How to Store and Winterize Your Motorcycle for the Off-Season
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As fall turns to winter, many riders are preparing their motorcycles for off-season storage. If you live in a place where snow and ice keep motorcycles off the road, it is important to think beyond simply parking your bike in the garage.
Learning how to winterize your motorcycle properly protects it from cold, moisture, and long periods of disuse. A little preparation now helps you avoid costly repairs later and ensures your bike is ready to fire up the moment spring returns.
How to Prepare Your Motorcycle for Winter Storage
Before you tuck your bike away for winter, make sure it’s ready for storage. Several months of disuse can cause corrosion and damage if you don’t take the time to protect it against cold temperatures, moisture, and fuel or battery deterioration.
Clean Your Bike
Start by thoroughly cleaning your motorcycle. Dirt and grime from the riding season can lead to corrosion on the frame, wheels, and chain if left unchecked. After washing, make sure to properly lubricate the chain, and consider applying a protective wax to shield your paint from moisture.
Freshen Up the Fluids
Add a fluid stabilizer to a full tank of gas and run your bike for a few minutes to ensure it circulates through the system. This helps prevent fuel degradation and corrosion from gas left sitting in the engine. Perform an oil and filter change, and top off your antifreeze if needed.
Protect the Tires
Use a center or paddock stand to lift your motorcycle off the ground, relieving pressure on the tires, frame, and other components. Keeping the bike elevated also helps prevent flat spots on the tires. If you don’t have a stand, simply roll the bike back and forth every few weeks to keep the tires from settling.
Maintain the Battery
Even when your motorcycle is off, the battery will gradually lose its charge. Extended periods of inactivity can leave you with a dead battery come spring—and possibly the need for a replacement. To avoid this, connect a fully charged battery to a trickle charger or battery maintainer to keep it topped off and ready to fire up next season.
Protecting Your Motorcycle During Winter Storage
Cover the Exhaust
Protect your motorcycle’s exhaust during storage by plugging the pipe with a clean cloth. This simple step helps keep moisture out, which can lead to rust and corrosion inside the exhaust system. It also deters rodents and insects from making a cozy home inside your bike while it’s parked for the season. For added protection, check the cloth periodically and replace it if it becomes damp.
Use a Motorcycle Cover
Cover your motorcycle with a breathable storage cover designed specifically for bikes. This will shield it from dust, dirt, and debris while still allowing moisture to escape, preventing rust and corrosion. Avoid using plastic or non-breathable covers, as they can trap condensation and promote mildew or corrosion over time.
Store Your Motorcycle Properly
Keep Your Motorcycle Inside
The best way to store your motorcycle is indoors, such as in a garage, shed, or storage unit. Make sure the space stays dry, maintains a consistent temperature, and has good ventilation. Proper airflow helps prevent condensation from forming, which can lead to rust and corrosion.
Control the Humidity
If your storage space is prone to humidity, consider using a dehumidifier. Excess moisture can cause rust, accelerate wear on internal components, and even damage your motorcycle’s electrical systems, leading to issues like short circuits or battery failure.
Avoid Direct Sunlight
Whenever possible, store your motorcycle out of direct sunlight. Prolonged UV exposure can fade paint, crack vinyl, and dry out rubber components. If your storage space has windows, keep the bike away from them or cover the windows with a tarp or cardboard to block sunlight.
Common Motorcycle Winterizing and Storage Mistakes
Don’t fall victim to these common winterizing and storage mistakes. Even careful riders can unintentionally put their motorcycles at risk, and improper storage can result in rust, corrosion, or mechanical problems that are expensive to repair.
Don’t Start Up Your Bike Every Week
Many riders assume that occasionally starting the bike in the garage will keep it healthy through the winter. In reality, cold starts are tough on the engine, and unless the bike reaches full operating temperature, it won’t burn off moisture. This can leave condensation in places it doesn’t belong, increasing the risk of rust and internal damage.
Don’t Drain Your Gas Tank
An empty fuel tank can lead to internal corrosion and dried-out seals. The best way to protect it during winter is to fill the tank completely and add a quality fuel stabilizer. Be sure not to skip the stabilizer, because untreated fuel can degrade, crystallize, and clog your carburetors or fuel injectors.
Don’t Remove Your Battery
As long as you have access to power in your garage or storage area, there’s no need to remove the battery. Even in below-freezing temperatures, keeping it on a trickle charger will maintain its health all winter. In fact, the electrolytes in a fully charged conventional battery will not freeze until temperatures drop below -92°F.
Don’t Use a Tarp
Covering your motorcycle with a tarp might feel like a budget-friendly solution, but it can end up costing you more in the long run. Plastic tarps trap moisture, which promotes rust and corrosion, and the rough material can rub against the surface, leaving scratches in your paint.
Keep Your Motorcycle Safe This Winter and Ready for Spring
Proper winterizing and storage protect your motorcycle from cold, moisture, and the wear that comes with long periods of inactivity. Journey MotoGear offers a full range of premium maintenance products to keep your bike in top condition. Spending a little time now helps you avoid costly repairs later and ensures your motorcycle is ready to ride the moment spring arrives.