Perhaps storing your motorcycle for the winter is one thing that is floating in your mind at this moment. Even if you plan to ride your bike through the cold winter months, here are some ideas on winter care. Or maybe you have your own motive for not riding your bike - might be work commitments, might be travel commitments, might be a nagging wife. The good news is that this shouldn't take more than a few hours of work to be sure that your motorcycle will remain in tip-top condition in terms of looks, mechanical condition and trouble free riding.
The first thing you would want to check would be whether your fuel system is optimized or not. The best way to do this is to get the level as low as you can, then add a fuel stabilizer additive. The additive must eventually be mixed in with your fuel system, so to do this, take your bike on a ride for a few miles to achieve this result. And when you're ready to take an actual ride, you can then gas the baby up and you're all set.
After this, then it may be time to give your motorcycle a good cleaning. When choosing degreasing products, don't skimp - significant amounts of buildup can only be cleaned thoroughly with the best products. The brakes and suspension of your bike must also be taken care of. Use a brake cleaner to clean brake calipers, and top off by lubricating them for the winter.
Ensure that your motorcycle is dried after cleaning. If you have compressed air available, use it.
Next re-lubricate the motorcycle. When re-lubricating your motorcycle, the entire brakes (meaning both calipers and discs) have to be covered. This should be a comprehensive process covering joints and pivot points. Regular chain lube is usually good enough for moving parts and surfaces. We advise the use of corrosion treatments - just don't use them with your brakes.
Wax the surfaces of your bike to make it shiny anew. Just don't touch the brakes!
Get the tires up and off of the ground. If you own a center stand for this, that's brilliant. But if you do not own one, then get a pair of stands post-haste. You won't regret investing in a pair.
Free yourself of the financial stress of buying a new battery in the spring by getting a battery tender. Like getting the tires up, this investment will pay for itself over and over again.
Finally, invest in a cover for your motorcycle. It also should be of flexible, breathing material to avoid condensation.
If you won't be riding your bike for some time, we hope these ideas were a great help to you, quick as they may have been. These are all investments that would leave both you - and your bike - better for it.
The first thing you would want to check would be whether your fuel system is optimized or not. The best way to do this is to get the level as low as you can, then add a fuel stabilizer additive. The additive must eventually be mixed in with your fuel system, so to do this, take your bike on a ride for a few miles to achieve this result. And when you're ready to take an actual ride, you can then gas the baby up and you're all set.
After this, then it may be time to give your motorcycle a good cleaning. When choosing degreasing products, don't skimp - significant amounts of buildup can only be cleaned thoroughly with the best products. The brakes and suspension of your bike must also be taken care of. Use a brake cleaner to clean brake calipers, and top off by lubricating them for the winter.
Ensure that your motorcycle is dried after cleaning. If you have compressed air available, use it.
Next re-lubricate the motorcycle. When re-lubricating your motorcycle, the entire brakes (meaning both calipers and discs) have to be covered. This should be a comprehensive process covering joints and pivot points. Regular chain lube is usually good enough for moving parts and surfaces. We advise the use of corrosion treatments - just don't use them with your brakes.
Wax the surfaces of your bike to make it shiny anew. Just don't touch the brakes!
Get the tires up and off of the ground. If you own a center stand for this, that's brilliant. But if you do not own one, then get a pair of stands post-haste. You won't regret investing in a pair.
Free yourself of the financial stress of buying a new battery in the spring by getting a battery tender. Like getting the tires up, this investment will pay for itself over and over again.
Finally, invest in a cover for your motorcycle. It also should be of flexible, breathing material to avoid condensation.
If you won't be riding your bike for some time, we hope these ideas were a great help to you, quick as they may have been. These are all investments that would leave both you - and your bike - better for it.
