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1. Not Starting Your Bike (Like, ever.)

This seems so obvious but is completely ignored by many. Each Spring, on the very first sunny day, we take phone call after phone call with the same story on loop: “My bike won’t start. It started just fine when I parked it last Fall. I had a battery charger on it all Winter so I KNOW it’s not the battery.”

Well, first of all, it could be the battery (more on that later), but if you did properly maintain the battery- our first suspicion would be your carburetor(s). After sitting for at least a month, there’s potential for the fuel in the carburetor to go stale. As the fuel goes stale, it begins to coagulate and block small passages in your carburetor. This results in your motor not getting the fuel it needs and can cause a wide variety of symptoms.

We recommend simply starting your motorcycle every other week for the duration of storage. Run the motorcycle for 5-10 minutes (or up to full operating temperature) each time to allow fresh fuel to enter the carburetors and burn off any excess condensation.

This will save you time, money, and utter frustration come Spring.

2. Not Filling Your Gas Tank to Full

During storage, we highly recommend filling your gas tank “tippy-top” full. The first reason for this is simple: what’s under gas won’t rust. When areas of the interior tank walls are exposed, they are prone to rusting. This is because the metal on the inside of your tank is bare, unlike the painted and sealed tank exterior. With the changing of temperatures and climate conditions, the inside of the tank can attract moisture that eventually leads to rust. That rust can wreck havoc by finding it’s way down into your carburetor(s).

The second reason we recommend filling your gas tank to full is a matter of quantity. Fuel remains stable and fresh for longer periods of time in larger quantities than it does in smaller quantities. This is a bonus kickback for your carbs too, as it further helps them from gumming up due to stale fuel.

3. Battery Charger Woes

We’re of the philosophy that it is more important how you use your battery charger than what particular brand you choose to use. (Please note that some batteries require special chargers, so always ensure that you have the proper equipment for the job.)

Although many of the most popular battery maintainers/chargers market that it is acceptable to leave them plugged in constantly, we disagree. Every year we see customers who faithfully had their chargers connected all Winter come in with bad batteries in the Spring. While there’s a lot of theories out there to why this may be, our general consensus here at the shop is it has something to do with overheating/overcharging the battery and thereby possibly melting the metal plates within.

Here’s a tried and trued method that came recommended to us many years ago by a good customer that we now promote to get the longest life out of your battery during Winter storage:

The Garage Door Trick
Simply plug your maintainer/charger into a light socket adapter in your overhead garage door light. (Light socket adapters are commonly sold at most hardware stores.) We think of this as the best of both worlds because twice a day you open your garage door. However long you have the light set to stay on each time (generally 5 minutes), your battery will also charge for the same duration. With this method you do not have to remember to do any specific maintenance to your battery (aside from the initial plug in), while also not risking shortening the life of the battery by constantly having it on charge. #Winning

4. Not Checking Cooling System (When Applicable)

It is important to check your cooling system given that we live in a state with below-freezing temperatures during the Winter months. Improper antifreeze ratios can result in catastrophic engine damage.

Your antifreeze ratios can be off for a number of reasons such as improper mixing, topping off with water, etc. While these factors usually prove insignificant during warmer months, they are vital during times in which there is any freeze risk.

If you do not have the proper amount of antifreeze in your cooling system, it can freeze- resulting in expansion and occasionally cracking vital engine parts such as your block, cylinder head, etc. Think of it like that time you put a can of pop in the freezer to expedite it’s chilling (you impatient bastard!), totally forgot about it, then later found a mini explosive mess all over your freezer.

Basically, it is a simple thing to overlook that can serve a huge financial blow and possibly total your motorcycle.

To prevent this from occurring, accurately check your antifreeze ratio by using a propylene glycol tester (AKA: Antifreeze Tester) available inexpensively at your local auto parts store. Refer to the gauge instructions to ensure the perfect ratio.

5. Not Taking Precautions Against Mice

We mention mice a lot- and for good reason. Especially after Winter storage, we take in a lot of bikes that have mysterious and head-scratching symptoms that often end in a diagnosis that points to damage from mice.

The two most common problems we see from mice are airflow or electrical related.

The airflow gets restricted in some fashion (intake or exhaust) by blockage from mouse nests. They are creative with their materials, and we’ve found an array of strange items in motorcycles due to mice, such as: insulation, bird feed, popcorn, peanuts, scraps of clothing, etc.

The other major area we see mice cause problems is with the electrical system. While we’re not sure of the science behind it, it seems as though they take interest in wire chewing as a hobby. This can lead to remote and often difficult to diagnose problems because it can cause issues in areas of the wiring harness that we wouldn’t initially suspect as a problem area.

While we realize it is not entirely possible to prevent mice in all circumstances, there are ways to discourage them from seeking your motorcycle as their Winter vacation home:

As always, if you have any questions about any of the above, feel free to give us a call at (740) 747-2299 and we’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.