Well this time of year sucks…
it is about time to put the winter air in the tires… a few things you might want to consider before storing the bike for the winter.. (if I miss anything, add on!)
the following is just what I have learned to do over the years.. I stored vehicles at my garage over the years in AZ. Customers drop them off, and pick them up 6 months later.. (this was summer storage but same idea as winterizing)
Starting the bike during the winter although practiced by many, is not the best idea.. I suggest if you have winterized your bike correctly, there is no advantage to starting the bike and will most likely be detrimental.. If you must do something? Cleaning is always a good idea..
Think I got the lions share of “To Do’sâ€â€¦ if I missed anything? Post it up!
it is about time to put the winter air in the tires… a few things you might want to consider before storing the bike for the winter.. (if I miss anything, add on!)
the following is just what I have learned to do over the years.. I stored vehicles at my garage over the years in AZ. Customers drop them off, and pick them up 6 months later.. (this was summer storage but same idea as winterizing)
- Parking place for the season: a nice heated garage is probably the best but many if not most do not have this luxury.. I have and attached garage that usually stays within 30 or 40 degrees of the house temp. If you must store the bike outside? Cover it with a cover that can breathe. Trapped humidity will kill the “Shiny†on most bikes.. I would suggest coughing up the $$ for a rental storage area if you can not provide some type of climate controlled area in snow country..
- Service the bike now..
- Fully warm up the bike engine (go take a ride)
- flush cooling system
- flush brake system
- clean lube the chain,
- air up the tires to max psi
- fill the fuel tank (most important) Stabil or like is ok but not really required. The “FULL†tank takes care of most issues. Full tank keeps the air exchange to a minimum and stops the oxidation of the fuel.
- “FOG†the motor.. there are a number of engine “fogging†products that when sprayed into the motor while running, will coat the cylinder walls and other moving parts with oil.. Briggs and Stratton, Yamaha, Pennzoil, Golden Eagle all have these products
- Change the oil… (done last) I would suggest not starting the motor when done but a quick start long enough to get oil pressure wont hurt a thing.. Running the motor for any time will remove the fogging oil and also collect condensation in the motor (bad)
- wash/ wax painted surfaces,
- Battery Tender: should keep the battery happy, do NOT use a normal charger, you will toast the battery.. Do make sure the battery is full of water if it has caps.
- Chrome/wheels/leather should all be cleaned and polished.. a bit of spray oil can prevent corrosion on bare metal parts (chains, fort tubes etc)
- Cover pipe outlets.. I use glad bags with rubber bands. This keeps air exchange to a minimum. Air carries moisture and that is your biggest enemy. Covering velocity stacks would help more.. “air tight†is good
- Bike on stands.. Most certainly a good idea to get the tires off the ground completely..
- Cover the bike with a “breathable†cover.. the plastic tarps you find in most stores are terrible options.. they do not allow air exchange and will turn into “sauna’s†and make a total mess of your bike. Waterproof is not a good idea.. I have a “Geeza†cover and love it..
Starting the bike during the winter although practiced by many, is not the best idea.. I suggest if you have winterized your bike correctly, there is no advantage to starting the bike and will most likely be detrimental.. If you must do something? Cleaning is always a good idea..
Think I got the lions share of “To Do’sâ€â€¦ if I missed anything? Post it up!
