Tips for wintering the motorcycle: Short and sweet for the impatient

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Tips for wintering the motorcycle: Short and sweet for the impatient
Jorg Lohse

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Tips for wintering the motorcycle: Short and sweet for the impatient

Tips for wintering the motorcycle
Short and sweet for the impatient

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Which measures make sense for the successful wintering of the motorcycle and which damage is threatened? Technology expert Werner Koch provides the answers.

Werner Koch

December 09, 2019

Battery: You should take a few minutes to ensure that the motorcycle works properly again in the spring. The battery, in particular, requires a good, motorcycle-specific charger that, when connected for a few days, refreshes the cells when it has been idle for more than two months in the icy cold. In our experience, gel / lead batteries in particular collapse if they are not used for a long time and lose power and stability in the process. If the battery is already marginally weak, it is worth considering switching to a lithium-ion component for super athletes. At around 700 grams, this type of battery saves up to four kilograms compared to a conventional lead-acid battery. The lightweight should not be bought until spring, but it is best to order or inquire now in order to rule out possible delivery bottlenecks. Due to the significantly smaller dimensions, the installation space has to be padded with foam rubber and a new bracket may have to be made.

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Brakes: With the brakes you should make sure that the brake pads do not touch the discs during the winter. In a damp environment, the deposits on the windows can corrode and can only be loosened with a loud cracking noise when the vehicle is started for the first time. To avoid this, press the floating brake discs by hand with strong lateral pressure inwards and outwards in order to push back the pads and brake pistons. Because many brakes, depending on the alloy and friction pairing, form visible traces of corrosion after a long service life, even though the steel alloy used is mixed with stainless metals. However, this brownish color evaporates after the first braking maneuvers and has no effect on the friction coefficient of the discs. Nevertheless, it is advisable to brake the braking system while it is hot before wintering and to park it with dry discs and pads. If there is moisture, corrosion pockets tend to form, which should be combated with MoS² penetrating oil. Especially when it comes to moving, mechanical components such as the foldable footrests or a damper adjustment with spring / ball locking. The articulated mounting of the brake and clutch levers and the range adjuster also function smoothly and smoothly with MoS². In particular, the bolts and pressure mushrooms on the front brake lever should be regularly removed and lubricated with high-pressure grease in order to guarantee a low-friction, finely adjustable braking effect.

Chain: With the usual O- or X-ring chains, rust film often settles on the rollers, which hardly affects the function, but the appearance. If you spray it with plenty of penetrating oil, old chain grease can also be wiped off more easily with a cleaning cloth. The same applies to thrown off chain grease that has settled in the rear frame and on the swing arm.

Tire: With a minimum air pressure of around 1.5 bar, the tires are well supplied during the winter. The tip for jacking up the machine without the tires coming into contact with the ground comes from a time when motorcycle tires were made from cotton carcass and natural rubber. Current motorcycle tires are neither square nor leaky over the winter.

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