Tips and Tricks – Winterize Your Ride

It’s December and even though the weather has been a balmy 60 degrees here in the Mid Atlantic, it’s time to winterize the bike for some down time. There are a ton of methods and personal preferences to doing this. We are going to share some of the more common ones and hopefully you will add more in the comments below.

Ethanol Treatment

We all know that ethanol in gasoline absorbs water. Gas goes bad significantly faster today than in years gone by. That’s why it’s important to add a stabilizer to the gas so when you get that nice day in February and want to go for a ride your bike will start right up.

There are a ton of options but the number one selling treatment is Sta-Bil

Battery Maintenance

Most modern bikes require a steady and almost perfect 12 volts to start. Cold weather and age begin to wear out your battery. You can keep it in tip top shape with a simple battery tender that monitors the charge and keeps the battery topped off.

Oil Change

This is one where not everyone does it and there is a ton of debate whether it is necessary. I like to change the oil regularly anyway – so changing it before the winter storage is a no brainer. That way when you pull that bad boy out when riding season hits you are all set to ride with less maintenance.

Rotation

Modern tires aren’t as susceptible to flat spotting and break down as what are grandfathers and fathers dealt with. That doesn’t mean it is not a good idea to move your motorcycle around when it sits for a long time. Anything you can do to extend the life of the rubber that meets the road saves money and traction.

Well that’s a few tips that we have to winterize your ride, what are some that you use?