Tech Tips

 Winterizing your machine.

 I feel strongly about is the care and attention riders should give to their machines – both motorcycles and ATVs. In the winter months, it is easy to forget about your machine and just let it sit until spring. This attitude could be bad for both you and your machine. We see a lot of machines in the spring with issues that could have been prevented – and it costs the owner a lot of money. The best thing to do with your machine is to winterize it. This means filling the tank with gas to reduce the amount of air in the tank, which will reduce rusting. Also, use Sta-bil or another product to treat the gas. Run the machine for a few minutes to insure the treated gas gets into the carburetor/fuel injectors. Current wisdom says not to drain the gas so just leave it like that. Next, tend to the battery. I suggest taking the battery out of the machine and bring it into your house where it can be kept warm, but be sure to keep it away from children. A good battery will last at least 5 years if properly cared for. What kills a battery is letting it get cold at the same time it losses it’s charge. If your battery must be kept in the cold, then put it on a trickle charger to keep it charged. Finally, keep the machine out of the weather. If the machine is kept outside, snow will get blown into places that will cause some issues. Bikes rust a lot in the winter, which doesn’t make sense but it is true. There are other things you could do too. Like changing the oil before putting it away, fogging the cylinders, cleaning/lubing the chain, and keeping the tires off the ground. But if you at least do basic winterizing, you will avoid most of the problems.