Motorcycle Storage

An unfortunate truth about most parts of the world is that it eventually gets cold – too cold to ride your motorcycle. Winter is a fact of life for most of us, and that means putting your bike away for months at a time. (Whoever said that life is fair?)
As painful as the idea may be, it pays to take the time to do it properly. Your motorcycle will serve you longer and hold its value better if you take the time to prepare it for hibernation. Plus, you’ll be rewarded on that first warm spring day with a bike that doesn’t need as much prep before it’s ready to roll (and that is less likely to surprise you with a previously undetected maintenance issue).

CLEANING
Even if you’re one of those riders who chooses to forego this task most of the time, one time when it truly is important to have a clean bike is when you put it away for the winter.

OIL, FILTER, AND FUEL
Putting your bike to bed with dirty oil is an open invitation for acids and combustion byproducts to start attacking engine parts. And while you’re changing the oil, be sure to change the filter, too. If you don’t, you’re essentially dumping about a cup of the dirty oil back into circulation. You may also consider removing your spark plugs and squirting a bit of oil into each cylinder. Oil is a great rust preventative, and doing this will help prolong your engine’s life.

If you don’t squirt oil into the cylinders, run the engine for a few minutes (be sure to reinstall the spark plugs first!), or take a short ride to circulate the clean oil, drive out any moisture, and leave a fresh oil film inside your engine.

Harley® Bubble

The inside of your gas tank is a prime place for condensation to gather when the temperature drops, so fill it up with fresh fuel for the winter. Adding a commercial fuel stabilizer is also a good idea (be sure to follow label directions carefully), and will help your bike start more easily and run better on that first tank in the spring.

When working with gasoline, be sure to work in a well-ventilated area away from children, open flames, and the possibility of electrical sparking.

BATTERY CARE
Today’s sealed, maintenance-free batteries don’t require a lot of attention, but it’s still a good idea to take them out and keep them warm and charged over the winter. While it’s out (before you reinstall it in the spring), take a few minutes to clean the top of the battery and the terminal posts with a damp cloth. If you see any corrosion, clean the posts with a solution of baking soda and water. Store the battery in a cool, dry place and use a battery tender to keep it charged. (As always, consult your Owner’s Manual for details.)

TIRES
Your tires were made to roll, and sitting still for months at a time with your motorcycle’s weight on them can cause flat spots to develop. To minimize this, use a tire gauge to make sure the tires are properly inflated. Also, using a lift to store your bike with the weight off the tires is a great idea.

ELECTRICALS
Prepping your bike for winter storage represents a perfect opportunity to inspect its overall operating condition. Checking the lights and electrical system, for instance, doesn’t really have anything to do with storage, but wouldn’t you rather fix any problems now and get them out of the way?

Check your headlights (high and low beams), turn signals, and brake light (check that it turns on with the front brake, rear brake, and both brakes). If you have passing lamps, check them, too – and remember that they’ll turn off when you select the high beam. Is the horn functioning properly? If you have a voltmeter on your bike, it should register about 14 volts while you’re rolling down the road at a comfortable clip (check your Owner’s Manual for details).

COVER
Like a fine wine, your Harley-Davidson® needs to breathe a little to be at its best. Cover your motorcycle to keep it free of dust and debris, but make sure the cover is breathable. If it’s not, moisture can accumulate underneath it. A Harley-Davidson brand cover from your dealership is ideal, but short of that, old bed sheets will also do the trick (but stay away from plastic sheeting and waterproof tarps).

Another option is the Harley® Bubble, which flows filtered air over your bike, providing a dust-free, condensation-free environment that greatly decreases the chance of corrosion. Visit www.harley-davidson.com or see the Genuine Motor Accessories and Genuine Motor Parts Catalog for details.

MAKE YOUR CLEANING COUNT
They say that nothing worthwhile ever comes easy, right? Well, the same is true of having a clean Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Properly cleaning your motorcycle – with all its little nooks and crannies – takes time and attention to detail. But it’s also one of those jobs that if you do it, you’d better do it right. Because it’s actually possible to damage your pride and joy if you don’t follow certain guidelines. Dirty rags, harsh detergents, and neglected areas can cause scratching, dulling, and even corrosion.

By following the steps outlined here, you can be sure that your winter storage preparation is getting off to a good start.

First Things First: The Pre-wash
First, get your mind right. Put yourself in a motorcycle washing mood with a little light meditation – or, just put on some of your favorite music. However you choose to do it, prepare yourself to take your time and not rush through any of the steps.

Second, ask yourself, “How well do I really know the back of my hand?” Take a look to be sure. Do you see any rings, watches, or bracelets? If you do, take ‘em off. Even if it’s a Harley-Davidson ring – especially if it’s one of those big ones. They’re all too easy to scratch something with. And if you’re still wearing your riding jacket, beware of any zippers, buckles, or studs that might clank against your bike. In fact, it’s probably best to take that off, too.

If you just got back from a ride, go inside and cool off before you start. You’ll feel better – and it will give your bike a chance to cool off, as well (which is really what we care about here). Washing your bike while it’s still hot not only puts you at risk of a burn, it can also damage your motorcycle by making waxes and cleaners behave badly.

See any caked-on dirt or mud? Don’t wipe it off – rinse it off. Wiping it can seriously scratch your finish. (In fact, this is one step that’s probably okay to do while your bike is still warm, before the mud and bugs dry too thoroughly.)
Give that favorite old sponge of yours a close look. If it looks like it’s been around longer than your favorite pair of jeans, throw it out! Old sponges are notorious for trapping dirt and grime that can scratch your bike. If you drop you sponge, washcloth, or mitt on the ground, examine it carefully to make sure it hasn’t picked up any dirt or grit. Wash it thoroughly or get another one.

Finally, your great-grandmother’s china and your Harley-Davidson motorcycle may both be very important to you, but they have entirely different cleaning needs. So get yourself some cleaning products that are designed for motorcycles, not dishes. You can find some at … oh, say, your local H-D dealership.

Grime Doesn’t Pay: The Wash
Now that you’ve made all the necessary preparations, it’s time for the fun to begin. Start by diluting your cleaner according to label directions. Use a clean sponge, cloth, or H-D Wash Mitt to gently, but thoroughly, clean your motorcycle. And don’t forget areas under the engine and transmission – just make sure to use a brush down there instead of your mitt, washcloth, or sponge.

Use Harley-Davidson® Bug Remover to remove bugs and Harley® Bright™ Chrome Cleaner to remove oxidation and restore the original brilliance.

Pay special attention to the wheels, as accumulated brake dust can cause galvanic corrosion and produce “pitting.” You would be well-advised to use a specialized product for this task, such as Harley-Davidson® Wheel and Tire Cleaner, as normal cleaners (even those designed for motorcycles) are not overly effective at fighting “wheel dirt”.

Once your bike is spotless, make sure it stays spotless (at least until your next ride) by rinsing and drying it thoroughly. Rinse from the top down, paying careful attention to wash away all the cleaner, especially from the aforementioned nooks and crannies. After you’ve rinsed it once, rinse it again to remove any cleaner that may have spattered onto other parts during the initial rinsing. Dry your bike with a clean, dry chamois or drying cloth. You can also “blow dry” your motorcycle using a leaf blower, which is an excellent tool for drying out those hard-to-reach spots where water can puddle. Just make sure the blower is clean before you begin. Using compressed air to dry your bike is not recommended, as oil and rust inside the tank may be blown out at a high velocity.

To Bead or Not to Bead: The Polish
and Seal
As you watch the rinse water cascade over your sparkling, freshly cleaned motorcycle, pay attention to how it runs off. If the water beads into small round droplets, do a little dance of joy – because that means you can probably put your polishing mitt away until next time. If it runs off in sheets or forms oblong droplets, it’s probably time for a fresh polish.

Properly polishing and sealing your motorcycle’s finish will help it look its best by filling in imperfections and tiny scratches, and preventing dulling and staining. But it will also help it last longer by repelling dust, dirt, bugs, and dirty water – to protect the precious metal underneath the shine.

Harley-Davidson recommends using Harley® Glaze™ Polish and Sealant for this important task. Follow the label directions closely, and keep these points in mind:
After polishing, let the bike remain in the shade for several hours if possible. If you have the time, pour yourself a cold drink, pull up a lounge chair, and keep it company under a nice shade tree. Washing and polishing your motorcycle is hard work, and you deserve to spend some quality time alone together – where you can also keep a sharp eye out for ill-intentioned birds.