Storing Your Motorcycle For The Winter Season
As the weather gets cooler, is your motorcycle ready to be put up for the winter? Regardless whether you plan to ride your bike in the nippy cold of winter or not, we have some tips for you. Then again, you may have your own reasons for abstaining from riding - it may be due to travel, or maybe your wife or boss thinks you're a Hell's Angel and wants you to stop. Fortunately for you, these tips to keep your motorcycle in tip-top condition are of the "quick and painless" variety, and it wouldn't take you too long to accomplish the tasks below to ensure that your bike looks and feels brand new in the winter months.
The first thing you would want to check would be whether your fuel system is optimized or not. The best way to do this is to get the level as low as you can, then add a fuel stabilizer additive. The additive must eventually be mixed in with your fuel system, so to do this, take your bike on a ride for a few miles to achieve this result. And when you're ready to take an actual ride, you can then gas the baby up and you're all set.
The next step would be to divest your motorcycle of any grime accumulated over the past few months. In order to remove the nasty grease and grime, you will need to use a top quality degreasing product. Don't forget to work on your suspension system and the brakes. For the brakes, they need to be re-lubricated after cleaning the brake calipers.
Make sure that your bike is completely dry. Compressed air would work especially well.
Next re-lubricate the motorcycle. When re-lubricating your motorcycle, the entire brakes (meaning both calipers and discs) have to be covered. This should be a comprehensive process covering joints and pivot points. Regular chain lube is usually good enough for moving parts and surfaces. We advise the use of corrosion treatments - just don't use them with your brakes.
To give your bike a nice spit-shine, use only the best wax. Again, avoid the brakes.
Get the tires up and off of the ground. If you own a center stand for this, that's brilliant. But if you do not own one, then get a pair of stands post-haste. You won't regret investing in a pair.
A battery tender can spare you of the anguish that usually follows when you realize your batteries need replacement in the spring. You and your bike would be better for it, believe us.
Finally, invest in a cover for your motorcycle. It also should be of flexible, breathing material to avoid condensation.
Here's hoping you enjoyed our compendium of helpful hints to keep your bike in prime condition if not to be ridden for a while. Always remember that an ounce of prevention is always greater than a pound of cure.
The first thing you would want to check would be whether your fuel system is optimized or not. The best way to do this is to get the level as low as you can, then add a fuel stabilizer additive. The additive must eventually be mixed in with your fuel system, so to do this, take your bike on a ride for a few miles to achieve this result. And when you're ready to take an actual ride, you can then gas the baby up and you're all set.
The next step would be to divest your motorcycle of any grime accumulated over the past few months. In order to remove the nasty grease and grime, you will need to use a top quality degreasing product. Don't forget to work on your suspension system and the brakes. For the brakes, they need to be re-lubricated after cleaning the brake calipers.
Make sure that your bike is completely dry. Compressed air would work especially well.
Next re-lubricate the motorcycle. When re-lubricating your motorcycle, the entire brakes (meaning both calipers and discs) have to be covered. This should be a comprehensive process covering joints and pivot points. Regular chain lube is usually good enough for moving parts and surfaces. We advise the use of corrosion treatments - just don't use them with your brakes.
To give your bike a nice spit-shine, use only the best wax. Again, avoid the brakes.
Get the tires up and off of the ground. If you own a center stand for this, that's brilliant. But if you do not own one, then get a pair of stands post-haste. You won't regret investing in a pair.
A battery tender can spare you of the anguish that usually follows when you realize your batteries need replacement in the spring. You and your bike would be better for it, believe us.
Finally, invest in a cover for your motorcycle. It also should be of flexible, breathing material to avoid condensation.
Here's hoping you enjoyed our compendium of helpful hints to keep your bike in prime condition if not to be ridden for a while. Always remember that an ounce of prevention is always greater than a pound of cure.