10-01-2026, 12:00 AM
Been wrenching on bikes for 15+ years now and every spring I get the same calls. Bike won't start, carbs are gummed up, battery's dead. 90% of it comes down to winter storage mistakes.
Couple things that actually matter. First, fuel. If you're storing carbed, drain the bowls or run it dry. E10 gas turns to varnish in like 3 months and you'll be pulling jets in April. Fuel injected, fill the tank to the brim with stabilizer, less air space means less condensation.
Battery, pull it and keep it on a tender somewhere that doesn't freeze. Cold kills them. Don't just leave it in the bike on the ground.
Oil change before storage, not after. Used oil has acids in it that sit against your bearings all winter.
And please, put a rag in the intake and exhaust if you've got mice around. Learned that one the hard way, chewed up an airbox filter and nested in the pipe.
What's everyone else doing?
Couple things that actually matter. First, fuel. If you're storing carbed, drain the bowls or run it dry. E10 gas turns to varnish in like 3 months and you'll be pulling jets in April. Fuel injected, fill the tank to the brim with stabilizer, less air space means less condensation.
Battery, pull it and keep it on a tender somewhere that doesn't freeze. Cold kills them. Don't just leave it in the bike on the ground.
Oil change before storage, not after. Used oil has acids in it that sit against your bearings all winter.
And please, put a rag in the intake and exhaust if you've got mice around. Learned that one the hard way, chewed up an airbox filter and nested in the pipe.
What's everyone else doing?