Although you may not be riding your motorcycle during the winter time, you still need to care for it so that when the time comes for you to ride it when warmer weather hits, you won’t find yourself doing loads of maintenance to it before getting a chance to take it out for a nice spin. Want to learn more? Keep reading for a list of tips on how to keep your motorcycle protected in cold weather.
Fill Up the Tank
You want to make sure you fill up your motorcycle tank before putting it in storage so you don’t find yourself needing to go to the gas station for a fill up before getting a chance to enjoy a nice long ride on it. Make sure to also add some fuel stabilizer once you top off your tank with gas to keep your gas from turning into muck while being stored. Let your bike run for a few minutes so the fuel stabilizer can run its cycle.
Fill Up the Fluids in Your Bike
You will want to also double check the motorcycle’s brake, clutch, and coolant fluids and top them off if necessary. Just make sure to go by the manufacturer of your bike for the right type of fluids it needs. You can also drain the fluids while it is being stored for the winter and then refill when you are ready to ride it again in the spring. Don’t forget that if you live in an area where the temperatures get really cold, you will want to check the antifreeze in your bike as well. Also, take some lube and lube up your cables that go to your clutch, kickstand, shifter, and throttle to ensure they don’t accumulate moisture and get rusty during storage. Just try to make sure you don’t get the lube on your tires.
Keep it Stored in a Dry Place
You will want to ensure if you are not going to be riding your motorcycle for a while, to store it in a dry and safe place. Safe to keep the thieves away and dry to keep it protected from the elements. If you have a garage, you can put it in there. If you don’t have a garage, get in contact with some bikers and ask them for a recommendation for a good place to store your baby. Just understand that you will have to pay a fee for it to be stored someplace else. If you have bought any motorcycle gear from a shop like motochanic.com you should store this in plastic containers until you need it again.
Other little things you should do before putting your motorcycle in storage for the winter and to keep it protected from the cold include changing the oil and filter plug before storing it or before taking it back out to ride, keeping your battery charged by starting it up every once in a while, and tending to your tires. Storing your bike up off the ground is a good idea if you can because it will keep pressure off the tires and this will avoid uneven wear and flat spots.
All-in-all, if you care for your ride like you should, everything will be fine when it is time to take it for a ride again in the spring.