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Top 7 Motorcycle Winterizing Questions

It has turned into a seriously cold winter. The Polar Vortex that swept across the Midwest and East Coast brought, as one professor of atmospheric science put it, “temperatures dropping rapidly to values that are dangerous to human life and damaging to buildings and infrastructures.”

We all know what that means for us and our families: extra layers, limited outdoors time and lots of hot drinks. But what does all this extreme weather do to your motorcycle? From corrosion and rust spots to a dead battery, motorcycles feel the effects of cold weather and snow just like we do—especially if they’re sitting idle for months at a time.

Maybe you’ve never winterized your bike before to get it ready for storage. Or maybe you do winterize but aren’t sure if your techniques will stand up to this winter’s freezing temperatures. Either way, we’ve compiled this quick list of common questions and answers to help you keep your motorcycle in perfect form until spring comes back around.

(And in case you’ve got an adventurous streak like this rider trekking across Siberia right now on his Yamaha XT660Z, we’ll also provide a few links to essential cold-weather riding gear.)

1) Do I need to winterize my motorcycle even if I’m going to be riding it before spring?

The word “winterizing” might bring to mind months on end devoid of riding, during which your motorcycle sits hibernating in your garage. But even if you’re going to be riding during the winter, you should still follow some winterizing best practices to keep your motorcycle running at top shape in cold weather conditions.

• If you were putting your bike away for the winter, you would be replacing all your fluids (more on that later). But just because you’ll be winter riding doesn’t mean you can skip this step entirely. Make sure to maintain your fluids—especially your coolant, which can become acidic quickly in the cold weather.
• Wash and wax your motorcycle. Dirt, grease and water spots can affect your bike’s finishes; an all-over cleaning with a motorcycle-specific wash product will help prevent corrosion. Once you’ve washed and dried your ride, wax it. This will help repel salt water that’s common on the road in the winter—and that could otherwise cause corrosion.
• Treat your fuel every time you come back in from a cold-weather ride. (Keep reading for more on this point.)

Another important note: If you’re serious about braving cold weather on your next ride, make sure to do so safely. This Popular Mechanics article outlines top-rated cold weather gear, from a dry pack to boots to a Carhartt helmet liner we won’t leave home without. You’ll find a road-tested set of heated grips and even a full-body heat suit in this list from Motorcycle.com.

2) What should I do if I’m storing my bike outside?

In an ideal world, every motorcycle will be stored carefully inside a heated garage with a breathable, waterproof dust cover. But not everyone has the luxury of a garage or shed. If you fall into the latter camp, then follow these tips:

• Bring the battery and seats inside; these are the parts of your bike most affected by cold weather. Storing your seat indoors and conditioning it with vinyl protector will help prevent it from cracking. To keep your battery in good shape between now and spring, hook your battery to maintainer/charger quickly via quick connector (watch how it’s done in this Revzilla video).

• Even though it might feel counter-intuitive, if your motorcycle is staying outdoors during the winter, it could be best to keep it uncovered. A cover that’s out in the elements can do more harm than good, collecting moisture and pinning it against your motorcycle. (And remember, moisture often equals corrosion.) Note that the same goes for bikes stored indoors: if your cover isn’t breathable and shifts around rather than staying secure, you’re better leaving your motorcycle uncovered.

Whether storing your motorcycle indoors or outdoors, avoid using a tarp as a cover. Although it may be conveniently sitting around your house, it’s just not designed to get the job done. Tarps trap moisture where as a quality motorcycle cover is designed to ventilate.

3) Is it better to empty or fill up my motorcycle’s fuel system?

After you’ve taken your motorcycle for a ride, one of your first major steps should be to treat your fuel. You likely fall into one or two camps on this issue: either you’re the type of person who empties the fuel system completely or the one who insists on filling it up.

But which is best for your bike?

If you have a fuel-injected bike, filling it up is a whole lot easier. And it’s also effective: by filling up your fuel system, you drive out any air space and minimize the possibility of water. (Water and oxygen are two major reasons why your fuel gets gummy.) Because an empty tank is also vulnerable to corrosion, we recommend the fill-up method.

Once you’ve filled up your fuel system, add some treatment to top it off completely. Then, run the motor so the treated fuel makes it all the way through your motorcycle’s intakes and injectors.

Pro tip: While your bike is still warm, wax the chain. This gets the  chain lubricated more easily and ensures it’s protected from salt and rust.

4) What fluids do I need to replace?

Don’t leave old, broken-down oil in your motorcycle all winter long. Make it a priority to change your oil; a winter-weight oil like a 5W30 will make it easier to start up your bike when spring rolls around.

Also check your coolant system to make sure there’s enough anti-freeze. This is crucial for any rider, but especially if you’re not going to be using your bike until the weather gets warmer.

5) Is fogging oil worth the time and money?

If you’re truly not going to be riding your motorcycle until spring, consider fogging the cylinders—aka, lubricating the inside of your motor with fogging oil, a heavy lubricant that comes in the form of an aerosol spray. Fogging oil runs about $5 per can, so it’s likely worth the extra few bucks to keep the expensive parts of your bike in good shape. But you can also use motor oil instead.

6) Do I really need to put cardboard under the tires?

After you’ve finished filling up your tank, replacing your fluids and giving your motorcycle a full wash and wax, it’s time for the finishing touches: adding a cover and, according to many, cardboard under the wheels. It may seem unnecessary, but putting something underneath your tires—carpet squares will also work—can keep the moisture in your floors from affecting the rubber.

You can also try a bike stand, which brings the added bonus of keeping the weight off the tires. If you’re going the carpet or cardboard route, rotate the wheels every few weeks to prevent flat spots.

7) Do I need to ride my motorcycle once per week until spring?

This is a question you hear a lot, especially when Mother Nature makes a weekly ride difficult. Although regular use is good for your motorcycle, if you commit to a weekly ride during the winter, make sure it’s more than just a quick spin. You need to run your motorcycle to its full operating temperature to cook off moisture and recharge your battery. Otherwise, that quick start can be hard on your motor and moisture could end up where you don’t want it.

Although every rider has their own winterizing routine, the goal should always be to keep your motorcycle in top shape during the winter months. This not only keeps your bike running better for longer, but also helps you get right back to riding as soon as the warm weather rolls back around.

Feel the need for a warm weather ride? Ship it to motorcycle to Florida or California for winter get away! Get a free quote on our world-class motorcycle shipping service.

*Manufacturers Stock Jetting can be found in the owner’s manual and is typically based on 70 degrees at 0 feet of altitude. Stock clip position should be counted from the top of the needle down (Example: 1,2,3,4,5,6 or 7)
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Rejetting Carbs

We’ve all heard those painful sputtering noises coming from another bike sitting near us in traffic. But now, those sounds are coming from your own motorcycle. And come to think of it, you have been noticing a loss in performance on your last few rides.

If you find yourself in this situation, your motorcycle’s carburetor could be the culprit. Those spitting, sputtering noises are often its way of telling you that it needs a little TLC—aka, a rejet. Re-jetting the carburetor can be a bit complicated to do yourself, but it’s necessary to keep your motorcycle performing as it should.

You may need to adjust the main jet, pilot jet and/or clip position on the needle for your motorcycle to run at peak efficiency. You can use our calculator to find the correct settings for your carburetor by simply entering your stock jetting configuration and desired elevation with temperature.

To simplify the process for you, we’ve written this quick step-by-step guide, complete with a free rejet calculator to take the guesswork out of selecting the right sized jets for your motorcycle. Once you have determined what Jets you need for your motorcycle you can buy them here (10% Off Your First Order at JPcycles.com w/ code: TAKE10) and get a discount.

How to tell if you need to re-jet

When you jet your motorcycle’s carburetor, you’re setting the optimal ratio of air to fuel that goes into your engine. (This mix is called the stoichiometric ratio, which is 14.7 parts air to one part fuel. In reality, your motorcycle probably performs better at a slightly richer ratio.)

Carburetors contain tiny nozzles—these are the “jets”—that have holes. The fuel passes through these holes to mix with air. This creates a mist, which then travels to the combustion chamber, where it’s used as energy to run your engine. The smaller the holes in the jets, the less fuel in the air and, as a result, less explosion and less power to run your engine. By replacing your current jets with ones that have different-sized holes you can add either more fuel or air to perfect your motorcycle’s fuel-air ratio.

A number of factors can impact whether your motorcycle needs a re-jet: humidity, altitude, upgrades to your engine or exhaust system, and even the weather. Basic routine maintenance or lack of proper winterizing also comes into play here.

If your motorcycle is having carburetor issues, you’ll notice that your engine feels like it isn’t getting the fuel it needs. If you’re also hearing popping or sputtering sounds, check your spark plugs to determine if your motorcycle needs a re-jet. A clean spark plug means you can skip the re-jet. A black, sooty-looking spark plug means you’re running rich with too much fuel in your mix. If you see white residue, that means you’re running lean with too much air. In both cases, you need a re-jet.

The main jet, pilot jet, and jet needle

Before you start with your re-jetting, it’s helpful to understand the parts in your carburetor and how they control your fuel level.

• The main jet controls the amount of fuel when you’re at about 80% to a wide-open throttle
• The pilot jet controls the fuel level when you’re at idle to roughly 20% throttle
• The jet needle controls the fuel level when you’re between 20% and 80% throttle

Want to dive deeper? Watch this video on the parts of the carburetor.

Step 1: Drain your carburetor

Once you’ve checked your spark plugs and have determined you need a re-jet, it’s time to drain your carburetor. Start by shutting off the petcock, which stops gas flow from the tank to the carb. Unscrew the drain plug and let the gas run out into a pan. If you prefer, you can also accomplish this by running your engine in neutral for a few minutes—but if you go this route, make sure your motorcycle is on its stand.

With either method, the engine will eventually use up all the gas in the carb before starting to sputter and stall. This signals that your carb is as dry as possible.

Step 2: Remove your carburetor

Now, it’s time to remove the carb. Keep in mind that this process is going to be different for every motorcycle. If you’re uncertain how to remove your bike’s carburetor, refer to the service manual. (Can’t find it? You can purchase service manuals for most motorcycles on eBay.)

Step 3: Remove your hoses

Remove any hoses that are still hanging onto your bike. Take a photo of where each of them goes to avoid nightmares when it comes to reinstalling them. After this step, your carb should be fully free from your engine.

Step 4: Select the correct jet size

Not sure what size jets you need to purchase? Consult your manual first to find the stock size. Also pay attention to the numbers on the side of your old jets, which you’ll be able to see in the steps to come. A larger jet number means a bigger hole and more fuel. A smaller jet number has smaller holes and should be used if your engine needs to run leaner. Whether your machine is running too lean or too rich is a good starting point for choosing your jets, but using a jet calculator minimizes trial and error later.

(Use our free jet calculator above to determine the correct settings for your carburetor. You’ll simply enter your stock jetting configuration, desired elevation, and temperature.)

Step 5: Replace your jets

Now, it’s time for the main event. Remove your float bowl and its gasket; you should be able to do this by taking out the screws that hold it onto your carburetor. With those two pieces removed, you’ll see the main jet, which is located in the center of the carburetor, and the pilot jet, which is located directly next to it.

Unscrew the main jet and pilot jet and replace them with your new ones. Once you’re done with this step, close up your carb.

Step 6: Adjust the jet clip

To access the jet needle, you need to remove your carburetor’s diaphragm, spring, and top cap. Doing this will allow you to access the jet needle. Push the jet needle out of the diaphragm and find the clip attached to the notches; it will be near the top of the needle.

Adjust the jet clip based on your motorcycle’s needs. If you’re running rich, move the clip up one rung toward the top of the needle. If your engine needs more fuel, move the clip down one rung, toward the bottom of the needle. Slide the needle back into the diaphragm, put the diaphragm back on the carburetor body and re-attach the cap.

Step 7: Reinstall your carburetor and hoses

Reattach the carburetor to the engine. Refer to the photos you took in Step 3 to put the hoses back in their correct place.

Step 8: Test

Now it’s on to the fun part: taking your motorcycle out for a test ride. As you’re riding, pay attention to how the engine sounds and how your throttle feels. If you used our jet calculator, the spitting, sputtering noises should be gone and you should notice an improvement in your bike’s performance.

If you’re still hearing those unhealthy noises and feel like not enough fuel is getting to your engine, you likely chose the wrong jet size. If this is the case, run your engine for a bit and then check the spark plug. A clean spark plug means you’ve installed the correct-sized jets. If the black or white color persists, you need to install different-sized jets until your engine is receiving the right fuel-vs.-air ratio. This involves going back through steps 1 through 7, testing, and repeating until you find the correct jet size.

If you happen to be buying a motorcycle, we have some more tips for you in our guide to buying a used motorcycle. Want to receive more helpful motorcycle tips? Sign Up for our Newsletter below.

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If you ask helicopter parents, they’ll definitely say “no way.” But gearhead parents and seasoned riders might have a different idea. So do the makers of the Moto Rocker, who believe it’s never too early to introduce a child to the joys and freedom of riding.

How young is too young to learn to ride? Here’s our take on the debate.

The Moto Rocker and Harley’s kid-friendly exhibition

Parents aren’t the only ones advocating motorcycling for kids. German industrial designer Felix Monza designed the Moto Rocker, a motorcycle-style rocker, for kids between the ages of 1.5 and 4 years old. The goal? To instill a passion for the ride by letting kids ride like mom or dad.

Each Moto Rocker is fully customizable. Choose your color, style and base. With the child’s name imprinted on the bike, a real leather

seat, one-cylinder 125ccm faux engine, taillight and headlight, kids can experience the thrill in a way that’s made exactly for them. If you’ve decided your family can’t live without this rocker, it will set you back around $1599.

Meanwhile, Harley-Davidson is giving kids a hands-on opportunity to dip their toes into the world of bikes at its traveling display in the Manitoba Children’s Museum in Canada. After donning a leather jacket and learning about engine parts and how they work, kids have the opportunity to get a feel for the ride by sitting on a hog in front of a viewing screen.

These might seem like really cool ideas, but these products and experiences are fueling an ongoing debate about whether kids should be even riding motorcycles to begin with.

The kid motorcyclist debate

The practice of riding pillion with a child is often condemned by parents who just don’t understand the thrill of the ride. But the facts don’t like: a motorcycle accident is 27 times more likely to be fatal than accidents in other vehicles.

There’s no denying that motorcycling gives you a rush and thrill at any age. But there’s also no denying that putting kids on bikes is risky business—because really, it’s risky to put anyone on a bike who doesn’t know how to ride.

So what are some of the biggest reasons people cite about whether or not kids should pillion along for the ride?

• The pros

Some parents are opposed to keeping kids in a bubble, and feel that it’s a parent’s choice whether their kids should ride or not. They feel that getting children excited (and educated) about motorcycles at a young age can instill a greater comprehension of dangers and a better understanding of the need for road safety.

One parent expressed the views of many, saying, “As long as the little ones are appropriately dressed with long-sleeved shirts and pants, I see absolutely nothing wrong with taking children along for a ride and for one of the most freeing experiences in the world.”

• The cons

Your kids can’t make a decision about their own safety at a young age. By choosing to take them aboard your motorcycle, you are choosing to put them in an unsafe situation, because motorcycling has inherent risks. And for many parents, this is simply unacceptable—thrill of the ride or not.

Motorcycle safety for kids

 If you do choose to let your kids ride as passengers with you, take necessary precautions to minimize the risk. Here’s some gear to keep young riders safe and sound.

 Helmet: The risk of dying from a head injury after an accident increases by 40% without a helmet. Get a child-sized, full-face D.O.T. helmet with a chin bar and hard foam in the shell. It should fit snugly over their head and face.

• Knee guards and motorcycle gloves: These can help prevent deep scratches and abrasions, should an accident occur.
• A good jacket and heavy pants: Think leather or denim. This protective gear can help prevent abrasions and protection from the wind. It also looks pretty cool for the kids.
• Shoes: Buy them shoes that won’t fly off, and be sure the laces are tight to avoid them getting caught in the chain.

 If you choose to ride with kids, you should always check out the motorcycle laws in your state for young riders. You can find a chart here.

 Where do you weigh in on kids riding motorcycles? How young is too young to have them start riding?