How to Winterize A Motorcycle
Some may call this “the most wonderful time of the year,” but those of us that ride only see one thing—weather that stops us from getting out there. And it sucks.
But there’s stuff we should do to get back out as soon as the sun shines again. Let’s go over the basics of how to properly winterize a motorcycle to make sure it’s ready for spring.
Fuel Treatment
This is a critical aspect of winterizing motorcycles—and one you especially can’t miss. This isn’t necessary if you’re still riding the bike from time to time, but if you plan on long-term winterization, you’ll need to do something about your gas situation. As gas ages, it starts to break down and turn into a gum-like substance. This can lead to clogging your carburetors or fuel injectors, damaging your fuel pump, and a variety of problems that would suck to find out you have when the sun comes out again.
One way to go about this is to drain the tank entirely, but that can lead to dried out seals.
The other way is to add fuel stabilizer to your full tank. Top off the tank all the way, add fuel stabilizer, and let it run for a few minutes to get everything in there coated. Make sure the tank is as full as it can be—you want as little air in there as possible to keep condensation from forming or fuel from oxidizing.
Note: if your bike is carbureted, it’s time to drain those floats bowls. There are lots of tiny components and passageways in there that can quickly get gummed up, should gas stay in there. If you’re not riding for more than a week, definitely take the time to check this box.
Change the Oil
Oil chemistry changes over time and can gum up if left sitting for too long—and you don’t want to damage internals.
Get a Trickle Charger
This is the easiest way to keep your battery from dying—and most of us have them on our bikes year ‘round anyway. If you don’t, now’s a good time to do so.
But! Make sure you’re getting a battery tender that turns off when the battery reaches a full charge. Older charges trickle out power nonstop and can overcharge the battery if left plugged in.
Clean and Lube Your Chain
A clean and properly lubricated chain will help prevent rust from forming through the winter months. Plus, you’ll already have that knocked out of the way when you get to go back out again.
Lube Your Cables
A little lube goes a long way for your cables in terms of preventing rust and corrosion.
Inflate Your Tires
To the max recommended PSI. If you can—set your bike on stands to help prevent flat spots from forming. If you don’t have stands, it’s good practice to periodically rotate the wheels so pressure isn’t applied to the same spots on your tires for months at a time.
Wash Your Bike
Get rid of all that dust, dirt, and grime that you’ve accumulated—those can all speed up rusting and corrosion while the bike’s in storage.
Wipe Chrome With WD-40
WD-40—or any protective oil—will prevent rust from forming thanks to moisture.
Cover the Bike
The quality of your cover matters immensely for proper motorcycle winterization—you’ll need something breathable. If moisture gets caught under your cover and can’t escape, that can actually speed up the corrosion process. A breathable cover allows that moisture to escape while keeping dirt and grime off your bike.
Congratulations—you’ve winterized your motorcycle. Now when it’s time to get rollin’ again, you’ll be ready to go without any nasty surprises keeping you from getting back out there.
There’s one piece of good news though….
Your Brake Free isn’t limited to just your motorcycle helmet. Swapping the bike for your snowmobile this winter? With a new mount, you can swap your Brake Free from one helmet to another in seconds.
And lastly—if you ride year ‘round… make sure your unit’s charged. If inclement weather won’t stop you from getting out on two wheels, just be aware that dark, dreary days make it harder for other drivers to see you. Your Brake Free’ll help other riders see you on the road, no matter how terrible it is out there.
If you’re still on two wheels through rain and snow, though: stay safe, stay seen.
Bonus Points
Now that your bike's winterized—there's a little more you can do. Take advantage of this downtime to wash all your gear, including your helmet liner. All that dead skin builds up over the season!
Make sure you're storing your helmet inside, out of the cold—and don't worry too much about your Brake Free. It's got a great voltage regulation system, and if you store it fully charged: it'll be ready to go in a few months when you're ready to get back in the saddle.
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