6 steps to winterize your motorcycle

Its that time of year (WINTER), the time that puts an end to that motivation to hit the open road (COLD COLD WINTER).  Search for a rustic bar or coffee shop and live free.  Cold temperatures and sudden shifts in the jet stream can wreck your motolife mojo.   You may also do a search for how to winterize your motorcycle .

Just because the temps are miserable doesn’t mean you need to abandon all things 2 Wheel.   This time of year screams for a new motto.  Its “SHOP TIME”, so jack it up, lift it up and blow the dust off your manual .  Here are six must do’s for your old machine to ensure winter’s cold temps are not wasting your valuable time.   Its time to winterize your motorcycle.

1. Check your tires

   Your life depends on those little round parts sitting under your butt.    Take a few minutes and check the following:

   1. Age- Six years.  That’s the date.  Not six years from the date they were installed . Not from the date they purchased.  The date your tires were made.    This gives you an idea of how long the mysterious matter that is holding your butt upright has been breaking down.  The rubber in your tires breaks down with exposure to weather, sun, road, and the occasional burnout.   On the sidewall, you can see a clever code.   Its stamped and easy to make out.   [O316 ] The numbers in this sequence indicate that the tire was produced the 3rd week of 2016.   This means Jan 2016.
   2. Tread wear- How do your tires look?  Is there even wear on them?  Cracks?  Can you see the wear bars?

2. Stabilize your fuel

   30 Days.  If you have fuel that has been sitting for an extended period, it starts to break down.   Even faster for those with ethanol mixed in.   (Which is most of it..)   This breakdown causes water, debris in the fuel, and build up of varnish.   An older machine, like the trusty UJM HONDA/SUZUKI/KAWASAKI with a beautiful row of carbs just LOVES this process.    All the possible gremlins that can result as a result of this fuel breakdown can sideline you for weeks and months once the weather warms up.   Take a minute, buy some Sta-Bil and add it to your tank.  Run your engine for a while and then you should be all set.

3. Lube it up

   Grab some spray (Cable Lube, Silicone Spray, WD-40)  You’ll find resources telling you to use all of them and none of them.  The key is, you need to lube up things like your cables (clutch, speedo, tach) and even your clutch it’s self has a place to lube (grease gun needed).   Keeping things moving freely will keep you safe, happy , and in control.  Its a short task and not very complicated, so check this one off your list.

4. Change your oil

Unless you’ve never done this,  you know how to do it without even looking in a manual.  That doesn’t mean that you should.   So the first thing to do is check your manual.  What kind of oil do you need? What oil filter?  How much do you need?  Once you have these answers, its quick and actually one of the most rewarding things you will do.  With a few cranks on your socket , pulling the plug on your pan,  you’ll be draining the black, dirty, and worn oil from your machine.  This ensures that your engine is free from contaminants and internal mechanics are lubed.

1. Clean & check /replace your chain

   – The chain, that flexible span of links that makes all that wonderful noise turn that wheel.  Too stiff, tight, loose, or gunked up with dirt will cause you issues.   Premature wear on your sprockets and imprecise shifting to name a couple.   Check you manual for the appropriate tension and for signs of wear.  Generally speaking, if you have a chain that is stretched and worn, you’ll need to replace it.   It will make a huge difference when you do.   To clean it, there are many sprays and methods.   One thing for sure though, stay away from your gas can!   While it may get the grime and grit off your links, it will also completely DESTROY any O-RINGS it comes into contact with (on your chain or ANYWHERE ELSE).  One cheap and safe cleaner is kerosene.   A spray bottle and some of this old school liquid fuel will do the job.  Check out this guide from RevZilla on taking care of that chain.   A fresh chain is something you’ll be glad you have.

2. Clean your carbs

   –  This is one step that sounds much more intimidating than it is.  The good news, there are links galore on navigating this step.  I saved it for last on my list due to its complexity.   For your bike, do a simple search of YouTube.  You’ll be amazed at the How To videos and clips that go through the process.   There are also countless forums with tips and guides on doing so.   GSRESOURCES for example, have what might be the best one for you SUZUKI GS fans.   It has descriptions and pictures along every step up the way.    If you doubt yourself after checking these places, you shouldn’t do it .   However,  with careful attention to each step, you’ll have each chamber, jet, needle, and hole as clean as a whistle and ready to fuel your adventures like it was just off the showroom floor.    Its bit tedious, but once you’ve started, you’ll gain confidence with everything that happens in the sequence.   This is also the step to know when bringing your old bike back to life.  Check out my story of how I  got my old GS550 back from the dead.

There are many more things that you could knock out to winterize your motorcycle.   This includes valve adjustments, timing check, air filter cleaning, and even refreshing the fluid in your forks.   Taking time to winterize your motorcycle will help you get back on the road when it warms up and also help you develop mechanical confidence to tackle even more repairs and projects on your ride.   Motorcycles, especially ones that are of the kind of vintage that makes you dig out your cassette tape collection, are anything but low maintenance.