Rider guides › Maintenance
Winter motorbike storage
A UK winter is hard on a parked bike: damp, road salt and flat batteries do more damage than the miles. An hour's prep in November saves a miserable first ride, or a big bill, in spring.
Tax, insurance and SORN
Decide first whether the bike stays legal for the odd dry ride, or comes off the road completely.
| Option | What it means | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Keep it taxed and insured | No paperwork. It can be ridden any time, and can be parked on the street. | Riders who'll take it out on crisp, dry days |
| Declare SORN | Stop paying tax (full months refunded) and you don't legally need insurance. It must stay off public roads. | Bikes properly laid up until spring |
Even with a SORN, consider laid-up cover for theft and fire: winter is when garages get broken into. Our SORN guide covers the rules and refunds step by step.
The lay-up checklist
- Ride it, then wash it properly. Get it fully warm on a last ride, then clean off road salt and grime, especially under the mudguards, on the swingarm and around the engine. Dry it thoroughly; a leaf blower helps.
- Protect the metal. A light coat of corrosion protection spray on bare metal and fasteners (not on brakes, discs or tyres). Polish or wax painted parts.
- Change the oil and filter now, not in spring. Used oil holds acids and moisture that sit on engine internals all winter. If a service is close, do it before storage.
- Fuel. For a steel tank, fill it with fresh fuel to cut condensation and rust, and add a fuel stabiliser, then run the engine briefly so treated fuel reaches the fuel system. Many riders use E5 "super" unleaded for storage. On carburettored bikes, draining the float bowls avoids gummed jets. Follow your manual.
- Chain. Clean and lube it so it isn't left with grit and salt on it all winter.
- Tyres. Pump them to the normal pressure. Use paddock stands or a centre stand to take weight off the tyres, or move the bike a little every few weeks so the same patch isn't always loaded.
- Battery. Connect a smart charger (battery optimiser) that suits your battery type, or take the battery indoors and keep it charged. Don't let it go flat in the cold.
- Coolant. Check it's in date and protects against frost.
- Keep pests out. A rag or exhaust bung in the silencer and air intake stops mice nesting. Leave yourself a reminder to take them out.
Where and how to store it
- Dry and ventilated beats warm. A dry garage is ideal. Damp, sealed spaces cause more corrosion than the cold.
- Use a breathable cover. Plastic sheets trap moisture against the bike. Indoors, a breathable dust cover; outdoors, a waterproof but breathable cover with a heat-resistant panel.
- Security matters more in winter. A ground anchor and chain, a disc lock (with a reminder cable), an alarm or tracker if fitted, and the bike out of sight. Check what your insurer requires.
- Outdoors only if you must. If it lives outside, keep it taxed and insured unless it's on private land, and cover it well.
During the winter
- Check the charger's light and the cover once a month.
- Roll the bike a little so tyres and wheel bearings don't sit in one spot.
- Don't just start it and let it idle in the garage. A few minutes' idling won't get it hot enough to burn off moisture, and leaves condensation inside the engine and exhaust. Ride it properly to full temperature, or leave it alone.
Back on the road in spring
Paperwork first: insure it, make sure the MOT is valid (you can ride to a booked test), then tax it. Taxing it ends a SORN automatically.
- Remove the bungs from the exhaust and air intake, and the disc lock.
- Battery: refit and check it cranks strongly.
- Tyres: pressures, tread depth (over 50cc the legal minimum is 1 mm across a continuous band covering at least three-quarters of the tread width, with visible tread on the rest) and any cracking or flat spots.
- Brakes: pad thickness, discs free of corrosion, levers firm, fluid in date. Test them gently before you go anywhere.
- Chain: slack, lubrication and sprockets.
- Fluids: oil, coolant and brake fluid levels; look for leaks under the bike.
- Lights, indicators and horn.
- Controls and cables: throttle snaps back, clutch and brake cables move freely.
- First ride: take it easy. Tyres and brakes need warmth, and roads still carry winter grit and salt.
In Tickover, mark your bike as Stored or SORN and only the right reminders carry on, with monthly battery nudges and a back-on-the-road checklist ready for spring.
Quick answers
Full tank or empty?
For a steel tank, full: it limits condensation and rust. Add a fuel stabiliser, and follow your manual for carburettored bikes.
Should I take the battery out?
Keep it charged with a smart charger, on the bike or indoors. A flat battery left in the cold can be ruined.
Do I have to SORN it?
Only if you want to stop taxing and insuring it. A SORN bike must be kept off public roads.
Should I start it every few weeks?
Not just to idle it. Either ride it properly to full temperature or leave it laid up.