The winter months are extremely harsh on motorcycles that are left outdoors. In most parts of the nation, snowfall, ice and subfreezing temperatures are all common. The winter weather can do a lot to your ride, so storage should be one of your main concerns for the season.
Here are five reasons why you need to store your motorcycle during the winter:
Any rider that has ever left their bike outdoors during a snowy winter will tell you their ride built up a lot of rust. The salt from snow plows and long exposures of ice on a motorcycle's chrome will do significant damage.
Ice and salt will immediately cause rust to form and if you leave it long enough, the rust will eat away at exhaust pipes, mirrors, forks and wheel spokes. To make sure this doesn't happen, you need find a place to store your bike indoors and shield it with an appropriate fitting cover to prevent moisture buildup. Even indoors, rust can gather from temperature changes when your bike isn't covered, Esurance reported.
When motorcycles sit for a long time, the battery tends to run low. This can make the first day of spring a wasted day when you want to get out on the road after a long cold winter. Instead, store your motorcycle indoors where there's an electrical outlet and use a battery charger.
Keeping your battery charged will help you keep your motorcycle in its best shape and you will also be able to ride the first day of warm weather. According to Women Riders Now, newer motorcycle batteries are much more expensive than they used to be, so riders can save a lot of money by simply charging their bike's battery indoors over the winter.
With your motorcycle outside, it will succumb to snow and ice and plenty of debris as well. Dirt, dust, mud, leaves and bugs can all make your ride grimy while it sits outside. Not only will storing your bike in a garage protect you from debris, but it will also prevent vandalism.
City riders have to be extra careful leaving their bike outside because some thieves are on the lookout for particular parts, while others simply want to harm your ride by pushing it over or breaking off parts. Make sure you give your bike a nice solid wash before you store it indoors, so your ride looks great when you take it out in the spring, Instructables reported.
If you leave your ride outside, you will likely see rust and dirt buildup that might be impossible to remove. Once your bike sits outside for a winter, your ride immediately loses value because of the conditions it has been through.
Many buyers will ask sellers before they purchase the bike where they stored it. While maybe you aren't able to store it year-round, saying you stored it during the winter could show a buyer the motorcycle was taken care of through harsh conditions. Keep the value of your bike as high as possible by storing your ride indoors through freezing weather.
One thing you have to consider is that when you tell your motorcycle insurance carrier that you store your bike, you're likely to receive discounts on your insurance rates. Storing your bike indoors could save you money each year on your motorcycle insurance by providing a roof for your bike.
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