Cleaning
Rubber and metal can degrade over time, so make sure to clean your bike thoroughly, especially the wheels and tyres to remove grime and brake dust.
Make sure your bike is completely dry, pay extra attention to hard-to-reach areas which can hide moisture, such as the brake discs and rotors.
Moving parts, such as the chain, should be lubricated to prevent rust forming.
Check your fluids
It’s recommended to change your filter and oil before putting your bike away to remove contaminants. Check your brake fluid too, as old fluid can absorb moisture and cause corrosion. Your coolant system will need checking for leaks and make sure your bike has enough antifreeze if it uses it.
Leave some fuel in the tank
Having fuel in the tank prevents condensation and rust forming. Fill your bike’s tank with fresh fuel and stabiliser, then run the engine for a few minutes to ensure the treated fuel goes through the entire system. Untreated fuel can deteriorate after a few weeks clogging injectors, carburettors and fuel lines, which can be tricky and costly to clean, often needing a professional, so remember that stabiliser.
Look after the battery
We recommend removing the battery from the bike and storing it away from hot or freezing temperatures. Keeping it on a trickle charger will ensure it’s charged and healthy and ready to go come Spring.
Where to store your bike
Ideally you want to store your bike in a nice dry cool garage, but if this isn’t an option, use a high quality, waterproof and breathable cover if you have to store it outside. Make sure the cover is secured and add a lock or alarm system (or better both) to the bike for security.
Rotate or suspend your tyres
The tyres will be taking the whole weight of the bike on one point when stationery causing a flat spot, so either use a motorbike stand, or move your bike a bit on a regular basis to prevent this.
Protect your tyres
Make sure your tyres are at the correct pressure. You can find the manufacturer’s recommended PSI in your owner’s manual or on a sticker on the bike.
Extreme temperature changes can cause your tyres to deteriorate so keeping your motorbike in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight is ideal.
A common mistake to avoid
Starting your engine now and then throughout Winter to ‘keep it running’ can actually do more harm than good. After your engine has warmed up, when it’s returned back to a cold storage space, the rapid cooling causes condensation in the engine. It can mix with the oil and lead to a degraded performance.
Instead leave it until the weather warms up, if you have stored and maintained it properly, your motorbike will be ready when you are.
Get the Winter jobs done
Now is the perfect time to do any jobs you may have been putting off. We suggest fitting a Paint Protection Kit ready or Spring, Tank Grips, Scuff Guards and a Dashboard Protector too of course! You can get what you need at https://www.eazi-grip.com/