Another member asked a question in another thread about maintaining the bike for the winter rider, so i give to you a list i compiled from the internet of things to do to help negate some of the wear and tear the bike can receive during those harsh months. please feel free to add to this list.
Wrap it up. The front fork slider (lower part of conventional telescopic forks) gets a hard time whatever the season but with tons of road grit and salt around they can take a right bruising. The solution "Window Insulation" shrink wrap/film. Use it to cover at least the front of the slider.
Take a can of WD40 or similar and spray around hidden areas of the bike, under fairings, on the conventional forks, top of fork legs, over the engine, etc. Expect corrosion if you don’t keep these areas protected!
Check the battery. Sealed batteries require no or little maintenance but if it’s weak, replace it. Standard style batteries should be topped up and Vaseline applied to the terminals. Colder weather will expose any battery deficiencies—most commonly old age. Lower temperatures affect its strength and it’s likely you’ll have to turn the engine over for longer periods before it starts—if it starts.
With more moisture in the air, corrosion can also attack switchgear and electrical connections —so lube them. Undo the screws holding the switchgear together and squirt around with WD40 —do the same to all electrical connections. Pay special attention to those exposed such as brake lights, side stand cut outs, etc.
Lighting. With the daylight hours shortened, it's a good idea to consider upgrading your lighting to give it more brightness. Try installing a more high performance bulb where in many cases these offer nearly 50% more light. You can install high intensity discharge kits yet they can be pricey.
Grease. Dabs of good old fashioned grease will keep bolt heads grout free but can get messy. Try this instead; simply replace cadmium (Cadmium is a soft, malleable, ductile, toxic, bluish-white bivalent metal. It is similar in many respects to zinc but reacts to form more complex compounds-- used largely in batteries and pigments, for example in plastic products source Wikipedia) plated fasteners with stainless steel equivalents. Engine and fairing fasteners replacements will cost you under CAD200. and certainly worth the investment. If you apply copper grease to the tips as you spin them in, they’ll never seize.
Brake systems are vulnerable as well to road sludge. The pins that retain the pads and exposed areas of the pistons should be greased—sparingly using copper grease or special brake grease. Wash them regularly with a toothbrush and soapy water and follow it by a blast from an aerosol brake cleaner and grease. They’ll stay in "stopping good" condition.
Mudguard for the front tire. These extenders will help stop radiators and oil-coolers getting coated and filled with guck. Huggers for the rear also stop the bike from getting coated by the back wheel.
If you have no choice but to leave your motorcycle outside, get a cover yet this does not mean it’s protected. Moist air will still find its way in—including salt if you are parked on a busy street. Keep the bike coated with a water repellent spray—WD40 and only put a bike cover over a dry bike! If not you’ll just be covering and locking in the moisture already present which will cause corrosion.
Exhaust systems are the most difficult to protect. Not a good idea to use plastic coating grease because these will just melt on the pipe creating a nightmare cleaning session in the spring. All you can do is wash it after each ride and try if you can to replace stainless steel bits with mild steel components.
Rear suspension needs a check and greasing of linkages. Best manner to do so is with a grease gun or long reaching brush and be sure to smear the grease around the pivot points. While you’re at it do the foot pegs, centre and side stands.
In winter sticky sports compound tires, contrary to popular belief, seldom get up to working temperature. Touring and street sport tires are of heavier construction and will indeed generate more internal heat. They’ll give you more dry grip and perform better in the wet -plus they’ll last quite a bit longer. And even some manufacturers produce motorcycle winter tires!
Combustion creates lots of nasty byproducts that we loosely classify under the heading of gunk. During warmer months the gunk burns off as the engine warms up. Unfortunately, during the winter, short rides and frigid temperatures may prevent the engine from warming up enough to evaporate the gunk, so it becomes entrained in the oil. When enough gunk contaminates the oil, it starts to break down, which I'm sure we'd all agree is a bad thing. The solution is to change the oil and filter at half the recommend interval during the winter months.
Cosmetics can take a real beating on winter roads; frequent washing helps, but for many, a weekly scrubbing just ain't in the cards. When I can't bucket-wash my bike I hit the do-it-yourself car wash, and in between I keep the bright bits and the paint work well soused with WD-40. The WD (or any other moisture displacing lubricant) will do a decent job of forestalling rust and won't attract dirt like a heavy grease might, plus it's a lot easier to wash off come first grass. Just remember to keep it away from the tires, grips and foot pegs.
Always use a fuel stabilizer, unless you are lucky enough to find a station who still sells the good stuff, when using any type of ethanol fuel.
Wrap it up. The front fork slider (lower part of conventional telescopic forks) gets a hard time whatever the season but with tons of road grit and salt around they can take a right bruising. The solution "Window Insulation" shrink wrap/film. Use it to cover at least the front of the slider.
Take a can of WD40 or similar and spray around hidden areas of the bike, under fairings, on the conventional forks, top of fork legs, over the engine, etc. Expect corrosion if you don’t keep these areas protected!
Check the battery. Sealed batteries require no or little maintenance but if it’s weak, replace it. Standard style batteries should be topped up and Vaseline applied to the terminals. Colder weather will expose any battery deficiencies—most commonly old age. Lower temperatures affect its strength and it’s likely you’ll have to turn the engine over for longer periods before it starts—if it starts.
With more moisture in the air, corrosion can also attack switchgear and electrical connections —so lube them. Undo the screws holding the switchgear together and squirt around with WD40 —do the same to all electrical connections. Pay special attention to those exposed such as brake lights, side stand cut outs, etc.
Lighting. With the daylight hours shortened, it's a good idea to consider upgrading your lighting to give it more brightness. Try installing a more high performance bulb where in many cases these offer nearly 50% more light. You can install high intensity discharge kits yet they can be pricey.
Grease. Dabs of good old fashioned grease will keep bolt heads grout free but can get messy. Try this instead; simply replace cadmium (Cadmium is a soft, malleable, ductile, toxic, bluish-white bivalent metal. It is similar in many respects to zinc but reacts to form more complex compounds-- used largely in batteries and pigments, for example in plastic products source Wikipedia) plated fasteners with stainless steel equivalents. Engine and fairing fasteners replacements will cost you under CAD200. and certainly worth the investment. If you apply copper grease to the tips as you spin them in, they’ll never seize.
Brake systems are vulnerable as well to road sludge. The pins that retain the pads and exposed areas of the pistons should be greased—sparingly using copper grease or special brake grease. Wash them regularly with a toothbrush and soapy water and follow it by a blast from an aerosol brake cleaner and grease. They’ll stay in "stopping good" condition.
Mudguard for the front tire. These extenders will help stop radiators and oil-coolers getting coated and filled with guck. Huggers for the rear also stop the bike from getting coated by the back wheel.
If you have no choice but to leave your motorcycle outside, get a cover yet this does not mean it’s protected. Moist air will still find its way in—including salt if you are parked on a busy street. Keep the bike coated with a water repellent spray—WD40 and only put a bike cover over a dry bike! If not you’ll just be covering and locking in the moisture already present which will cause corrosion.
Exhaust systems are the most difficult to protect. Not a good idea to use plastic coating grease because these will just melt on the pipe creating a nightmare cleaning session in the spring. All you can do is wash it after each ride and try if you can to replace stainless steel bits with mild steel components.
Rear suspension needs a check and greasing of linkages. Best manner to do so is with a grease gun or long reaching brush and be sure to smear the grease around the pivot points. While you’re at it do the foot pegs, centre and side stands.
In winter sticky sports compound tires, contrary to popular belief, seldom get up to working temperature. Touring and street sport tires are of heavier construction and will indeed generate more internal heat. They’ll give you more dry grip and perform better in the wet -plus they’ll last quite a bit longer. And even some manufacturers produce motorcycle winter tires!
Combustion creates lots of nasty byproducts that we loosely classify under the heading of gunk. During warmer months the gunk burns off as the engine warms up. Unfortunately, during the winter, short rides and frigid temperatures may prevent the engine from warming up enough to evaporate the gunk, so it becomes entrained in the oil. When enough gunk contaminates the oil, it starts to break down, which I'm sure we'd all agree is a bad thing. The solution is to change the oil and filter at half the recommend interval during the winter months.
Cosmetics can take a real beating on winter roads; frequent washing helps, but for many, a weekly scrubbing just ain't in the cards. When I can't bucket-wash my bike I hit the do-it-yourself car wash, and in between I keep the bright bits and the paint work well soused with WD-40. The WD (or any other moisture displacing lubricant) will do a decent job of forestalling rust and won't attract dirt like a heavy grease might, plus it's a lot easier to wash off come first grass. Just remember to keep it away from the tires, grips and foot pegs.
Always use a fuel stabilizer, unless you are lucky enough to find a station who still sells the good stuff, when using any type of ethanol fuel.