Table of Contents
- Motorcycle/Scooter Winter Storage
- Wash Her Up!
- Oil & Filter Change
- Fuel Preparation
- Proper Coolant
- Lube Chain & Cables
- Protect Them Tires
- Plug It Up
- Battery Tender
- Keep it Covered
Motorcycle/Scooter Winter Storage
Winter is coming… Winter is coming indeed, and most people in various areas start storing their bikes for the upcoming season. However, simply putting a quality motorcycle cover over your bike might not be the best way to keep it stored for the winter. For us here at DROWsports, that is a no-no. We are going to throw together some quick tips for you to store your bike through that freezing cold and make it as painless as possible to read!
Wash Her Up!
It might sound ridiculous since you will be keeping this motorcycle covered through the winter anyway, but washing it before storage is pretty important. Properly washing your bike will help get rid of corrosive bug guts and water that can damage your finish. Make sure to throw on a coat of wax on those plastics and shiny parts, and shoot some good old-fashioned WD-40 on those exposed metal-to-metal surfaces.
Oil & Filter Change
Believe it or not, oil does have a shelf life! Not that you would be reaching that shelf life during one season. Contaminated oil is probably the last thing you want to use when you start your bike up for the new season. We recommend changing out both your oil and filter. Next, give your bike a quick start to let that oil pump lubricate your bike with that fresh oil.
Fuel Preparation
Even though nowadays most motorcycles are fuel injected, fuel preparation is still extremely helpful (especially for us and California gas). Get yourself a fuel stabilizer to help keep your fuel stabilized and maintain your gas. For carbureted motorcycles, we suggest a little more extensive preparation. Start by making sure your gas is fresh and new, add the fuel stabilizer to your tank. Run your bike to get that stabilizer cycled into your carburetor so it can help clean out that fuel petcock and carb. Then, drain your carburetor float bowl and make sure it is good and empty.
Proper Coolant
Check to see if your motorcycle has a radiator and requires coolant. If it does, check the coolant levels. This is very important, especially in areas below freezing, because if you are running water, it will freeze in your bike. Make sure you use antifreeze to prevent that and keep your coolant levels up!
Lube Chain & Cables
There is a lot of moisture when winter comes around, and motorcycles are not too fond of moisture. We recommend lubricating all the moving parts you can get to on your motorcycle. Specific areas to pay attention to and lube would be your chain, clutch, throttle cables, and points that pivot.
Protect Them Tires
Definitely an overlooked item but necessary. If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, you probably have a set of stands laying around. Our goal is to keep that bike off the ground. We recommend using stands to keep your wheels from getting flat spots from sitting. If you can’t get your hands on some, try your best to rotate your tires every few weeks.
Plug It Up
No matter where you live, annoying bugs or pests somehow find their way into the small nooks and crannies of your motorcycle. Winter season is a long time, so try your best to plug up all those open holes. Make sure to keep them visible so you do not forget they are there!
Battery Tender
A battery tender is an inexpensive way to keep your expensive battery alive through long periods of sitting. We recommend using a battery tender to keep costs down and keep that battery alive. Also, make sure to apply a little bit of grease on the electrodes to keep them corrosion-free!
Keep it Covered
The last extremely important step is to keep your bike in quality tip-top shape! Throw a nice cover on your bike and grab yourself something nice and hot to drink while it sits through the winter. Don’t forget, this is the best time to start planning your new build or next mods for your bike!
