and if you live in a cold climate it's time to store your bike for the season. In preparing to storing your bike for a few months over the winter, your main concern is to avoid corrosion while in storage and the goal is to have a bike that is ready to go when you are.

One solution may be to ask your dealer if he offers a storage program. This is ideal because he will often prep, store, and have the bike ready to ride when you are ready again. If you decide to store it yourself, you will need a place that is dry and out of harm's way.

Avoid corrosion while in storage

When my motorcycle-riding season ends, these tips for storing my motorcycle safely are helpful to me...

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Oil Change

Before storing my motorcycle for an extended period of time, like during non-riding winter months, it's important to protect the engine by replacing the old oil with fresh new oil. After changing the oil, I'll start the engine and let it run for a few minutes at idle, to be sure the new oil is fully circulated throughout the engine. Running the engine also help remove any moisture that may have accumulated.

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Purge the Carbs

For my carbonated motorcycles, I don't allow let fuel sit in the carbs for an extended period because over time, like during the winter months, gasoline will begin to break-down and leave harmful residue in the carbs. I drain the fuel from the carbs to keep the internal parks clean. I'll fill the tank with fuel and I'll add some fuel stabilizer (found at your local motorcycle shop) to be sure the inside of the tank wont rust.

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Wash Motorcycle

Before I park my pride-and-joy away for the winter, I like to wash it thoroughly to be sure there isn't any tar or oils and other road-grime on my bike that could potentially harm the paint, chrome or anything else. Not only does this help insure keeping my bike looking it's best, it's also a really good feeling when I take my bike out of storage and see it all shiny and clean.

I'll also carefully clean the windscreen with special cleaners to be sure I've removed all the bugs - bugs on the windscreen (and paint and chrome) are not only unsightly, they're also naturally acidic and over time can damage the surface. I find it best to remove all these harmful residues on my motorcycle before parking my bike for the winter. I've found that even the most basic cleaners available at the bike shops are very helpful in removing bugs and road-tars and other contaminants. I'm also patient, and I'll allow the cleaners to soak-in before wiping clean - scrubbing can easily scratch the surface, but with the cleaners, the debris become softer and wipe clean easily.

I like to put a small amount of wax on the painted areas of my motorcycle before parking it for the winter. I find that this helps keep condensation from collecting and potentially damaging my bike. I'll do my best to include the frame, even if it's a bit hard to reach in certain areas.

Cleaning the chrome and aluminum parts of my motorcycle is also important. After, I'll add a nice chrome polish to keep the shiny parts shiny. Sometimes I'll also carefully add some silicone to help keep the tarnish off.

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Chain

I prefer to have my motorcycle's chain adjusted to spec before putting my bike away for the winter. I'll also clean the chain thoroughly and then lube it - usually with more lube than when I'm riding it - then I'll remove the excess when I take the bike out of storage after the winter.

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Battery

Knowing that my motorcycle's battery wont be used for a month or more, I've always used a battery tender (also know as a "trickle-charger"). This helps extend the life of the battery. I'll remove the battery from the motorcycle's frame and store it separately in a clean and dry and ventilated location (usually atop my work-bench). And just like the rest of my motorcycle, I want to store it clean - so I'll clean the terminals of any built-up residue or corrosion. After cleaning, I'll add a small amount of grease or Vaseline on the terminals and bolts to be help keep them free of corrosion all winter. I'll also check to be sure the battery has the correct amount of electrolyte, and add as necessary (some newer batteries don't require adding any fluid).

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Tires

Whenever possible, I'll park my motorcycle on it's center-stand to avoid putting too much pressure on the rear tire while in storage.

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Coolant

I'll replace the engines coolant, or at the very least, I'll be sure to add the proper amount of anti-freeze.

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Brakes

I prefer to change the brake fluid on my motorcycle every season and I typically do this as I'm taking my bike out storage after sitting all winter. The fluid is in a closed-system, but can sometimes "leak" condensation over time.

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Exhaust

Although I've never experienced this myself, I've heard stories where bugs or rodents have made a home inside the exhaust pipes of a motorcycle. Although this sounds odd, I believe it can happen. And so to avoid this, I simply put a plug at the end of the pipes to prevent anything from getting inside. I'll also spray a small amount of DW-40 inside the pipes to help prevent moisture build-up inside the exhaust.

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What are your "winterizing" Tips?

Please leave a comment...

 

Ride on!

—Michael Murray
Owner | Rider | Enthiusiast

michael@motorcycletraveldvds.com

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