This weeks tech tip is about storing your bike for the winter. Of course we all hope that we don't have to store our bikes and in our little valley we don't have to for long but if you do have to park your bike for any length of time, here is what you need to do:
First: Service your bike. You want to make sure before you store it that everything is ready to go when you can get back out there and ride.
Next: Drain your float bowl if you still have a carburetor. No matter what stabilizer you have, it won't save the gas in a float bowl. Stabilizer works best in large quantities of fuel. If you have a Fuel Injected bike then just add StarTron to tank and run the bike long enough to get the treated fuel into the pump and injector(s).
Next: Fill your tank all the way to the top and add some good stabilizer (we recommend StarTron). Filling it all the way up helps prevent condensation from building up and causing problems with water in your gas.
Next: Get some good fogging oil (comes in aerosol can from NAPA or other parts stores) and spray some in the spark plug hole of your motor while turning the engine over. This helps prevent any rust from forming in the cylinder. Then replace and torque your spark plug.
Next: If you have a battery on your bike, hook it up to a trickle charger (we recommend "Battery Tender" brand) so that it will stay charged and fresh for when you need to hit the button.
Finally: If you have the room, put your bike on a stand to get the weight off of the suspension and tires and put a light cover on it to keep the dust off.
When the next nice day comes, you will be ready to just turn your gas on and go ride!!!
Of course we at Highland Cycles and Off-road Moto Parts recommend not storing your bike and just riding ALL YEAR!!!!