Demon’s Cycle

Storing Your Harley Davidson Motorcycle During The Winter; Do It Yourself Tips And Tricks

1. Stabilizing Your FuelMany people are not aware that the shelf life of unleaded fuel is only 3 to 4

weeks before it begins to break down. Some Harley Davidson bike shops would recommend draining the tank & float to help prevent the gas from

turning to gunk.

To be honest, even in a DIY project there is no way to drain every bit of gas, mainly from all the small spaces & including the jets in the carburetor.

Use the recommended amount of fuel stabilizer to a full tank of fuel, then run the engine for at least 15 minutes to get all of the stabilized fuel inside

the engine. This will help any remaining fuel from oxidizing and turning into varnish.

2. Change The OilThis is a good time to change the oil considering the bike is warmed up. Residual fuel in the oil can oxidize from sitting in

storage for too long. By changing your oil now it will remove all the sludge and dirt that would begin to deteriorate if you didn’t

change it. Also changing oil now guarantees fresh lubrication when its time get back on your bike when the weather warms

up.

Be sure to use synthetic oil which will hold up far longer than regular oil. You do not want to go cheap on the oil, especially in this case. Also don’t forget to give the engine a few minutes to

disburse the oil all through the engine.

3. Preparing Your BatteryImportant Note: Always keep batteries under a constant charge in order

to prolong their life.

Attach a battery tender or a special charger that doesn't overcharge the battery while in storage. A trickle charger can do the trick but be

careful as it cannot run for any more than 30 minutes each day. If this is the only type you have get an appliance timer, they should only be a

few dollars.

If you are storing the motorcycle in extremely cold climate you will want to completely remove the battery and store it in a warm, dry place. Regardless of what you do the battery has to be kept on charge all

winter.

4. Clean and LubeEven the smallest amount of road dirt or sand will help corrode any metal

surface when it’s in storage.

That’s why it’s important to spend the time needed to give your Harley Davidson or any other motorcycle a good cleaning before putting it in storage for the winter. Lubricate the chain and all other moving parts including the cables.

Make sure you are also using a metal protecting spray on the underside of the frame and drive train. This will keep your bike protected from any rust on

areas exposed from pitting or scratches from normal riding.

Important Note: Never use WD-40 on your motorcycle, EVER! It was not made for Harley Davidson’s. Talk with a local bike shop and they will have the

right product to use specially made for motorcycles.

5. Check Your Tires

Before you store your motorcycle for the winter it is important you check that your tires have the correct amount of air in them. If you can

deflate your tires to get rid of any moisture that may be in the tires and then fill them back up with clean compressed air. Also repeat this

step before you take your bike out when the weather heats up.

If it is possible try to lift your motorcycle so that the tires are not carrying the entire weight of the bike while in storage, especially if

you live in extremely cold conditions.

Important Note: Make sure that your bike is secure if you lift it. Motorcycle lifts with the bottle jacks are not good for long periods of

time because they have been known to fail.

6. Cover Your Harley UpIt doesn’t matter if you store it inside or outside, your Harley Davidson should always be covered when it is being stored for winter. Use a cover that can breathe and keep moisture from getting in and trapped under the cover because it is bad for the bike’s metal surface.

Important Note: Do not use plastic tarps!

Don’t forget before you put the cover on to also cover your exhaust pipes end to keep any unwanted guests from making a winter home inside them. Finally, use a plastic shopping bag over the carbs intake. This will insure that no moisture will get in while the bike is in

storage over the winter.

Just remember when the bike is in storage to resist the temptation of periodically starting the engine, this will not help in any way and is a bad tip other sites may recommend.

When it’s ready to take your Harley out of storage simply drain the stabilized fuel and start riding again.

Hopefully these tips on how to properly store your Harley Davidson during the winter can

help.

If you have any other questions for storing your motorcycle please feel free to contact

Demon’s Cycle