Tips to prepare your motorcycle for storage

It is never easy to prepare your motorcycle for storage. Especially if this is the first time you are doing this. There are a lot of reasons why putting your “steel steed” in a storage unit is a good idea. And just one of those is security that storage units provide. There your motorcycle will be kept in best conditions possible and under constant surveillance. So, after knowing that your bike is safe, you can work on its preparation for the storage unit. Follow our guide for more details on this topic!

Prepare your storage unit before you prepare your motorcycle for storage

The important part of this is to prepare your storage unit. Your bike can wait at your home for the time being, because a proper storage unit preparation is very important for bikes safety. You need to dry out the storage unit before you park your bike there. Make sure there are no leaking as well. Every storage unit should be equipped with anti hazardous systems like water and fireproofs.

It is also a good idea to not place your bike directly on the storage units floor. In case something does leak, it can easily damage your tires. And that will only lead to new expenses. Instead, try to place your bike on something when storing it. A good idea is to buy bike stalls that are used in situations like these. But if you can’t afford them, a good old wooden pallet can do the same trick. Once you are done with this, you can prepare your motorcycle for a storage unit! The best way to do it is to know in details how to prepare your storage unit for your bike!

Step one – tend to the surface of the motorcycle

Before you store your bike, you should do something about its surface. Any liquid left on the surface can lead to corrosion and damage to your precious bike. So grab that cloth and start cleaning your bike. Once you cleaned your bike, make sure you dry it out completely! You need to get all the moisture out of your bike and not let any settle by itself. After you are done with this, use wax and spread a good coat of it on your bike. This will protect your bike from dust and moisture. Corrosion inhibitors are good for plastic, metal, rubber, carbon fiber,  and anodized surface protection. It will prevent oxidation and corrosion.

Step two – check the battery

Now you have to tend to your battery. Start by checking the fluid level of your battery. If the battery acid level is too low, it can cause sulfation. Further leading to a short between the internal plates. This type of failure is a common issue caused by negligence. Never wait for something to go wrong with the bike to check on its part. The best thing you can do is to remove the battery and keep it at your home.  These batteries are mostly kept in warm places. Also, if you want to prolong the life of your batteries, then charge it once in a while during that resting period. This is a very important part because if you don’t do it, you risk your batteries to die, and it is not cheap to buy a new one. It won’t hurt to know about how to take care of your bike before you store it. It will just prolong its life!

Step three – the fuel system

The main reason why you need to tend to the fuel system is because of ethanol in the fuel. Unlike regular gasoline, the ethanol is more hygroscopic. Meaning, it keeps suspended or dissolved water. And this can only lead to corrosion, varnish, gum and carbon deposits. Not only is this bad news, but also leads to heavy damages to your bike. This is a very important task you need to complete if you want to successfully prepare your bike for a storage unit.

Step four – change engine oil

The motor oil in your bike’s engine is not only a lubricant but aids the filtration system as well. One major deposit in your motor oil is carbon. It gets easily suspended there and it is created by the combustion chamber. If your bike is in a resting state, it will allow the carbon to rise to the surface. And this will lead to serious cases of corrosion. Not to mention damages to gears, metal surfaces and bearings. Before you store your bike in the storage unit, you need to replace the engine oil.

Step five – tires

Once you are finished with the polishing, battery, and oil, you need to take care of your tires. As we mentioned before, the best way is to use bike stands. But, there is another issue you need to worry about when preparing your motorcycle for storage. And that is the air in the tires. During the resting period, the air will leave the tire. And because of the bike’s weight, it can cause a permanent flat spot on the tire.

There are two ways you can keep this from happening. First, use the paddock stands, which we highly recommend for your bike. Or, you can slightly overinflate your tired during this storing period. Both are very effective, but people mostly choose the stands, just to be sure. It falls down to how long are you going to keep your bike stored up like that! The smart idea is to learn about the long term storage tips and tricks and then adapt to them accordingly!

Step six – cover the bike

After all, is done, the last thing you need to do is to cover the bike with the motorcycle cover. This will additionally protect the bike from dust particles that can harm its surface. The cover is not that expensive and it is easy to get. Also, a good thing to do is to cover the exhaust and air intake pipes. If some mice or other rodents wonder around, they like to crawl up inside. So, to avoid any bad surprises, cover those openings, but don’t forget to remove them once you want to take the bike out.

Preparing your motorcycle for a storage unit is not a simple task. You need to think about all the things that can go wrong during this period. But luckily, our article provides you with step by step guide on how to do it properly. Once you read this, you will have a basic idea on how to do it without any issues! You can give us your feedback by commenting in the comment section down below