How to store your motorcycle in winter: A step-by-step guide (so it starts right up in spring).

The cold has arrived, the rain is relentless, and you've decided your "baby" will be sleeping in the garage for a few months.

It's a sensible decision for those who don't like riding in the cold, but leaving your motorcycle unattended requires more than simply turning off the ignition and putting it on the kickstand. If you abandon it for 3 or 4 months without care, in the spring you'll have unpleasant surprises: a dead battery, deformed tires, a rusty tank, or rotten gasoline clogging the injectors.

Want her to catch it right away when the sun comes back out? Follow this 5-step hibernation ritual.

1. Fill the Tank (To the Top!)

It may seem counterintuitive to store your motorcycle with a full tank, but it's vital. If you leave the tank half empty, the air inside contains moisture. In cold weather, this moisture condenses and turns into water, which will rust the inside of the tank.

• The trick: Fill the tank to the brim with the best quality (premium) gasoline and, if possible, add a fuel stabilizer . This prevents the gasoline from degrading and creating that "gum" that clogs carburetors and injectors.

2. The Battery: The Fragile Heart

In winter, batteries die silently. The cold and inactivity slowly discharge them to the point of no return (sulfation).

• Ideal Solution: Connect the battery to a smart charger (maintainer) . It simulates motorcycle use, gently charging and discharging it to keep it healthy.

• Minimal Solution: If there is no power outlet in the garage, disconnect the negative (-) terminal of the battery to avoid parasitic drain (clock, alarms).

3. Avoid "Square" Tires

If the motorcycle remains stationary in the same position for months, the weight will deform the rubber at the point of contact with the ground, creating a "flat spot." When you start riding again, you'll feel the motorcycle bouncing.

• What to do: Put the motorcycle on the center stand or use parking stands so that the wheels are in the air.

• No center stand? Inflate the tires with slightly more pressure than normal (e.g., 0.5 bar more) and try moving the motorcycle slightly every two weeks to change the point of support.

4. Washing and Protection

Never store your motorcycle dirty. Dead insects, brake dust, and mud retain moisture and are acidic, silently corroding the paint and chrome. Give it a good wash, dry it thoroughly, and apply a layer of wax to the fairings and silicone spray or WD-40 to the metal parts (except brakes and tires!) to create a barrier against moisture.

5. Cover it (But let it breathe)

Use a proper motorcycle cover that is breathable . If you use cheap waterproof plastic, it will create a greenhouse effect inside: moisture will rise from the ground, get trapped in the plastic, and rot the entire motorcycle. If it's in a closed garage, even an old cotton sheet will do to keep out dust.

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Pro Tip: Winter is Upgrade Season

Now that the mechanical parts are protected, you have the ideal time to do what you've been putting off all year. Winter is the best time to install accessories. The motorcycle is parked, you have time, and you can do things calmly.

Instead of waiting for spring to realize you're still using that old, wobbly phone holder, why not use the break to modernize your cockpit?

Installing Motoplay now means that on the first sunny day of the year, you won't just be taking your motorcycle out of the garage: you'll be experiencing a whole new riding adventure. The battery will be charged, the tires will be round, and your navigation system will be ready to take you on a journey of discovery, without cables and without complications.

Prepare the hardware and update the software.

👉 [Take advantage of winter to upgrade. Order Motoplay here and install it at your leisure]