How to Store Your Scooter for the Winter
As temperatures dip lower and lower on the thermometer, scooter riders either brave the chilling temperatures or store their rides for the winter and await warmer times. However, simply parking your scooter in the garage or under the pavilion roof is NOT storing it for the winter. Make sure your bike stays in working order so that you can quickly and easily be out on the road next spring instead of tediously trying to get your bike started. Follow these simple steps to get your scooter set up for winter storage in no time.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Stabil
- Battery tender
- Dust cover or tarp
- Oil
- Oil filter
- Gas
- Ratchet set
Instructions
-
-
1
Change the oil and oil filter. Use the ratchet set to loosen and remove the fuel drain plug. Allow all of the oil to drain out and then replace the plug and unscrew the old oil filter. Screw on the new oil filter and then fill the engine with the manufacturer recommended amount of oil.
-
2
Fill the gas tank with new fuel and then pour a bottle of Stabil fuel stabilizer in the tank. Start the bike up and allow it to run for 10 minutes so that the fuel stabilizer gets into the chamber, carburetor, and other parts. Also check the air in your tires and make sure they are aired up to the manufacturer's recommended range.
-
-
3
Locate your battery terminals and disconnect the battery leads. Connect the leads from the battery tender to the terminals and plug the tender in. Rather than charging the battery all winter, the battery tender will only kick into service if the battery's voltage drops to a certain point. This way, you will have a fully charged battery come spring.
-
4
Cover up the bike with the dust cover or tarp and park it somewhere out of the way.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Every couple of weeks, roll the bike a foot forward or a foot backward to make sure the tires don't take a set from sitting in one place all the time. You can also completely drain the fuel tank, carbs and fuel lines instead of adding Stabil, however this takes much longer than filling the tank with gas and stabilizer.
