ALT-2 How to Winterize your Motorcycle
1. Clean the road muck off
The first step to making sure your motorbike survives the winter months and is ready to be rolled out again in the spring, is to give it a good clean. Once the nights begin to freeze and the roads become icy, the first thing that happens is that salt and grit are spread on the road to stop motorists skidding on ice. While this is obviously essential, the collected grime thrown at your vehicle also helps the exposed metal on your motorbike to corrode.
So get the sponge and water and make sure you clean your motorbike thoroughly. I usually get an old toothbrush as well and give all the cracks and crevices a good scrub to make sure the bike is absolutely clean. Once this has been done, just hose down and allow to dry.
2. Spray the unpainted areas with protective oil
The next step to ensuring your ride is in pristine condition for spring, is to get a good protective oil and spray this on all unpainted metallic areas that are likely to rust. I use Scottoiler and spray this on the forks, rear suspension, handlebars and mudguards. These are all chrome on my motorbike and are prone to oxidization, but your vehicle may be different so you may not need to cover all these areas.
A word of warning however, be careful not to get any of the oil on the brake discs or pads. It does create a greasy film, which enables it to protect the body parts, and this may stop your brakes from working effectively, causing serious danger to you and possible damage to your bike.
The oil will stop serious corrosion but it may not last all winter, if you ride the bike throughout as I do, so you may need to reapply every few weeks after repeating the cleaning.
3. Keep the motorbike covered.
Lastly, it is a good idea to keep the bike away from the elements as much as possible when not in use. For those who only ride during the summer months I would suggest garaging the bike safely for the winter if at all possible. This will ensure it stays dry and clean ready for the balmy summer days when you can take it for a blast in the full knowledge it won't be damaged by anything but rain. Failing this, buy a good waterproof cover that will reach the ground, and make sure the bike is sheltered somewhere safe. You will need to check the bike over come the spring to make sure no leaks have developed, or if any worn out parts need replacing, but you can be reasonably assured that there won't be too much wrong with your pride and joy.
Even if you ride your motorbike all year round, it is still advisable to keep it garaged or covered overnight as this will protect it from the worst of the winter elements. You will also need to increase your cleaning regime as the bike will get dirtier quicker during the winter months and regular cleaning is the only way to keep it in tip top condition.
So, to all the bikers out there, have a good winter and safe biking!
