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Many bike owners who aren't year-round riders choose to garage or
store their most prized possession during the winter months. For
those of you who store your rides in the winter, here are a few tips
on how to properly store and maintain your motorcycle, which if
followed, should yield years of enjoyment and plenty of seat time.
First off it's important to note the difference between storing
your bike for the winter and storing it for an indefinite period of
time. These situations have separate requirements and procedures (the
latter requiring you to drain all fluids), and in this article we're
just focusing on the winter storage, which only lasts a few months.
The first thing to do is to determine where the bike is going to be
stored. Will it be in your own garage, a friend's garage, a public
storage area, covered area, and/or is the storage space heated? You
get the picture. Wherever the storage area might be, make sure it's
clean, dry, and out of direct sunlight or harsh weather. Next you'll
need to get the bike properly prepared, which means washing it and
cleaning it in all areas, even the hard to reach spots. Make sure
that all of the chrome, rubber, paint, and vinyl parts are clean and
free of any oils or contaminants.
Once that's been done, you'll need to purchase and add fuel
stabilizer to the gas tank. This is an extremely important step in
this process because gasoline deteriorates rapidly over time and this
will prevent it from gumming up or varnishing in the fuel lines (not
a good thing). Also, the fuel stabilizer will thwart condensation in
the tank, which can also be a huge headache down the road if your gas
tank starts to rust inside. It's also a good idea to have the oil and
coolant changed at this point if you haven't already done it recently
so that when you start the bike up in the spring it's all ready to
go. Once all of the fresh lubricants are in place and the fuel
stabilizer is in the tank, make sure to run the engine for a few
minutes to circulate it through the entire fuel system.
You will want to lubricate the chain, cables, and any other
greased parts. Next you should check and or disconnect the battery
altogether. You should also check the tire pressure one last time
(something that should be done each time you ride). Finally, the bike
needs a good quality cover, which lets air in and keeps moisture out.
Plastic tarps or covers don't do a good job of protecting your bike
because they tend to trap moisture inside and cause rust.
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Santa says he'll be at the dealership on Saturday, December 14th.
He's bringing some Elves and will do free photos with the kids - big
or little!
