Let’s face it, not many of us ride our motorcycles in winter, and storing your motorcycle is just part of being a biker in most places. Here are the basic steps to winterize your bike and keep it reliable year after year: what to gather first, a numbered checklist for beginner riders and seasoned vets alike, and where to store it. Proper bike storage now means easy riding as soon as the weather allows.
Most of this is basic maintenance any rider can do with a basic set of tools (and some meat between the ears). You could just stick it in storage and forget about it, but these steps protect your investment and keep your motorcycle running smoothly season after season.
The checklist at a glance
1. Change the oil and filter
2. Inspect and lube the chain
3. Fill the fuel tank
4. Add fuel stabilizer
5. Fog the cylinders
6. Drain the carburetor (older bikes)
7. Wash and wax
8. Condition the leather
9. Put the battery on a tender
10. Take care of the tires
11. Keep moisture and rodents out
12. Check on it every few weeks
Before You Start: Your Manual and Your Supplies
Start by gathering everything you need so you get the job done right the first time, and do a little research on winterizing your specific motorcycle.
It might not feel natural to read your owner’s manual, but it often has winterization details specific to your bike: what kind of oil it likes, or the little screw on the carb that drains the gas. You know, the one you’ve always wondered about.
What You Need to Winterize Your Motorcycle
Gather these before winter arrives so you’re not behind the eight ball:
✓ Oil
✓ Oil filter
✓ Fuel stabilizer
✓ Fuel filter
✓ Battery tender
✓ Chain lube
✓ Gas
Your Motorcycle Winterization Checklist
If you want to come back to your bike after winter with the same trust you had in it last year, plan on about 4 to 6 hours at the most to get her ready for storage. Grab your tools and a can-do attitude, then work through these steps:
1. Change the Oil and Filter
Change the oil and filter before the bike goes into storage, using the oil your owner’s manual calls for, so it sits all winter on fresh oil.
2. Inspect and Lube the Chain
The chain is an easily missed item that can result in serious injury if it fails. At the end of the season, inspect your chain for damage or spots with excessive wear. When in doubt, it’s better to get a new one than risk a rusty one. If your chain passes inspection, lube it up for the winter with the best chain lube for your bike.
3. Fill Up the Fuel Tank
Fill her up to the top. A full tank leaves less room for moist air, so less water condenses in your fuel through winter temperature swings, and that helps prevent rust inside the tank. It’s an easy step to forget, so keep a jerry can around for topping off.
4. Stabilize the Fuel
Gas can last around 3 months, then it starts to degrade. Adding a fuel stabilizer made for winter storage keeps your gas fresh, so your bike fires up at full performance when you get back on the road. Add it, then run the engine for a few minutes so the treated fuel reaches the fuel system. It’s a simple, cheap way to head off storage problems.
5. Fog the Cylinders
A really simple technique that helps keep your bike running as smoothly as you left it. Fogging the cylinders prevents rust and condensation from building up inside your engine while it’s overwintering. Remove each spark plug and spray the cylinder walls with a fogging spray made for engines. There might be a little smoke when you first fire it up, but that’s how you know it worked.
6. Drain the Carburetor (Older Bikes)
Read your owner’s manual on how to do this (or do a quick YouTube search). Draining the carb keeps the fuel from corroding your needles and stops stale gas from damaging the carburetor. Or pinch off the fuel line and let the engine run until it stalls. This is an important step for older, carbureted bikes.
7. Wash and Wax
Before tucking your ride away for the winter, give her a thorough wash to get off any dirt and road grime you collected zipping around over the summer. Top it off with a coat of wax to condition the paint and keep it looking good all winter long.
8. Condition the Leather
A little extra care goes a long way. Apply some leather conditioner to your seat and saddlebags so they last for years to come.
9. Put the Battery on a Tender
It’s a good idea to disconnect your battery before storage and connect it to a battery tender (maintainer), which keeps it charged without overcharging, so your motorcycle starts up first time. No outlet where the bike is stored? Take the battery inside and keep it on a tender somewhere it won’t freeze.
10. Take Care of the Tires
Motorcycle tires can last for many years with proper storage and maintenance. Concrete is cold, so keep your bike off the bare floor with a durable rubber floor, a sheet of plywood, or an old rug. Inflate the tires to the recommended pressure and take the weight off them with front and rear stands if you can; if not, roll the bike a little every few weeks. You can also treat them with a tire protectant, or remove the wheels and store the frame and tires separately.
11. Keep Moisture and Rodents Out
Keep the rust away by adding a moisture absorber under your cover or inside your shelter. Mice look for quiet, sheltered spots like air boxes and exhausts, so plug the exhaust and intake openings (and remove the plugs before you start the bike), and add some dryer sheets, moth balls, or a rodent deterrent to stop your local rodents from turning your bike into their winter cottage.
12. Check On It Every Few Weeks
Have a look at your bike every three weeks or so to make sure nothing is nesting in there and it’s not getting wet. Don’t start it just to let it idle: a short idle in the cold creates condensation in the engine and exhaust without getting hot enough to burn it off. With stabilized fuel and the battery on a tender, your bike can sit through a whole winter and start right up.
Choose Where It Will Spend the Winter
Next, you need some shelter to keep your motorcycle out of the sun, rain and snow. Leaving it exposed to the elements is a straight shot to corrosion, condensation, rust, and a faded paint job. If you cover it, use a breathable cover to protect your bike from condensation. Tarps don’t breathe and can be as bad as (or worse than) leaving your ride outside in the snow.
If you don’t have a garage, or you just want to free up some space over the winter to work on a project, your options range from motorcycle covers to motorcycle shelters, pods, and a converted shed. Another option is a motorcycle storage facility that keeps your bike in a temperature-controlled warehouse. Those can be pricey, and they take the bike away from home for those warm snaps.
For a deeper look at the pros and cons, read our shelter vs. pop-up tent vs. shed vs. cover comparison.
If Your Bike Stays Outside This Winter
You can store a motorcycle outside all winter with the right prep and protection. Winterize it first with the checklist above, then keep it under a waterproof, breathable shelter that can handle snow. Living with HOA rules, in a mobile home park or in an apartment? See our guide to motorcycle storage for HOAs, mobile homes and apartments.
✓ Pick a shelter that holds snow. A Speedway Shelter’s 16-gauge steel frame holds 150+ lbs of snow, and its vent windows help keep condensation down. Brush heavy snow off after big storms.
✓ Anchor it down. Mounting bolts for concrete or asphalt are included: 6 with the Sport and Touring shelters, 8 with the Deluxe.
✓ Keep the tires off bare concrete. A rubber shelter floor gives them a better surface.
✓ Lock it. The shelter locks closed, so nobody can see what’s inside. Neighborhood cats a problem? Here’s how to keep cats off your motorcycle.
✓ Watch the trees. Winter wind, snow, and ice bring down limbs, so park away from overhanging branches if you can. Here’s how to protect your motorcycle from falling branches.
Not sure which size fits your bike? Compare the Sport, Touring and Deluxe shelters, or email us at info@speedwayshelters.com and our family team will help you pick.
Final Thoughts on Winter Motorcycle Storage
Good storage and maintenance practices are an essential part of how to winterize a motorcycle. Storing a motorcycle over the winter ultimately comes down to the shelter you choose, so choose wisely! Taking the time to put your bike away properly, so it’s good to go when the weather breaks, is the ticket to stress-free riding.
