Motorcycle Winterization
By Andii Adamick
Winter Storage for you
Motorcycle:
For some, Vancouver is a
seasonal riding location. For those of us that are a little more dedicated,
riding here is year round.
When storing your bike over
the winter, you can take it to a bike shop that offers winter storage or you
can do it yourself. There are few things that you have to take into
consideration if you want your bike to be happy and running right come
springtime.
Should you not ride your
bike for more than a month or so I would recommend the following.
Here is a quick list of the
three basics
The following is a more
complete list of what you can do.
Now is the time to give your
bike that much needed bath and shine. Spend some time and clean it thoroughly.
A clean bike is a happy bike.
Food for thought; Dirty
engines run hotter, Dirt assists in corrosion, and mechanic hate working on
dirty bikes.
You may want to lube and
adjust your chain after this.
Keep your Bike in a
Dry Location away from the Elements.
Moisture is the biggest
problem when leaving your bike for prolonged periods of time. Ultimately store
it in a garage or the basement of you house. Consider putting a cover on your
bike since you’ve spent all that time cleaning. They can be bought through your
local dealer. Covers are well worth the investment as they help keep your bike
clean, dry and protected, they’ll last a long time if taken care of. I would
not use one of those blue (or any other colour) plastic tarps. These
only manage to keep the moisture next to your bike and wreak havoc.
And don’t forget to add fuel
stabilizer. This keeps the gas from separating and clogging the fuel filter and
gas lines. I usually go to the station, add the required amount of stabilizer,
top up the tank and then ride it home.
If your bike is old enough
to have a petcock (fuel valve) that is gravity fed, you will want to
turn it to the off position. Some bikes have a vacuum feed petcock and can’t be
turned off. Drain the float bowls of your carbs. Not
sure how? Buy a service manual or see your mechanic. For those of you with the
gravity feed system, you can shut the valve off a few blocks from home and run
the fuel out of the carbs that way. When you return
and the bike still runs just let it idle till it stalls. Most of the fuel will
be drained from your carbs and any left will be
stabilized. This is the easy way.
If you bike has fuel
injection there is no draining involved. Just run it for 5 minutes or so to get
stabilized fuel through the injectors.
The heart and soul of your
bike, a dead battery is a dead bike! Keep it charged up. You can disconnect the
battery. It also can’t hurt to remove it. A battery should be stored in a cool
dry area (avoid freezing). On a shelf in the garage or basement is best.
If you are going to place it on the ground, put a board down (piece of 2x4).
Don’t put it directly on the ground; it’s not healthy for your battery.
Better yet, buy yourself a
Battery Tender, they are cheaper than batteries, are designed to stay connected
to the battery and keep it charged up all through the winter. The nice thing is
that they can be temporarily attached (via alligator clips) or
permanently attached, so that you can plug it in at any time. Basically they
are Plug&Play.
Note: Most new bikes have background electrics running all
the time (ie: clock) so when you
disconnect the battery these no longer run. You will need to reset the clock
when you reconnect the battery.
This is an excellent time to
inspect your tires for wear and pressure. If your bike is sitting for longer
than say, 3-4 months it is not a bad idea to max out your air pressures. Look
at the sidewall of your tires. They will list a maximum air pressure (40+ psi). Inflating the tires to this will help prevent any
sidewall weakening. This is not a critical issue but at least make sure your tires
have the proper PSI in them. You should also check the pressures in the spring
before riding as the pressure may drop several pounds even while sitting.
Note: Air is temperature sensitive. You pressures may alter
as air temperatures change.
There are a few other things
you may want to consider if leaving your bike for longer periods (6+ months).
Spraying on a metal
condition to prevent metal corrosion.
Cylinder Misting helps
prevent piston seizure.
Check and replace spark plugs.
Winter storage prep is also
a good time to consider some basic maintenance. Changing your coolant (recommended
every 2 years) now is not a bad idea, especially if you live in a colder
winter climate.
Inspect and change the
hydraulic fluid (recommended every 2 years) if needed.
Inspect and replace brake
pads.
If you are not familiar with
storage (even if you are - it can’t hurt) it’s a good idea to make a
checklist of what you have done to your bike, so, come springtime you can get
it back on the road ASAP.
If you do this now, you will
be ready to ride in the spring while everyone else is fighting
for service time.
Most shops are not that busy
in the wintertime. It’s an excellent time to get those things done. Without the
pressure of being rushed, mechanics can take the time to do the job.
Allot of Dealers and shops
have winterize and storage facilities. Just find out what it costs and what you
get for you money.
Note: This article has been written as a guideline for
winterizing your bike. I am not a trained mechanic but have been around bikes
for the past 30 years and have learned a few things along the way. When in
doubt, confer with your mechanic or seek professional assistance.