Your pre-winter motorcycle checklist: store it or keep riding

Before putting your motorcycle away for winter, read its storage instructions and catch up on any maintenance. Clean and dry it, prepare the fuel system and battery, then park it securely and leave yourself a restart note. Riding through winter instead? Jump to the winter-riding routine.

Storing the bike or still riding?

The checklist below is for winter storage. Read the storage chapter of your owner's manual before you buy anything. The right steps depend on the fuel system, tank material, battery type and how long the bike will stand. Honda's winter storage guidance, for example, explains why tank preparation depends on the bike.

If you're still riding regularly, use the pre-ride checklist every time and the tips in the winter-riding section. If the bike's stored but a sunny day tempts you out, undo the storage prep first, such as refitting the battery or uncovering any openings.

Clean, dry and catch up on maintenance

Wash the bike before putting it away so you can see what's under the dirt. Use products suited to the finish, a gentle flow of water and the manufacturer's washing method, then dry it carefully, including the recesses you can reach, before covering it. Honda's cleaning guide explains how harsh chemicals and high-pressure water can damage parts, and says to lubricate the chain once the bike's washed and dried.

Choose corrosion protection that suits your bike and only apply it where the instructions allow. Keep oil, wax and protective sprays off brake discs, pads and tyres, and away from anything you grip or sit on. Note any treatment you'll need to remove before riding. If a braking surface gets contaminated, get it sorted properly; don't try to burn it off on the road.

Read the maintenance schedule as well as the storage instructions. If the manual calls for an oil and filter change before storage, do it now. Check service dates even if you've barely ridden. On a liquid-cooled bike, check the coolant specification and the freeze protection your storage spot needs; Yamaha's winter guidance highlights this for unheated spaces. If you don't know what's in the cooling system, have a workshop test it rather than guessing from the colour.

Make a fuel and battery plan

Fuel: follow your bike's storage procedure

Don't automatically drain the tank or brim it. Check the storage fuel level your manual specifies and leave the expansion space it asks for. If it recommends a stabiliser, use a compatible product at the stated dose and follow its instructions for getting it through the system before storage. If the procedure says to run the engine, do it outdoors, away from doors and windows. Keep fuel work away from flames, sparks and heaters.

A carburetted bike may need extra fuel-system prep that an injected one doesn't. Leave unfamiliar draining jobs to a workshop. Write down which fuel and treatment you used, when you added them and what the manual says to do after storage. Honda's winterisation guide is a useful starting point, but your own manual sets the procedure.

Battery: choose the right charger and mode

Read the battery label first. Whether it's lead-acid (including AGM) or lithium, you need a charger and mode that are explicitly suitable for it, with the right voltage and capacity range. A matching connector doesn't prove compatibility. CTEK's motorcycle charger guide explains why battery chemistry, voltage and charging current matter.

Follow the battery and charger instructions on connection, ventilation, temperature limits and whether you can leave the charger connected long term. Don't use a lead-acid recovery or desulphation mode on a lithium battery unless the battery maker explicitly allows it. If the battery's damaged, swollen or leaking, stop and get advice. If you're taking it out, follow the bike's procedure and check what that means for any alarm or tracker it powers.

Set calendar reminders for the checks your battery maker recommends. Yuasa's motorcycle battery care guidance covers self-discharge, storage checks and suitable maintenance charging for its batteries. Starting the engine now and then isn't a charging plan. On an electric motorcycle, follow the maker's storage charge level and temperature instructions for the traction battery; starter-battery advice doesn't apply to it.

Tyres, cover and storage space

Pick a secure, dry spot with ventilation and firm ground, and set the tyres to the storage pressures in your manual. If the instructions suggest rotating the wheels now and then or using a stand, choose a method you can manage safely. A suitable centre stand or a compatible paddock stand used correctly can help. Don't balance the bike on improvised supports.

Use a breathable cover that fits without flapping against the paint. Let the exhaust cool before you put it on, and look underneath from time to time for damp, leaks or signs of pests. Yamaha's storage advice covers tyre care, moisture and breathable covers.

If the manual says to close off an intake or exhaust opening, use its recommended method and add a clear remove before starting tag. Then leave your restart note somewhere you'll see it before you reach for the ignition.

Write that note so it still makes sense months later. List every closure, lock, charging lead and unfinished job, for example: “Battery removed; refit using manual page __”; “Exhaust cover fitted; remove before starting”; “Rear tyre needs assessment; do not ride until resolved”. Add the storage date, mileage, fuel treatment and next battery-check date. A tick beside “stored” won't tell you what to undo.

If you ride through winter

Keep washing off road dirt and salt, drying the bike, looking after the final drive and checking tyres, lights and controls. Test heated kit and its wiring before you rely on it. Keep the visor clear and your clothing dry enough to stay comfortable. Honda's winter riding and maintenance advice covers visibility, grip, equipment and cleaning between rides.

Plan around daylight, the coldest part of the route and the ride home. Check official warnings and road conditions before you decide to go. If snow or ice is possible anywhere on the route, postpone or take other transport; mild weather at home doesn't tell you what every road is like. Heated grips keep your hands warm, but they don't give your tyres any extra grip.

Check the forecast with our route-weather guide while you're parked. When the bike comes out of storage, work through the post-winter and pre-season checklist before the first ride. Your ticks are saved in this browser, and Print / save PDF gives you a copy to keep with your storage record.