MotoYard.com Blog

This is the time of year when most of us who live in an area that gets a lot of snow and ice are finally able to take our motorcycles out of winter storage. Hopefully, you did everything normally recommended to protect your bike through the winter months – it can make a real difference when it comes time to start that engine this year. You’d be surprised at how many bike owners ignore proper storage, and just roll their machine in the garage when it gets too cold to ride. They then wonder why their motorcycle won’t run on that first warm spring weekend.

Did you add a fuel stabilizer to your gas tank last winter? If so, your gasoline is in good shape. If not, inspect the fuel in the tank to make sure it hasn’t gotten gunky. It’s advisable to change your motorcycle’s oil before you put it away for the winter. If you neglected this task, now is the time to get it done, as engine oil can degrade when it has been in a non running engine for a while. It’s possible that your battery may need a charge, as they tend to lose power over the winter.  Check your brake fluid and coolant levels, too. Check your tires to make sure the rubber is in good shape after sitting all winter. Check the amount of air in your tires as well.

Try to crank the engine. If it turns over, you’re in good shape! Let the engine run for a little while to make sure all of your fluids are circulating properly. If the engine won’t crank, or stalls out soon after cranking, then you will need to systematically check things out. This happened to a friend of mine last year. He checked the usual items only to find that the gasoline he had left in his gas tank all winter had gobs of sludge in it. He had to drain his tank, clean it out, and then spray a protective coating inside it so that hopefully he won’t have the same problem again. He learned from his mistake, too. Hopefully, if your bike shows signs of the winter blues this spring, you will take the necessary precautions next winter.

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