How to Store A Motorcycle for the Winter

Store Your Motorcycle for the Winter

There are few things as enjoyable as cruising around on a motorcycle.  Especially in an area as beautiful as Colorado Springs in the summer.  Sadly, winter is either here or on the way, and a motorcycle does not have the same advantages to driving in the winter as it does in the summer.  With that in mind, we are going to discuss some ways to prepare a motorcycle for winter, so when summer comes back around, you can get right back to having fun!

1. Clean the Bike – As simple as it sounds, cleaning your motorcycle before you store it is very important.  Moisture tends to stick to metal, so as a motorcycle sits over time, rust and water spots can form.  We would recommend drying the bike off completely, and then wax it so it’s a barrier for moisture and dust.  You can even put a rag or towel in the exhaust pipe and intake to keep dust and water out!
2. Treat the Fuel – It is no secret that if a gas tanks sits it can cause a great deal of problems later down the road.  It is important to fill the tank up and add the correct amount of fuel stabilizer to the tank.  This will help keep the fuel from gumming things up.  For carbureted motorcycles, you will also want to drain the carburetor, so the fuel does not gum up in there.
3. Change the Oil – After a season of riding it is a good idea to change the oil.  One, it is probably due, and two this helps keep the oil from getting sticky and gumming up over the winter.  Drain the oil and replace the filer and leave it for the winter with new oil.
4. Top off Fluids – This is an ideal time to check the motorcycles other fluids.  The brake, clutch and coolant should be replaced or topped off with manufacturers recommended fluids.  Do keep in mind, if you live in subzero areas, you will need to put a proper antifreeze and make sure it is topped off.
5. The Tires – It is generally better to keep the bike on a stand, this way the tires will not get a flat spot.  When tires sit under pressure for long periods of time in the cold, they loose air and develop a flat spot.  It is best to fill the tires to their recommended volume and rotate any tires that are on the ground regularly.  This will keep flat spots from developing.
6. The Battery – Since the bike is being stored, we recommend at this point taking the battery out, so it can be stored in a temperate area to prevent freezing and to keep it charged.  After all, you will be needing the battery as soon as the warm weather hits!
7. A Place to Store the Bike – Here at Garden of the Gods Self Storage we have a few different sizes that are used for motorcycles.  Most common unit is a 5×10, but sometimes a 10×10 is used if your storing more than one motorcycle.  The first advantage of a storage unit is the security, the bike is behind a locked door and people can not mess with it.  The second advantage is the unit protects the bike from inclement weather, so you don’t have to worry about hail, snow or other uncomfortable weather.

As simple as some of these things might seem, they will all help ensure your motorcycle is properly stored, so when summer comes back you can get back on the road.  If your interested in storing a motorcycle with us, give us a call at (719) 265-5900 to reserve a unit now!

How to store your motorcycle in the winter