It’s that time again: How to store your motorcycle for winter

Yeah, it’s back. The story we run every year around this time, telling you how to get your motorcycle ready for winter. Most of the country has seen snow, and if you’re out west, there’s a good chance you’ve already had a significant accumulation of the nasty white stuff.

The really keen riders already have their bike winterized, or are planning to ride well into the freezing temps. For the rest of us, here’s our guide on how to put your bike away for the winter, making sure it’s easy to get started in the spring, with no unpleasant surprises.

The days are shorter, the nights longer and the fun of riding has faded as the cold air now grips you in a matter of minutes when you’re out on two wheels. For almost every Canadian rider outside of Vancouver and Victoria, it’s time to put away the bike for another winter.

Your bikes must be put away properly if you want to have a trouble-free spring, and extend the overall life of your bike. By following these easy steps, your bike will be ready to ride in the spring while others are spending weeks cleaning, repairing and replacing expensive parts. A little work now can save a lot of work later.

Of course, this article is aimed at the people who deal with this yearly annoyance, not the lucky ones who ride year-round, which is doable in certain regions of Canada. Also, the tips are aimed at worst condition situations, like storing the bike outside or for a long period of time. If you plan to ride as long as possible, or you expect to go for a short ride if the weather is suitable, then we recommend just taking care of the first two tips: battery and fuel.

1. BATTERY SALVATION

Smart riders have a cable connected to their battery with an access plug. Connect to a smart charger and voila! you’re done. These systems have come down in price, and if they extend the life of your battery, they’re well worth it. In fact, some modern motorcycles have so many electrical systems scavenging off the battery that a smart charger is a good idea anyway.

If the battery needs to be removed from the motorcycle, be sure to disconnect the negative/earth cable (with the “-” sign, usually black) first to prevent spark shows. If it’s the old lead-acid type, check your battery’s electrolyte level and top it up if necessary — use only distilled water and never top it up with acid!

2. GASOLINE STABILIZATION

Gas has a shelf life of about one month before the more volatile part of the fuel evaporates off; after this goes on for a while, we are left with bad gas (not the kind you get a diner); at best, this requires you to drain the fuel tank. At worst, you’ll have to do reconstructive surgery on your fuel system. To prevent this from occurring, add a fuel stabilizer to the gas tank.

Remember to first fill your gas tank (but not quite to the top to allow for any expansion), in order to prevent any water vapour that may be present from condensing on the insides, causing rust.

If your bike has carburetors, any gas left in the float bowls will deteriorate relatively quickly over the winter months. When the bike is fired up in the spring you may get away with it and it’ll start eventually; however, the gas may foul the plugs, leaving you with a dead bike.

If the bike is left for longer periods, the gas in the float-bowl will completely evaporate and leave behind a varnish that coats the internal jets, effectively making them smaller or blocking them altogether. If this happens, the carbs need to be stripped, then thoroughly cleaned and reassembled, which will cost you a few bucks/hours.

All this can be avoided by draining the carburetor float bowls and not refilling them (i.e. don’t leave the fuel switch on, or in the prime bypass position during storage).

3. CYLINDER PRESERVATION

If you plan to keep the bike in storage for a longer period of time, then you may want to add some oil into the cylinders directly to prevent corrosion.

There are two ways to do this. Either use an engine fogging oil (remove the air filter and spray), or add a tablespoon of engine oil in each cylinder (distribute it by cranking the motor over a few times). The plugs will have to be removed for access, but leave them in their caps and grounded to prevent damage to the ignition system during cranking.

4. REACH FOR THE LUBE

Don’t forget to lubricate all of the cables on the bike. Ideally this should be a yearly chore, so you might as well do it now. The chain should also be cleaned and lubricated. If you’re concerned about keeping the bike looking sharp, you may want to wax the bike’s painted areas and apply a thin layer of protectant to all chrome parts — WD-40 works well for this job, but it does evaporate over time. Fluid Film isn’t as well-known, but might be a better choice.

5. OIL CHANGES

If you haven’t done an oil change this year, then winterization time is likely a good time for this: acidic by-products collect in the oil, which will corrode the internals of the bike over time.

6. COOLANT LEVEL CHECK

While we’re on the subject of maintenance, if your bike is liquid-cooled, it’s a good time to check the coolant level on the expansion tank. If low, fill it to the full mark with a 50/50 mixture of coolant/water. If you haven’t replaced the coolant in a while, it’s probably a good time to flush out the old coolant and replace it with new stuff.

7. TIRE RELAXATION

If your bike has a centre-stand, put the motorcycle on it and support the front wheel with a jack stand or block of wood. The key is taking the weight off the tires to prevent flat spots.

If your bike has a side stand only, inflate the tires another 10 psi or so above the recommended pressures and move the bike around every now and then, to rotate the tires, thereby preventing flat spots.

8. POKE/FILL THE HOLES

Some exhaust systems have a weep-hole at the lowest part which allows condensation to drain out. Periodically the hole will become plugged and water will remain in the muffler, allowing the exhaust system to rust from the inside.

Poke that hole!

As well, more than one motorcycle owner has been stymied come spring start-up time when their bike won’t run, despite a clean air filter, fresh gas, and plenty of spark. The culprit? A mouse nest in the exhaust. Stuff something like an oily rag into the end of that exhaust to keep critters out, but make sure it’s easily removable in the spring. You can buy exhaust plugs that are used to keep water out while pressure-washing your bike, and this is a good use for these.

9. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

If possible, store the bike in an indoor, heated environment. Temperature variations and extreme cold can damage the plastic and rubber bits, not to mention allow for rust-forming condensation. Ideally, cover the bike with a cloth cover as plastic does not breathe especially well. Most motorcycle-specific covers are designed to allow for some amount of ventilation.

If you must store it outside, ensure that snow and water cannot get underneath the cover. Do not store in direct sunlight and try to keep it in an area that has a minimal temperature fluctuation (more condensation-forming problems with the heat variations). Also make sure that rain or temperature changes (freeze-thaw cycles, etc.)  won’t leave your bike lying on its side after the ground becomes too soggy to support its weight. A block of wood under the kickstand or some plywood under the centre-stand helps here, but really, you’re better off finding a way to get it under a roof.