As the motorcycle season winds down, it’s time to prepare your bike for its big break. Of course, there are heroes among us who choose to ride during the winter. But let’s be honest – they are a rare breed of riders.
Here’s everything you need to know about winterising your motorcycle.
Prepare a place to tuck it away: Leaving your precious bike in the windy, snowy winter is a bad idea. You want to store it indoors, and a heated garage is your best option. If you don’t have access to heated storage, find local dealers who offer the service or talk to a friend. It is the first step to avoiding costly repairs when spring arrives.
Top off the petrol: You will need to top off the petrol on your bike before storing it. And a good way to do this is to take it for a ride then fill it up with fresh petrol.
Add fuel stabiliser: Once you get home from the ride, top off the petrol tank with the recommended amount of fuel stabiliser. Start the engine after that to ensure the entire system has treated fuel. That prevents the petrol from freezing in the pipes.
Change the oil and filters: This is more of a maintenance drill, but it sure comes in handy. And, the benefits go a long way.
Take the battery out: To avoid coming back to a dead or frozen battery, remove it while you can. Top up the battery with distilled water then store it in room temperature.
Give it a good scrub: Oxidation is one of your biggest enemies during winter. To avoid this, give your bike a good wash to scrub all the dirt and road grime off. Then tape up all the openings to keep bugs at bay. Once you tick everything on this list, use a protective cover to keep moisture at bay.
