How To Protect The Motorcycle From Winter Damage?

Winter is just around the corner and if you are planning on using your car more often than your motorcycle in the days to come it becomes necessary to keep your motorcycle safely stored in a place where it does not become affected by the extremely low temperature of the winter. this is more important in places where the Mercury drops below zero and less in tropical countries such as India, but nevertheless, cold temperature is not good for the mechanical parts. if you are planning to use the motorcycle less in the days to come, here are a few things that you need to know about winterizing your motorcycle.

Why should you winterize your motorcycle?

In tropical countries such as India the temperature does not fall below zero degree Celsius in most parts of the country but even then, riding a motorcycle in the cold condition is something that the human body is not comfortable with which is why many people prefer to use their cars as soon as November starts! when the motorcycle is left and used for many months at 10 and the internal mechanical parts start to accumulate oil and other depositions which is not good for the engine. On top of that, the battery also starts to deplete because of the lack of use and over time the battery may completely deplete and refuse to start at all. Winterizing the motorcycle takes care of all of these different aspects and protects the engineer as well as other mechanical parts of the machine until spring when you decide to ride the motorcycle again!

Steps to protect the motorcycle in Indian winter

1. Remove the fuel: The first step recording winterizing a motorcycle is to remove all the petrol from the engine tank because if you let the fuel stay inside the tank for many months at and it will start forming a slimy substance at the bottom of the tank and it will get into the engine and prevent it from starting when we attempt to bring it to life in spring. you can either write the motorcycle until the fuel has completely and or you can remove the fuel using the pipe which carries petrol inside the engine and collect the petrol in a bottle or Jerry can that you can use again next time you want to ride the motorcycle.
2. Wash and wax: Before putting your motorcycle away for the winter make sure to wash and wax it properly because if we do not do that prior to putting it away, the grime and dirt on the paint will become permanent and next time when you attempt to remove it it will peel the paint away and leave behind the scratches that you do not want at all! So next time when you start using the bike again wash it carefully using nothing but baby shampoo or other very high-quality washing materials and remember to be very gentle with how hard you Scrub on the surface of the motorcycle.
3. Keep the battery on trickle charge: If the motorcycle is not in use then the battery starts to deplete on its own and in a couple of months it will completely discharge. In an emergency condition if you have to start a motorcycle without the battery you cannot bring it to life. This is why you must consider putting your motorcycle battery on Trickle charge using a charger which you can buy online or from any motorcycle accessories shop near you.
4. Keep the bike covered and indoors: Do not leave your motorcycle outside in the winter because the Dew drops will affect the shine of your motorcycle and it will also become the home for pest and small wild animals trying to avoid the cold temperature by hiding inside the exhaust pipes or in the nooks and crannies of the motorcycle engine. Under the ideal condition, the motorcycle must be placed inside the house, but if you do not have the space for it, just make sure to cover it with a good quality tarp or motorcycle cover.
5. Keep the tires full of air: Never leave the motorcycle without air in the tires. when you do not use the motorcycle for many months or weeks the weight of the bike becomes too much for the tires to withstand and that will affect the tubing and it will start to crack overtime. Keeping the tires inflated ensures that they do not become flat or cracked at the edges.
6. Do a visual check every 15 days: Check for any sign of external or internal damage on your motorcycle every 15 to 20 days to see if any wild animal or rats have bitten through the wiring or any other part of the motorcycle.
7. Take care of your helmets: Not using the helmet for several months at an end can lead to the formation of mold and other bacterial growth which will render the helmet unusable by spring. This is more common with good quality branded full face helmets. Consider keeping the helmet and gloves protected against mold growth in winter, keep it covered with a helmet bag. You can find helmet covers at your nearest helmet accessories shop or order it online.

Before starting the motorcycle next spring, take your time to find out whether everything is in place and do a complete visual check for Broken wires or other mechanical faults which might be clearly visible to you. take the motorcycle for a proper maintenance and overhaul prior to taking it out on a long ride. make sure to replace the engine oil with new oil and fill your gas tank as well.