MOTORCYCLE CARE AND STORAGE
8-4
8
EAU26203
Storage
Short-term
Always store your motorcycle in a cool,
dry place and, if necessary, protect it
against dust with a porous cover. Be
sure the engine and the exhaust sys-
tem are cool before covering the motor-
cycle.
NOTICE
ECA10810
●
Storing the motorcycle in a
poorly ventilated room or cover-
ing it with a tarp, while it is still
wet, will allow water and humid-
ity to seep in and cause rust.
●
To prevent corrosion, avoid
damp cellars, stables (because
of the presence of ammonia)
and areas where strong chemi-
cals are stored.
Long-term
Before storing your motorcycle for sev-
eral months:
1. Follow all the instructions in the
“Care” section of this chapter.
2. Fill up the fuel tank and add fuel
stabilizer (if available) to prevent
the fuel tank from rusting and the
fuel from deteriorating.
3. Perform the following steps to pro-
tect the cylinders, piston rings, etc.
from corrosion.
a. Remove the spark plug caps
and spark plugs.
b. Pour a teaspoonful of engine oil
into each spark plug bore.
c. Install the spark plug caps onto
the spark plugs, and then place
the spark plugs on the cylinder
head so that the electrodes are
grounded. (This will limit spark-
ing during the next step.)
d. Turn the engine over several
times with the starter. (This will
coat the cylinder walls with oil.)
WARNING! To prevent dam-
age or injury from sparking,
make sure to ground the
spark plug electrodes while
turning the engine over.
[EWA10951]
e. Remove the spark plug caps
from the spark plugs, and then
install the spark plugs and the
spark plug caps.
4. Lubricate all control cables and the
pivoting points of all levers and
pedals as well as of the side-
stand/centerstand.
5. Check and, if necessary, correct
the tire air pressure, and then lift
the motorcycle so that both of its
wheels are off the ground. Alterna-
tively, turn the wheels a little every
month in order to prevent the tires
from becoming degraded in one
spot.
6. Cover the muffler outlets with plas-
tic bags to prevent moisture from
entering them.
7. Remove the battery and fully
charge it. Store it in a cool, dry
place and charge it once a month.
Do not store the battery in an ex-
cessively cold or warm place [less
than 0 °C (30 °F) or more than 30
°C (90 °F)]. For more information
on storing the battery, see page
7-33.
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