Fill the tank & add stabiliser

Fill the tank (a full tank leaves less room for condensation and rust), add the correct dose of fuel stabiliser, then run the engine a few minutes so treated fuel reaches the injectors or carbs. Modern ethanol-blended petrol degrades in weeks - this is what stops it turning to varnish.

Wash, dry & protect

Wash and thoroughly dry the bike (see the wash guide) - road salt and damp left on over winter eat into metal. Wipe or lightly spray a corrosion protectant over exposed metal, fasteners and switchgear, keeping it off the brakes and tyres. A fresh oil change now is worth it too: used oil is acidic and you don't want it sitting in the engine for months.

Sort the battery

Put the battery on a maintainer / tender for the whole lay-up, or remove it to somewhere cool and dry and top it up every few weeks. A battery left to slowly flatten over winter is the most common casualty of storage.

Save the tyres

Set the tyres to their correct pressure (they'll drop over time) and ideally get the bike off the ground on stands so the tyres aren't loaded in one spot for months, which flat-spots them. No stands? Move the bike a little every few weeks and check pressures.

Cover it & store dry

Store indoors or somewhere dry, and use a breathable cover - a sealed plastic sheet traps condensation against the paint and metal. If you plug the exhaust against damp and pests, tie a bright tag to it so you can't forget to remove it before starting.

Wake it up properly in spring

Before the first ride, run the full pre-ride check: tyre pressures and condition, all fluid levels, brakes working and not spongy, lights and indicators, chain tension and lube, and remove anything you plugged the exhaust with. Start it, let it warm, and take the first ride gently while everything gets back up to temperature.

Lay your motorcycle up for winter (and wake it back up)

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Steps