Preparing Your Bike for the Winter

It is a heartbreaking experience, pulling your trusty steed out of the spot where moss has started to form around the tires. As you push it out to a nice clear space to start it, you wonder why you don’t remember your bike weighing this much. You soon realize that the rolling resistance is caused by the completely flat rear tire .

Then you turn the key. Although the headlight comes on, when you push the starter button, the motor hardly turns over. Damn. If you are lucky, then there is merely a single plastic cover over your battery. However, if you have a full fairing, out come the tools.

Once the fairing is off you realize that the battery is low on water. Usually this is an easy thing to fix, except that your terminals are corroded together. Double damn. Suddenly the pleasant day of riding has turned into two hours of work, frustration, and the delusion that the birds chirping merrily in the background are actually mocking you.

There are a few simple steps that you can take to make sure that this isn’t your beginning of the riding season scenario. The simplest answer is of course to not end the riding season. Brad Lawrie commutes daily on his motorcycle and his response to storing his bike for the off season is, “There’s an off season?” Through the use of proper riding gear, including electric clothing, he is able to ride year round.

However, if you are not into riding during inclement weather (safety first) then you will have to prepare your bike for storage. First, get a cover of some sort. Covers are fairly inexpensive and can be found at most auto parts stores and motorcycle dealerships.

Disconnect the battery. This does two things positive for you. First, trying to get corroded terminals to disconnect is an arduous task, as they are usually brass and can strip easily. Also, if there is a slow voltage leak, it will keep your battery from draining. If you have a garage, getting a Battery Tender is a great idea. This is a product that charges your battery and keeps it at a constant charge without blowing it up.

Also before you store your motorcycle, you should address the fuel. Gasoline degrades quickly, so adding something like Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer will help keep the fuel in the tank from turning into paint thinner later. And speaking of your carbs, draining them is always a good idea for long term storage. As the fuel breaks down, it leaves a gummy residue on important internal parts, keeping your bike from performing at its peak.

Taking these small steps before the weather kicks you off your bike, will save you a huge headache when the sun does come out for the season.