Editor's Note: This story was originally posted on WRN on October 15, 2008, but we're bringing it out of hibernation so you can prepare for this winter.
Can you believe it's time for us to be talking about this? I mean seriously, where did the summer go? Hopefully you'll have plenty of awesome fall riding days left, in my opinion the best time to ride, but reality is winter is just around the corner -- well at least for most of us. I know that may sound depressing, but look at it this way: you have plenty of time to plan out what custom work you'd like to do to your bike over the winter months. Do you want more power; is it time for a little performance work? How about looks. Do you have a new vision of your own motorcycle? Start planning your ideas now.
Do your research. Find a shop or artist you'd like to work with and start the conversations now. Trust me, as a shop owner if you don't get your project in early you'll be at the end of the list, and that means not getting your bike back until later in the spring. Before we start thinking about rolling our bikes back out for that first spring ride we need to talk about storage.
Invest in a good quality motorcycle cover like this one from Dowco, one that fits completely over your bike, to protect if from dust. To Store or Not to Store
Depending on where you live you might have to store your bike during winter months. If so there are several things you should do to care for your bike properly. First there are two different types of motorcycles to address, fuel injected and carbureted. The first thing to do when storing a fuel-injected bike is to add fuel stabilizer to your fuel tank. Make sure the tank is full of gas. Turn on the bike and let it run idle with the stabilizer in the tank for a few minutes. This allows the stabilizer to work into the injectors and will help to prevent the fuel from "gunking" up the injectors.
You can purchase fogging oil and fuel stabilizer at your local motorcycle shop or automotive store. If you have a carbureted bike, do the same thing allowing the fuel stabilizer to work its way into the carburetor and again help to prevent the fuel from gunking up the jets inside the carb. Once this is done on a carbureted bike make sure the petcock is turned in the off position.
If your garage or storage area is not heated and prone to moisture (condensation) it's best to drain all gas from the carburetor. We do this because fuel, after sitting for a while in extreme temperatures can build up or "gum" up. This can lead to clogging of jets, needles and everything else inside your carb.
Have your local shop drain the carburetor for you if you don't feel confident doing it yourself, but your service manual will walk you through the steps to get the job done if you want to tackle this yourself.
Check the tire air pressure to make sure your tires are at the correct PSI before storing. PSI information is located on your frame tag and in your service manual. Note the maximum pressure is listed on the tire sidewall.
Always check your tire pressure, not only when bringing your bike out of storage, but get in the habit of doing this before every ride. It is one of the easiest steps to do to maintain your own bike.When storing the bike for a long time period (longer than two or three months -- a season) prop up the bike with a motorcycle floor jack so no pressure is on the tires. The K&L MC550 is a good floor motorcycle lift that you could use. You can order this lift through Drag Specialties or by visiting klsupply.com. If you don't want to order a lift, move the bike back and forth during storage to prevent the tires from getting flat spots that result when the bike remains in the same position for too long. Flat spots are not good for your tires because your tires should be round, not flat.
This is the MC550 lift by K&L. It is a safe way to lift your bike properly, not only for winter storage but for cleaning or any repair work. When storing the bike for several months you can also pull out the spark plugs and spray a fogging oil into the cylinders to prevent rust from forming on the cylinders. First remove the spark plug wires form the plug. You will use a wrench, or socket and ratchet to remove the spark plug. Check your service manual for wrench size. Spray a light amount of fogging oil straight into the cylinder via the spark plug opening. Dab a little anti-seize (lubricate used to protects bolts, nuts, threaded fittings, and gaskets under extreme loads and temperatures) on the spark plug threads and replace the plug. Check with your service manual for the proper torque on the plug when tightening it. You don't over tighten.
Motorcycle batteries should not sit idle for more than a few weeks at a time as stated by motorcycle battery manufacturers. The cells inside can loose their current rather quickly making it very important to charge your battery when your bike sits for longer than a few weeks at a time. For battery maintenance it has always been said removing the battery from the bike is your best option. This was back when most batteries were acid type with a vent tube. If the battery were overcharged, battery acid could spill via the vent tube. Battery acid can do some pretty severe damage to chrome and paint -- it's just not friendly to you or your bike.
Most batteries today are a sealed acid type. There is no vent tube and it is impossible for these batteries to have acid escape from a vent. So if you have a sealed type battery it is safe to charge your battery while it is in your bike. The best way to charge the battery is by using a battery trickle charger like Deltran's Battery Tender. I like the Battery Tender Jr. from Deltran as this comes with a wiring pigtail, which will connect directly to the battery terminals, and the connector can now be accessed without having to remove the seat. This makes charging your battery very convenient and there is no excuse for not charging your battery.
The most convenient way to keep your battery charged is with a trickle charger. This is the Battery Tender Jr. from Deltran. The pigtail wire harness creates easy convenient access with no need to remove the seat.The Battery Tender will switch from charge to float (meaning it will charge when needed and shut itself off on a full charge and maintain that full charge) so you also don't have to worry about over charging your battery. One of the best investments you can make is a trickle charger. It will help you protect your investment (i.e. battery) to insure a long and fully charged life. New motorcycle batteries are expensive. If you take care of your current one properly, you won't need a new one until the old one is completely worn out.
Bringing Bike Out of Storage
If you prep and store your bike yourself, be mindful of a few things:
1. When it's time to bring your bike back out of storage put it into first gear, disengage the clutch and push the bike back and forth a few times. This will insure the clutch is working properly and you won't have to worry about the bike moving at initial start up.
2. Make sure your battery is fully charged. If you are using a trickle charger, the green light will indicate a charged battery. If you didn't use a trickle charger, cross your fingers the bike will start. You can check the voltage by using a voltmeter. Refer to your service manual for proper voltage.
3. Remove and inspect spark plugs, change if needed. It is a good idea to take a look at your plugs before initial fire up; they could have rust on them or could be fouled out from last season (very black in color). A fresh set of plugs can never hurt.
4.Clean out your air filter. You'd be surprised how much junk can collect in your air filter. If it is dirty (is black or has grime on it) replace it or if you are a using a cleanable filter such as a K&N use your cleaner and filter oil to freshen that back to life.
Start the engine and let it reach normal running temperature. After the motorcycle has run for a few minutes, shut it off and then check the oil level. It's important to check the level after the bike has run for a few minutes to give the oil a chance to lubricate the various parts of the bike. If you're not due for an oil change (usually about every 5,000 miles, but check your service manual) then fill your oil if the dipstick indicates a low level.
If you don't feel comfortable storing your own bike, check with your local motorcycle shop to see what storage options are offered. Some will prep and store your bike for winter months, and have it ride ready for you when spring rolls around.
Sara Liberte owns and operates RT's North Hills Cycle Inc. in Pittsburgh, Penn. Sara is the author of How to Repair and Maintain American V-Twin Motorcycles and is the creator of Garage-Girls.com, a Web site developed to encourage women to maintain a balance between their motorcycle and body. She also works as a professional photographer. Sara rides a 2001 Buell Blast and a 1996 Harley-Davidson Sportster.