Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hey guys, I have another newbie-ish question to ask advice on. I'm getting ready to store my bike for the winter, and I was going to get heated storage, but since my girlfriend's dad (a long time rider) stores his in an unheated garage without any problems, I was going to go with the unheated option.

But after finding out that even unheated storage will run me more than $80 a month, I got to thinking of exactly what was the difference between cold storage indoors and cold storage outdoors. I do have a full, all-weather cover for it, so I was wondering what different things I would have to do and what other problems I might face between storing the bike indoors, heated or unheated, vs outdoors with a cover? (Apart from all the usual stuff of course.)

For what it's worth, I might just check out what the storage programs at the dealers are like. Anyway, thanks for any input you guys can give me!

I leave both my bikes under cover, not completely enclosed. I make sure that my anti-freeze it good. This year I am going to use staybilt in my fuel.
I am going to leave my batts on the bikes and hope that they survive the winter. If not I will have to replace them for next year. Don.t park it where water run off from your roof will pour on it. niterider

7 Steps to Winterize:

1. Before you winterize, check first if the bike has mechanical problems. If you have detected a defect, fix it first before you proceed.
2. The engine oil and the oil filter must be replaced or changed.
3. Fill the gas tank. Then add stabilizer. To gauge the right quantity of the stabilizer, consult the instructions on its can. After that, run the bike for a few minutes.
4. After the run, check the bike's battery. Clean its battery terminals and connect a Battery Tender or similar trickle-charger.
5. Wash, clean, wipe and wax the bike.
6. Use motorcycle cover to protect the bike from other elements. Keep the bike in a warm garage.
7. Lastly, make it certain that the bike is locked up and its registration and papers are removed so as to avoid liability if in case the bike was stolen.

fastracer: is the trickle charger supposed to be left on all the while that the bike is in storage? Even if it is months?