GETTING READY FOR WINTER: RIDING AND MAINTENANCE

Winter’s fast approaching, and for many bikers that means it’s getting to that time of year when they think about stashing their pride and joy away under covers for the next few months and wait for the rain, sleet and snow to pass. That’s not the case for everyone though, as some riders don’t have a choice and will be starting to think about preparing their bike (and themselves) for riding right through the winter.

Regular bike maintenance is an essential part of riding a motorcycle. We all know that. But it becomes even more important when the weather takes a turn. Grit on the roads and low temperatures are the perfect recipe for corrosion, but with just a little preparation and care, it’s possible to protect your machine from the worst that winter has to offer. Sometimes a splash of cleaning fluid and a quick hose down will do, but if you want to keep your bike in top condition, you’ll need to be a bit more thorough than that. To help ease your winter woes, we’ve rustled up a brief guide to help you get set up, no matter whether you’re planning on tucking your bike away or riding right through the colder months.

SERVICE

If your bike is due a service (or has one scheduled for over the winter months), now’s the perfect time to get it done. If you sort it out before you lay up the bike, you’ll be ready and raring to go as soon as Spring rolls back round. And if there are any issues that crop up while you’re giving it a onceover, then you’ve got the next few months to deal with them.

LUBRICATION

If you’re on top of your bike maintenance, you’ll already be lubricating your bike’s chain and sprockets on a regular basis. But if you’re planning on tucking your bike away over the winter, it’s worth noting that a good dollop of heavy-duty lubricant is essential. It’ll help prevent oxidisation, O-rings perishing, and the chain tightening.

DRAIN THE FUEL

That’s right. Ideally, you should drain all the fuel from your bike. If you leave fuel in the tank for a few months it can cause oxidisation and varnishing. That’s not all, it can even ‘gum up’ other parts of the engine, causing blockages and (potentially) leaks in the fuel system. If you’re reasonably mechanically minded, you’ll have no trouble draining the system. Just remember to get all of it. If you’re not quite so technically competent, there is an alternative. You can use a fuel stabilising additive. All you’ve got to do is buy yourself the additive, throw it in the fuel tank, and then run the bike for a few minutes to ensure that the stabilised fuel has passed right through the fuel system.