Winter Preparation - Motorcycle Storage
Winter is just around the corner, and now is the time to prepare your ride for the winter months. If you’re planning on parking up your ride through the winter, there’s a few things you’ll have to do to ensure your motorcycle is ride ready when summer returns. Follow our guide below to ensure your bike is in tip top shape and ready to burn rubber when summer returns.
Contrary to common belief it isn’t recommended to drain your fuel tank as it will cause your seals to dry out which can lead to gas leaks, contaminated fuel and a painful delay to your summer riding. Fill your tank as much as possible to prevent excess moisture absorption from the air and top off your tank with some Fuel Stabiliser and then run for a few minutes to ensure the stabiliser gets through all your injectors or carburettors. We recommend spraying your bike with silicone before storing, for the best application spray into a rag or cloth and wipe evenly over your motorcycle. The Silicone will prevent any rust from forming due to damp air. Avoid getting any on your tyres, brakes, grips or footpegs and don’t over apply as it will just drip off and onto the floor creating a hazardous mess.
Unless recently done it’s a great idea to change your oil and oil filter, having a fresh coat of oil sitting in the bike prevents grime and dirt from soaking for several months. After replacing the oil run the bike for a few minutes to get the new oil around your engine ensuring all parts are coated with fresh oil.
Most modern motorcycles have several systems that run when the bike is off such as alarms, any accessory products and the motorcycles ECU. After several months it is almost guaranteed that your battery will be flat if left unattended, we recommend a battery maintainer to keep the battery at proper charge to avoid costly battery failure. Makers of the worlds best powersports batteries Motobatt also offer a complete range of accessories including chargers & maintainers for excellent battery care.
Replace your air filter, again this is to just assure that you are ride ready when summer returns and you can once again burn some rubber. Along with your air filter we advise you check the wear of your chain, sprockets and brake pads and replace if necessary. Combine with a white’s exhaust plug to prevent moisture in your exhaust pipes to ensure your bike starts quick and easy after hibernation.
While sitting stationary for long periods of time your tyres can develop flat spots. It is best to take the weight off the tyres by lifting the bike with a front and rear lift stand. If new stands are out of your budget, we recommend moving the bike forward or back a bit every week to prevent flat spots developing. Alternatively, if your tyres are needing replacement leave the bike as is and replace your tyres just as summer rolls around. Finally, you’ll want to prevent any excess dust and dirt build up on your motorcycle, Oxford bike covers are an affordable solution for preventing dust and dirt build up on your motorcycle, ensuring it remains clean and tidy for your summer riding.
