Winter lay over advice:
While most of our riders use their motorcycles all year long, there are some that tend to slow down a little during the winter months. Here are a few tips to ease Spring time start-up after a long Winter's nap.
Batteries– It is important that you maintain the charge of your battery during a winter layup. This is best performed using a trickle charger with the battery disconnected from the motorcycle's electrical system. We recommend allowing one day per week on the charger, using a timer can be an added convenience to the process. It's also important to be sure to maintain the correct fluid levels in any standard or acid battery you're charging; add distilled water to the battery to ensure that the lead plates of the battery are covered.
*Charging procedures will vary with the type of battery and model of charger used. Please contact us for information regarding your specific charging requirements.
Fuel Systems - We recommend that the motorcycle be stored with a full tank of fuel especially when the tank is of metal construction as on older motorcycles. Fuel stabilizer can be added provided the manufacturer’s instructions are followed. On any older model BMW it is recommended that the carburetor float bowls be drained to prevent the jets from becoming blocked.
*Storing the tank empty on a metal fuel tank will cause the tank to rust due to condensation on the inner walls.
Tires – Tires left to sit over the winter will often do what we commonly refer to as “flat spot”. What this means is the area where the tire rests on the ground will retain that flattened shape when the motorcycle is first ridden again in spring. This can be prevented in a number of ways, the two most common being:
1. Over inflate the tires, this reduces the area the machine is resting on and therefore the size of the area flattened.
2. Lift the motorcycle off of the tires. This is more difficult however it is the best way to prevent this problem. Care must be taken however, to secure the machine from accidental tip over.
