Winterize your bike

Sounds suitably American, doesn't it. At this time of year there are two options for motorcyclists. You can either wrap your bike up in cotton wool, stick it in the garage and wait for spring, or service it and ride it through the winter.

If you are going to be a total wimp and put it in the garage, you will need to make sure it is suitably pampered. Give it a good clean and service and park it on the centre stand, or special axle stands, to keep the weight off the tyres.

A cosy dust cover

You'll need a small electrical greenhouse heater to keep the chill off, and a battery 'conditioner' to trickle charge the battery and keep it perky until next year. To finish off the ensemble, perhaps a hand embroidered dust cover. It may be a good idea to run the engine occasionally during the lay-up, to keep the oil from draining off all the bearing surfaces.

Before you take it out into the warm, spring sunshine check oil and coolant, chain and tyre, just in case something disastrous has befallen your pride-and-joy during the dark months cowering in the garage. Search the Internet for more details of winter storage for your bike.


On the other hand, you may be a real tough biker and keep riding in all but the most severe weather. If so give it a service and check the condition of the tyres - you're gonna need some tread on that rubber. The chain will need to be oiled and the coolant levels topped up. The coolant mixture is important as it will act as an anti-freeze.

Keep your bike clean. The salt and grit spread on the roads by our highways people will corrode the iron work and scour the shiny surfaces. There is lots of advice out there, go search for more info.

Brrr!

Last year, I rode on days where the temperature didn't get above freezing, days where it didn't stop raining, in fog, high winds and most other conditions. But I took the car in the snow and in freezing rain. Just use a bit of common sense. You may be a rough-tough biker, but you don't have to kill yourself to prove it!

Keep it shiny side up!