New Motorcycle and winter is almost here

I

ianmh

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Hi everyone,

I am new to Motorcycles and have not ridden one outside of my course. I recently purchased one and I'm in the dilemma of deciding whether to have it stored away before even trying it or having it delivered to me and maybe getting in a couple of weeks of practice before the really cold weather gets here.

One problem I have which I didn't even realize until recently is my parking is above ground which means covered but freezing cold in the winter, which I heard probably isn't too good for the bike. The 2nd option is to rent and underground parking spot at a nearby condo. Would an underground spot be warm enough? My 3rd option is heated storage.

I would ideally like to try the bike out and maybe even take it out if we have some warm days over the winter. If this year is anything like last year it might be possible.

I know I will have to get fuel stabilizer. Would I need a trickle charger if I plan on running the bike a few times through the winter? Thanks for any advice you guys can provide.
 
welcome and congrats....don't know how the weather was when you took the course...but keep in mind it is cold now, so there is less grip with the tires...also be careful around the wet leaves.

don't know what bike you have, but do a search here....many stories of NOT parking your bike in condo garages....too many thefts.

winter storage is a good consideration...again welcome and ride safe.
 
I dont know if you want to roll the dice and park it in a condo spot as that is a great way to make it dissapear.
its probably gonna kill you to no be able to ride it till next season but I woul consider paying to have it stored if you don't have someone who can keep it for you in their garage.

the lack of traction on these cold roads may not be forgiving to a new inexperienced rider so if you decide to ride it be very carefull out there.

wellcome and be safe out there.
 
Where were you planning to have it delivered in the first place, storage? If so, that would be the smarter thing to do. But I tell you, if it were me, I wouldn't be able to resist riding it even just a bit before next season. Like others have said, just be cautious and keep it to parking lots/small streets until you're comfortable. Congrats!
 
Make sure you have insurance if you do decide to ride it before storage...
 
wait until the spring, in particular for a good rain and 10+ degrees, to get all of the salt off the road and to make sure there is no ice of course. Cold tires are like riding on glass. Without having experience, you can quickly find yourself on the pavement. It happens quick. If you store it, out of site, out of mind. When you do take it out in the spring, remember, slow, easy inputs. Work on being smooth.

As others have said, if you decide to store it at the condo, have theft and comp insurance on it. Just a quick note insurance is typically pro-rated, I "actually" pay $8/month during the winter months, and ~$200/month in the summer. It averages out to the $90/month over the year, just know that in the winter your really just pre-paying for the summer, and are not actually paying $90/month not to ride it.
 
I don't think there's anything wrong with storing the bike in a cold place as long as it's not humid and protected from the elements - rain, snow, wind (dust). Most people keep their bikes in their garage (not heated). I keep mine in a shed in my backyard. Never had any problems. Whats going to happen? None of your fluids are going to freeze. Probably the only thing to look out for is condensation and stuff like that, just keep it covered, wrap your exhaust up..am I missing anything? People ride their bikes through winter so why would it be bad to store them in the same conditions (Except better since its sheltered)?
 
Underground condo parking in Toronto = theft magnet.

Also, as already mentioned, wait until spring. Soft summer tires get pretty hard when the weather is below 7C outside, so having your first ride on hard tires in an iced-up parking lot on a bike you don't know may not be a good idea.
 
consider putting your bike directly in your condo. Its not a motorcycle, its a christmas decoration or a piece of art. No theft, no storage fees :)
 
There's nothing wrong with storing your bike outside. Just take the battery out and make sure the tires don't go flat.

As others have said, condo theft is high. It does target sport bikes mostly though.

A lot of shops and even few people here offer winter storage as well. It's not that much money either. Quite often they'll pick up your bike and drop it off for you when you're ready. I've seen oil changes included with the package. Batteries are usually charged as well.
 
Thanks for all the great info. Some more details, the bike is 2007 Suzuki Boulevard s40. It bought it up in Vaughn and it's still there and I can keep it there for the rest of the year (for a fee) if I wish or have it delivered down here and ride it and store it how I wish. My parking is above ground covered parking, so I thought that might not be ideal storage for it over the winter. The upside is it's a really busy parking area with a shoppers drugmart attached to it, so theft might not be as much of an issue. My other options was renting an underground condo spot, but it sounds pretty sketchy to from what you guys are saying, but either way in the summer it has to be in a parking spot. Another option is to take it for a couple of weeks and then put it into storage down here.

My original goal was to get a bit of practice on it before winter. I'm afraid I will forget how to ride through the winter having only done the course. I was also thinking if this year is like last year their were some double digit days in the winter and it never snowed. Thanks for all the info so far though. Leaning towards leaving it where it is, but it's tough, it's like a new toy that you can't have for another 5 months. :)
 
Don't mean to hijack this tread but is it unsafe to ride in cold weather with brand new tires?
 
Ricky6R said:
Don't mean to hijack this tread but is it unsafe to ride in cold weather with brand new tires?
Click to expand...

Unsafe - that's a relative term around here.

On my first season last year, I only parked the bike for a gap of insurance coverages for 5weeks.

I rode every single week, multiple days, even if it was only to get a redbull from nearest gas station.

Many days in snow/ice.. no issues. And all on stock tires at 20,000km+.

But then I ride a 250, and that kind of what makes this situation possible for me.
 
Ricky6R said:
Don't mean to hijack this tread but is it unsafe to ride in cold weather with brand new tires?
Click to expand...
Riding a motorcycle at all is unsafe.
 
If it's affordable to you for the dealer to store it till next spring (not end of the year), then you might want to consider that...
Make sure you're insured, I'm pretty certain the dealership is not going to give you any guarantees over the winter...considering it's not their bike anymore.

As a comparison, I found that shops around the GTA charge around $250-$300 to store till either the beginning or end of April.(may or may not be heated storage)
They vary with incentives (ie: oil change, chain lube/adjustment, battery maintenance...etc)
do a search here and compare what the shops offer...call soon as spaces might be limited now.
 
congrats on your new bike, that was one of the bikes I was considering for next season at one time. Man I can only imagine how you are feeling right now, just itching to get out and ride... wait till the spring.
 
Personally, I don't like to keep my newly acquired vehicles with the former owner/dealership. A quirk? Maybe. I generally pick them up as soon as possible.

I believe you'll be fine for storage considering your situation. You never know, there may be a couple of nice days still, even if you want to practice in the parking lot. You also may wish to upgrade or inspect something on the bike.
 
Thanks for all the great feedback, I've decided to go with the tough decision of storing it at the dealership. They store bikes year round. This will give me more time to think about gear and research it. Plus spring is going to be awesome. :)
 
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