Storing Your Bike Properly During the Off-Season

If you’re fortunate enough to be able to ride year round, then move right along. In Vancouver, you can, technically, ride all year. If rain doesn’t bother you and you’re seriously dedicated, there’s nothing really stopping you in our temperate climate from being a year-round warrior. I’m just not that hard core. Or rather, I ride Jezebel for pleasure – I ride her for the joy of the ride, not to go from point A to point B – so if I’m going to joyride, I only want to do it when it’ll be – well, enjoyable. Wintertime, with its wetness and freezing temperatures, isn’t my idea of a joyride, plus its the perfect time to give Jezebel a break, a nice clean, some TLC and put her to bed. While she’s sleeping I can tinker more extensively without worrying about having her out-of-commission on a sunny day.

So without further ado – here’s what you need to do to store your bike properly for the winter so that when spring comes along, you aren’t wondering why your baby hates you and won’t start.

Every motorcyclist may have many different opinions on how to do the process of winterizing their motorcycles. Doing it is a matter of grave significance in order to restore the power and built of your motorcycle in order for it to be sturdy during its active lifespan.

Before The Off-Season:

• Even before the winter sets in, check over your motorcycle for any mechanical problems. If you find something wrong, put it in repair immediately.

 

•  After the last ride of the season, top off your gas tank. This will prevent water condensation in the tank. You can treat your gas with a gasoline stabilizer for your fuel to stay good through the winter.

 

Winterizing:

PREP: Gather up the tools necessary for winterizing your bike. You’ll need:
- cleaning cloths
-spark plug wrench
-trickle battery charger or battery tender
- four or five quarts of high quality oil
-new oil filter
-oil can or device to get oil in the cylinders
-chain lube (if you have a chain drive)
-fuel stabilizer
-spray can of WD40
-a breathable motorcycle cover
-kitchen plastic wrap
-rubber bands
-vinyl or plastic gloves
-items to clean and wax your bike

STEPS:

1. Give your bike a thorough cleaning. A gentle wash detergent and water will suffice. By removing road grime and insects you will protect the finish of the bike. Avoid spraying water directly into the opening of the muffler (check out my post on how to wash your motorcycle with pictures of  Jezebel’s first bath for more info on bike washing). NOTE: If baffles get wet and are not dried prior storage, internal rust could result. Likewise avoid moisture in the air cleaner housing. If the housing becomes saturated, it could act as a choke, making cycle difficult to start. Dry completely with a good chamois.Clean and polish all aluminum and stainless surfaces with the appropriate metal polish. Finally finish up with a coat of good wax polish on all painted and chrome surfaces.

 

2. Clean the chain (if you have one). Spray off all the built up residues with WD40. Lube the chain (you should be doing this every 5,000km approximately).

 

3. Add a fuel stabilizer to the gas tank. Fill your tank with gas as full as it can go. This is very important. As fuel ages, more volatile components tend to change, leaving sludge and gummy substances that can affect the carburetor. Run the bike so the gas and fuel stabilizer get to the carburetor and fuel injectors, then turn off the fuel and run it dry. It’s important to get the mixed gas&fuel stabilizer all through the engine.

 

4. If you have a carburetor, drain your float bowls. Shut off the gas petcock and drain the gas from the carburetor bowls. Consult your manual for location of drain screws. Of course if you have a fuel-injected bike, there isn’t anything to drain. On the ninja, this is a pain in the neck – the little screws you need to get to to drain the carbs are hard to get to and even harder to turn. They’re in front of the air filter and you need to snake your hand in to get to them, using a ball-end allan key. Both bolts face the right side of the bike. Good luck, this is one of the most difficult parts.

 

5. Once the engine is warm, you can change the oil and filter. Oil chemistry changes over periods of extended storage. Old oil can develop acidic qualities, which can corrode engine parts.

 

6. Using an oil-squirting device, put oil over the stationary tubes on the front forks. Get on the bike, hold the front brake and bounce the bike up and down to work the front suspension. This will keep the rubber seals from drying out and protect the exposed fork tubes.

 

7. Remove spark plug wires, and carefully with a spark plug wrench remove the plugs. With your oil-squirting device, get some motor oil in the cylinders. Approximately one teaspoon of oil will work well. Tuck the plug wires away somewhere safe so they do not arc, then spin the motor with the starter for a few revolutions to get the oil spread around. Remember to keep your face away from the spark plug holes. Oil will squirt out! Clean and gap the plugs and put them back in. Replace plug wires.

 

8. Remove the battery. [if you've never done this before - stop and make sure you know what order to unplug. You can electrocute yourself if you don't do it in the right order - watch for that grounder! [This post is great step-by-step instructions]
   Some batteries may require charging every four weeks with a “Battery Tender” type of charger. Built up sulfates on the plates can ruin a battery during cold storage and inactivity. A thin coat of Vaseline to the terminals on the battery can prevent corrosion. This small step will mean an easier spring start up and no extra cost of battery replacement.I took the battery out completely, and brought it up to my apartment, where it’s plugged in to a trickle charger and sitting on cardboard in case of any acid leakage. If you use a trickle charger and not a battery tender you must unplug it every couple of weeks to avoid overcharging and killing your battery. 
   
   

 

9. Clean or Change the Air Filter: Give it a wash or change it for a new one depending on what it’s made of. On the Ninja, because it’s sponge, you can take it out, clean the gunk off, wash it with mild dish detergent and let it dry (Be gentle with it!). Make sure it’s completely dry, then coat one side lightly with oil.  This is what it should look like (pic below). When you first pull it out, it’s likely to have a bunch of gross gunk on it. On the Ninja250, you have to remove your side panel to get to it, it’s on the right side below the seat, and it’s an easy-to-see slot that you just pull it out of. 
   
   

 

10. If your bike has a liquid cooling system, check it’s level of anti-freeze with a hygrometer. Drain, flush and replace antifreeze if necessary. This replacement is recommended to be done every two years. Do not leave the antifreeze level low or empty, this could lead to rust or corrosion of the cooling system. Check all other fluid levels at this time.

 

11. Lube your cables (break and clutch). Lube suspension and pivot points. Lube the drive shaft (if you have one). Check the air cleaner and the fuel filter. Look at brake pads. Give your bike a good once over.

 

12. Clean and treat all leather with a high quality dressing. 

 

13. If your storage location is bare concrete, use a piece of plywood, MDF, or old thick carpet. This will insulate the bike from becoming damp. Also consider storing your bike with all the weight removed from the wheels. A bike stand or some blocking works if you have a wheeled lift. A center stand and some blocking will work too. Do not store your bike near any ozone emitting devices, such as motors, freezers, furnaces or electric heaters. The gasses created by the above will deteriorate rubber parts.

 

14. With a clean cloth, wipe good quality light machine oil over all the metal surfaces, except the disc brakes. Spray a little WD40 in the tail pipe(s). Cover your tail pipe opening and the air intake with plastic wrap and a rubber band. You can also cover drain hoses as well. This will prevent any opportunistic pests from making a cozy winter home in your bike.

 

15. Do not run the engine for short periods of time over the storage period, this can lead to condensation due to engine and combustion byproducts in the oil.