Assuming you motorcycle has not already been stuffed in a shed with congealing petrol, I'd like to start off a handy tips column for those who can actually ride through winter, like me.

Your enemies are things like water, salt, water and salt. These chemicals do not do good things to your beloved.

A common problem for bikes in winter is that the nuts on the discs go rusty. This is actually quite a simple fix: take them off! They are only put on their by the manufacturer for cosmetic reasons.

More handy tips soon!

I dip mine in clam broth.

Some people use ACF50 to protect their bike come winter.

Actually, a good dose of used chip fat works just as well.

Brake discs a bit rusty? Chip pan fat.

Tyres tired? Grease em up.

To prepare my bike for winter I... well, I don't do anything, actually.  I just ride it.  Same as in summer.

 

So is this the official complaining thread about how awful it is to ride for the next 6 months?

Another useful thing to have in the toolbox is at least one leprechaun. This irritating little buggers are generally good for nothing, but they do make excellent cleaning cloths, on account of their green jackets. If you don't have a leprechaun, Kneescrubber has them coming out of his ears.

No, I'll be riding it just the same in late February.  Actually, I'll be writing up the ride report for this coming installment of our annual Frostbite Ride., which is always the last weekend in January or the first weekend in February.