Keeping Your Motorcycle in Top Condition

A motorcycle needs to be stored away during the winter months if it’s too cold or icy in your area to ride it. Find out some things to do before storing the bike and a few motorcycle storage tips.

During the winter months, most people are not able to ride their motorcycles due to the cold, ice, and snow. If you aren’t going to be using it for a number of months, it’s best to store away your motorcycle for the winter. Learn tips that will help you better store your bike for the winter seasons keeping it protected. Before you do store your motorcycle, there are a few things that must be done.

You need to store the bike without the battery being connected. There will be a gradual draw of power all winter long. If the battery is left connected, it will most likely drain completely and your bike will not start up by the next spring.

Change the oil before winter. This is a good practice as it will be months before starting it up again. You want fresh and clean oil inside during this time and not used up dirty oil.

To protect the finish, you have a few options. Wax the motorcycle as it will help give a small layer of protection to the paint work. You can also buy a motorcycle cover which is actually the best option. The cover will protect not just the paint work, but the engine components as well.

When storing your motorcycle, you need a place to put it. It’s best to use a controlled stable environment without too much fluctuation in temperature. A standard garage should be fine in most cases, but make sure that you store the bike away from the garage door.

If you do not have a garage, keep it out of direct sunlight as you don’t want parts of the motorcycle to fade. It will also help to keep everything on the bike at a more constant temperature.

Keep the motorcycle off the ground. This is good for the tires. The floor will be really cold and can damage the lifespan of your tires if you don’t. This can be done with just cardboard. You need to keep it up even higher if you have issues with any flooding or snow. Just a few inches should be fine for this. Remember to give your bike a full check after the winter before using it again.

Heated motorcycle clothing is not just for riders. Whether it’s riding, winter hunting, snowmobiling, snowboarding, boating or outdoor spectator sports, heated motorcycle clothing can add comfort and pleasure to your activities and extend both the time and enjoyment of cold-weather recreation. Motorcyclists have known the benefits of heated gear for many years. Advances in technology, materials and design have allowed the production of heated motorcycle clothing that’s not just for motorcyclists anymore, but is versatile enough for use in many situations where the elements have the upper hand — even if it’s just your cold den.

Advances in technology have allowed for an ever-increasing number of ways to keep the cold at bay. Heated clothing now comes in many forms — gloves and glove liners, socks and boot liners, pants and pants liners, jackets and jacket liners, scarves, heated grips and heated vests.

The heated vest has been one of the most popular articles of heated motorcycle clothing. The heated vest heats your core, which keeps the rest of the body warmer. With the introduction of lightweight, flexible fabrics and the advances in electrical circuitry, you can count on safe, windproof, waterproof, lightweight, stretchable garments without the downside of hot spots. One of the advantages of wearing a heated vest under a motorcycle jacket (or ski parka), is the elimination of layers of clothing and the additional flexibility of movement this allows. A warmer body and more flexibility add up to a safer riding (or skiing or snowmobiling or hunting) experience.

Heated clothing can be powered by a rechargeable battery pack, usually 7.4 volt, or the bike’s motor, 12 volt. The various manufacturers offer lines of compatible battery packs, cables, connections and adaptors. And many of these are interchangeable with the various different brands of heated clothing available. All heated motorcycle clothing will work with a temperature control module. One of the best known temperature control devices is the Heat-Troller, which works with most brands of clothing. In addition, there are many cable configurations which allow for the use of one piece of heated clothing — or several connected pieces — for total body comfort. Some dealers will offer a complete package for one price.

As heated clothing technology has advanced, more manufacturers have come online with heated gear. This has served to enhance and expand the range of heated gear available, while keeping the price affordable. For the most part, heated motorcycle clothing is priced between $60 for a pair of heated socks to $300 for a heated jacket with built-in heat controller. Considering the benefits provided by heated clothing — warmth, comfort, extended riding season, safety — heated motorcycle clothing is definitely a bargain. If you still need to be sold on heated clothing, for about $150-$200 you can purchase a top quality, very versatile heated motorcycle vest. See how this improves your life — and move on from there.