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How do you store your bike for the winter?

  • On a lift/lifted off the ground

    Votes: 38 37.6%
  • On it's kickstand and haven't had any flat spots on tires

    Votes: 58 57.4%
  • On it's kickstand and I have had problems with flat spots on tires.

    Votes: 5 5.0%

Poll- Motorcycle Lift for Winter storage

10K views 21 replies 19 participants last post by  CPY84 
#1 ·
I am interested in reviewing some responses to this poll. Please only respond if you store your bike without riding it for the winter so the results are not skewed. It would be interesting to see how many people store their bikes lifted off the ground, how many store them on their side stands without acquiring flat spots on their tires and how many have stored their bikes on their side stands but have fallen victim to flat spots on their tires.

Thanks in advance for your participation. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Feel free to also respond with comments based off your experiences.
 
#2 ·
I'm not gonna vote as I ride all year, and it will skew you poll. I used to leave my bike on a Craftsman lift all the time when not riding. I did it to combine limited storage space, more than anything else. My bike does stay parked for long periods of time in the summer, that's off season for me. Not much fun riding in 115 degrees.

I've never noticed any flat spotting...
 
#3 ·
Being in Florida, I ride all year round, and when I lived in the midwest I still rode all year. My father used to park his bike in the winter, never had a problem with the tires after leaving the bike on the kickstand.
 
#4 ·
I have a couple bikes in Condor stands and I have some on 1/2" rubber weightlifting mats to keep them off of the concrete. The glide I use all year long provided no snow or salt on the road. Never had a tire issue yet.
 
#5 ·
I just bought a J & S lift and am storing mine on it this winter. All previous bikes were stored on the side stand with something between the concrete and tires(usually a heavy duty rubber bottom rug). Never had any problems with the tires.
 
#7 ·
My job requires me being away for extended periods summer and winter. I use the Craftsman jack lowered to it's bottom stop. It keeps the bike sitting level with minimal weight on the tires and no weight on the hydraulics.
 
#8 ·
I've had my bikes sit for as long as 7 months without issue while i was in Iraq. All I did was connect a battery tender and a double dose of Stabil. Every time I returned home all I did was check tire pressure and fire her up. No flat spots on tires, no leaky seals, no spider where they don't belong. Only complaint I could possibly think of is they get a little dusty. Nothing a bath cant fix.
 
#9 ·
My winter storage is very easy. I ride down to about 25F as long as there is no snow on the road. That means there are only a few days in January that I don't ride. Kick stand and a cover gets me through the winter with no problems. No need for any special storage configuration such as specialty stands, battery tender or similar issues. Last year it sat for all of about 2 days at a time.
If you decide to ride when its cold, get the right gear. I ride with an FXRG jacket, lined jeans and heavy gloves when it gets cold. The right gear makes all the difference in the world. My shark is far more forgiving on a cold morning than my old bat wing was. My hands were icicles on that bat wing.
 
#11 ·
Wydeglide, you should be able to ride down to about -5C with the right riding gear. Even one ride a week would improve the storage situation for you and be enough to prevent any problems.
 
#13 ·
I usually keep the Glide on a jack most of the time, way easier to move around the garage that way. During storage, always on the jack, with the jiffy stand down...just in case my kids wonder what that little pedal on the jack does...
 
#14 ·
D'oh I answered with out reading the question. I store mine on the kickstand but ride it whenever I can throughout the winter. Usually get out for a bit every month or so at least. Course I'm gone a week at a time so weather is usually best when I'm....gone :(
 
#17 ·
Winter

This thread might be past due but still relevant with 2.5 months of winter.

I've always stored my bikes covered on the jiffy-stand. The older ones outside the glide is inside the garage unheated on a large piece of carpet. Never really worried about flat spots they'll round out come spring. My tires are almost done anyway new Metzelers sitting on the shelf waiting.

I'd ride every day if I could just depends on how cold and snowy the winter is. Last year was mild with very little snow rode almost every month. So far this year it's not going to happen lots of snow and too freaking cold.
 
#18 ·
dont really store mine for the winter. I try to ride every chance I get so it usually only sits about a month max here in Ky.

Face
 
#22 ·
my 2 cents. if your that worried about flat spot, move the bike 2 feet once a month.
years ago I was taught to jack up my boat trailer in the winter for the same reason, but that's because most boats were too heavy for the trailer they were on.trailers were made to be used twice a year,once to put in, once to pull out.
no longer as they now make the tailers suitable for the boat.the bike is 880lbs sitting on two tires leaning on the kickstand.no flat spots.
 
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