Winterizing Your Motorcycle

Taking the appropriate steps now will insure your motorcycle runs smoothly when spring comes after you've stored it for the winter. Proper winterizing of your bike before you store it is just as crucial as taking care of it the rest of the year. With just a few simple steps, you can winterize your motorcycle so that your first ride in the spring goes smoothly.

1) Wash and wax your motorcycle before putting it away for the winter. Don't leave any bugs, grease or grim on the paint or chromed surfaces. Apply a paint and metal protector to the finish.

2) Inflate the tires to the manufactures recommended levels to decrease the risk of flat spots forming on them. Move the bike several times a month and park it on different section of the tires each time will prevent flat spots. Don't park in direct sunlight to prevent your tires from dry rot.

3) Lubricate your clutch cables and throttle to help them stay in good working condition.

4) Fill your gas tank up and add a fuel stabilizer to prevent the gasoline from breaking down and causing damage to the fuel lines and other part of your engine.

5) Change the oil, transmission fluid and your chain case fluid to prevent corrosion on the metal surfaces of your engine.This will help keep everything lubricated properly with clean fluid.

6) It's very important to pay attention to your battery when you store it for the winter, it will gradually loses charge over time. If you leave your battery in the motorcycle you should attach a battery tender to it. The battery tender is a smart charger that will turn itself on and off as needed, to prevent overcharging. If you store your battery away from the motorcycle in a warm place such as a basement it's a good idea to occasionally check the charge on it throughout the winter and put a trickle charger on it as needed. Clean the posts on your battery if they are corroded. Then add grease to the threads of the bolts to keep them clean.

7) Store your motorcycle inside if at all possible. If it isn't possible to store it inside, buy a good fitting cover that allows for proper air flow.