Winter is fast approaching and many of you will soon be putting your bike away until the first signs of spring. There are plenty of practical things you can do to keep your bike safe and sound during the winter months so when the sun does appear next year your bike will be all ready to go!
1) Drain the fuel
It is always a good idea to drain the fuel out of your bike if you don’t intend to use it for a while. Petrol goes off and this can cause problems when you come to use the bike again. It’s a great excuse to take the bike out for a long ride on the last sunny day of autumn and use up all your petrol.
Alternatively you can try adding a fuel system treatment such as Silkolene FST. This guards against fuel system corrosion. It is also useful to add this treatment to your bike if you are going to ride it through the winter as it prevents carb icing, protects against cold start engine wear and combats carburettor sticking and jet blocking. Altogether a useful product to keep in your garage!
2) Clean your bike
It is a good idea to give your bike a thorough clean before storing it. Road salt will cause deterioration of exposed metal surfaces if not cleaned off effectively and you don’t want to return to a rusty bike next year. Chemical cleaners sometimes contain solvents, which extract elastomers from the plastic. This causes the material to become brittle so it is wise to avoid these products. If you use a jet wash try to avoid directing the jet of water onto the bearings. The resultant humidity will assist corrosion. To non-painted aluminium parts, like the engine and transmission housing, a transparent protective spray should be used. A good spray is Silkolene All-In-One. It repels moisture, cleans, lubricates and protects against corrosion. Don’t forget to lube your chain.
3) Check the coolant levels
Before you leave your bike to fend for itself during the cold winter months it is advisable to check your coolant levels and top up if needed. Freezing conditions are not good for bikes or riders!
4) Invest in a battery charger
How many times have you gone to start your bike on that first sunny day of spring and discovered that the battery has gone flat. It’s inconvenient and easily avoided. It is recommended that you invest in a Honda Optimate battery charger/optimiser. It is specially designed for modern batteries from 2 to 32 Amp-hours capacity with the ability to diagnose, check and maintain your battery automatically for months. Included with the Optimate are two interchangeable connection harnesses, one with clamps for bench charging, and the other for permanent connection to the bikes battery to allow easy reconnection when necessary.
5) Get a bike cover
If you keep your bike in a garage it may be worth investing in an indoor bike cover. The Honda indoor cover is anit-static and dust repellent. It is breathable so does not allow condensation to form and is lovely and soft, so protects the bodywork from scratches. If you are lucky enough to own a Repsol or HRC Fireblade you can get tailor made luxury covers featuring the bikes unique design colours and logos. All of the indoor covers are a classy design that shows the silhouette of your bike beautifully.
6) Ensure the bike is secure
Finally we recommend that you do everything possible to keep your bike secure so it is still there when you open your garage doors next year. Abus do a wide variety of locks and chains, many of which are Thatchem approved. A ground anchor to lock your bike to is a great deterrent. If your garage is close to your house a disc lock with built in alarm may be a good idea as you will be able to hear the siren go off if the bike is moved. A good quality lock and chain is more expensive to buy but could potentially save your bike from being stolen, thus saving you time and money in the long run.
To find the products detailed above as well as many other Honda motorcycle parts & accessories please visit our website.
At present we have some great offers on Alpinestars Gloves and Arai Helmets.
