It’s a sad day for avid bikers when the snows and sleet come, forcing their motorcycles off the road and into storage for another winter. But don’t despair: spring will soon come again, as will the warm days of summer with its inviting highways and the lure of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally! Until then, take care of your bike by storing it properly for the winter.

Step 1: Make sure to give it a good wash before putting it away. Old dirt, grease, and grime will surely damage your paint finish and it may even hurt the mechanical parts of your bike. Dry your bike thoroughly after washing and before covering it for the season to prevent the trapping of moisture which leads to rust.

Step 2: Clean your bike’s chain so that it will be ready to go when the weather heats up again. Carefully clean the chain and sprockets with a small, soft brush, using a specially formulated cleanser. Using the wrong type of cleanser may contribute to the deterioration of the rubber o-rings during the winter, so be careful to use the right kind.

Step 3: Change the oil. Contaminants naturally build up in an oil tank over time but they can have a corrosive effect on your bike if they are left unchecked. To decrease the chances of this happening, change the oil and filter before putting the bike away.

Step 4: Clean the battery leads and remove the battery altogether. If you choose to leave the battery on, it is best to purchase a battery tender to keep it charged and ready to roll.

Step 5: Constant exposure to moisture is deadly to the long-term health of a motorcycle, and proper steps should be taken to keep moisture away, even if you will be keeping it in a dry garage all winter. Use a gentle wax on all painted surfaces as well as a chrome polish where applicable. Spray W-D 40 into the tail pipe to prevent moisture from sneaking up and into your bike that way. All of these products repel moisture and just a few minutes of application time will make a huge difference in the long run.

Step 6: Cover your bike to protect it from dust and stray moisture in the garage. You don’t have to have a formal bike cover; any kind of clean fabric will do as long as it will not trap moisture. If you must keep your bike exposed during the winter, it is best not to cover it at all since moisture is bound to get trapped under a cover. Just make sure to give it a quick wash during the mid-winter thaw.

G R Harley (http://www.grharley.com/)is a Harley-Davidson Motorclothes Dealer. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

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