What Happens if You Forgot to Winterize a Motorcycle?

Winterizing the motorbike may save your motorcycle from several problems, but have you ever wondered What Happens if You Forgot to Winterize a Motorcycle?

Suppose you don’t winterize your motorbike in the winter and don’t have any plan to ride the motorbike anytime soon. In that case, your motorbike will face flat tire problems, rusting, and corrosion with ice crystal formation in the gas tank and unlubricated motorbike chain and wires. 

Let’s consider what it means and what you can do about it. 

While writing this post, I leave no stone unturned, so you can learn about all consequences if you forget to winterize your motorbike. 

What Happens if You Forgot to Winterize a Motorcycle?

Indeed according to experts, you can save your motorcycle from several malfunctioning problems in winter; now the question arises, what will happen if you forget to winterize a motorcycle? 

Suppose you don’t winterize your motorbike in the winter and don’t have any plan to ride the motorbike anytime soon. In that case, your motorbike will face flat tire problems, rusting, and corrosion with ice crystal formation in the gas tank and unlubricated motorbike chain and wires. 

Also, suppose the motorbike battery falls into the parasitic drain stage. In that case, the motorbike battery will drain without starting any electrical device. 

Let’s dive into all the consequences deeply in the next sections. 

Consequences of Not Winterizing the Motorbike? 

Now that you understand the consequences of not winterizing the motorbike let’s dive into some deep information. 

What if you forget to winterize your motorbike? Details: 
Flat Tires Flat tires refer to a condition where all the pressurized gas comes from your motorbike tires. 
Battery parasitic discharge Parasitic drain is where your motorbike battery slowly loses its voltage and charges even without starting any electrical device. 
Ice crystals in the gas tankBecause of ice crystals’ expansion properties, it will force the motorbike gas tank and walls outwards.
Rusting of the gas tankBecause of water traces in the gas tank, there’s a formation of rusting in the inner wall of the gas tank, causing the gas tank wall to be weaker.
Rusting of the motorbike wires and chainRusting on the motorbike brakes and clutch lever wires decreases the efficiency of the brakes and clutch efficiently. 
Table Explaining Some Consequences if You Forget to Winterize the Motorbike.

Flat Tires: 

Flat tires are probably the biggest problem riders see if they do not store the motorbike in the winter. Flat tires refer to a condition where all the pressurized gas comes from your motorbike tires. 

In some extremely rare cases, riders need to change the motorbike tires tube or have to change both tires. 

Battery Parasitic Drain: 

Surely the motorbike battery is there to start the motorbike, electric devices like lights, or even responsible for starting the motorbike. But did you know that your motorbike battery will die if you store it? 

This strange situation is also called the parasitic drain, in which your motorbike battery slowly loses its voltage and charges even without starting any electrical device. 

Ice Crystal Formation in the Gas Tank: 

What’s worse than the formation of ice crystals in the gas tank? In the winter, because of air and moisture in the motorbike gas tank, there will be ice crystals forming of ethanol. 

In the beginning, these micro-ice crystals don’t affect your motorbike. Still, they will force the motorbike gas tank and walls outwards because of expansion properties. 

This expansion property will surely cause your motorbike fuel pipes to leak, or worse, it will cause your motorbike gas tank to leak. 

Rusting or Corrosion in the Gas Tank:  

It’s a saying that nothing can harm iron other than its rusting, and it’s perfectly true for some motorbike gas tanks made from iron. 

As mentioned above, because of water traces in the gas tank, there’s a formation of rusting in the inner wall of the gas tank, causing the gas tank wall to be weaker. 

Rusting on the Motorbike Chain: 

Like the motorbike gas tank rusting, the motorbike chain rusting also happens when the motorbike chain comes into contact with the air containing moisture. 

Not only about the motorcycle chain, but it also happens with the brakes and clutch lever wires which decrease the efficiency of the brakes and clutch. 

What to Do if You Forget to Winterize the Motorbike? 

So far, you understand the consequences if you forget to winterize your motorbike. Now the question arises, what’re some quick solutions if you forget to winterize your motorbike? 

What to do if you forget to winterize the motorbike? Details
Flat tires Fill the motorbike tires fully with the high-pressure gas, inspect them every two weeks, and fill them again if there’s less pressure in the tires. 
Battery parasitic drainConnect the motorbike battery to the battery maintainer, which charges the battery only when the motorbike battery voltage drains itself. 
Ice crystal formation You can avoid it by putting and mixing the antifreeze fluid with the motorbike gas.
Motorbike rustingYou can stop the motorbike chain and wire rusting by applying the lubrication fluid to it.
Table Explaining Some solutions if You Forget to Winterize the Motorbike.

Flat Tires:

Flat tires are a common problem the motorbike; if you forget to winterize your motorbike. To prevent this situation remove the motorbike tires or connect the motorbike through the stands so that the tires can’t touch the ground. 

Or the best way is to fill the motorbike tires fully with the high-pressure gas and inspect the tires every two weeks and fill it again if there’s less pressure in the tires. 

Battery Parasitic Drain:

You can also protect your motorbike battery from falling into the parasitic drain stage by connecting it to the battery maintainer, which charges the battery only when the motorbike battery voltage drains itself. 

Ice Crystal Formation:

As mentioned above, the ice crystal formation in the gas tank is likely because of the trace of water in it, which you can avoid by putting and mixing the antifreeze fluid with the motorbike gas.

Motorbike Gas Tank and Chain Rusting :

Motorbike rusting is another headache for many riders, especially around motorbike chains and wires. You can stop the motorbike chain and wire from rusting by applying the lubrication fluid on it to avoid moisture buildup around the motorbike chain and wires. 

To protect the motorbike gas tank from rusting, you need to put the antifreeze liquid in the gas tank; it works when the antifreeze will make the layer around the inner walls of the motorbike gas tank.

Do You Need to Winterize Motorcycles? 

Winterization is probably the process that can prevent your motorbike from rusting and increase longevity. Now the question arises, do you need to winterize motorcycles? 

You don’t need to winterize your motorbike in the cold weather if you ride it regularly or 4 days a week. Still, if you ride the motorbike frequently, then it’s better to winterize your motorbike. Winterization prevents your motorbike from rust and corrosion and increases the motorbike’s longevity. 

In simpler words, if you don’t ride your motorbike too frequently, then it’s better to store or winterize your motorbike in the motorbike garage. 

How Does Winterization Work for Your Motorbike? 

Indeed, winterization is a must if you don’t have any plan to ride the motorbike anytime soon, especially in winters. Now the question arises how does winterization work for your motorbike? 

Winterization includes storing the motorbike in the garage for the whole winter if you don’t have any plan to ride your motorbike anytime soon. Winterizing includes storing the motorbike without tires, traces of ethanol in the gas tank, and battery. 

Without winterization of your motorbike, your motorbike tires will flatten or become useless, your motorbike gas pipes will explode because of ice crystals formation, and they will be crossed in the motorbike tank. 

In simpler words, to protect your motorbike from the side effects of winter, you need to winterize your motorbike with all precautions mentioned in the next sections. 

Also, read my previous post where I discussed whether you can add water in the motorcycle battey, CLICK HERE to read.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What happens to your motorbike tires if you forget to winterize the motorcycle?

Flat tires refer to a condition when you forget to winterize your motorcycle, in the condition all the pressurized gas comes from your motorbike tires, in some extremely rare cases, riders need to change the motorbike tires tube or have to change both tires.

What happens to your motorbike battery if you forget to winterize the motorcycle?

This strange situation is also called the parasitic drain, in which your motorbike battery slowly loses its voltage and charges even without starting any electrical device. 

What happens to your motorbike gas tank if you forget to winterize the motorcycle?

In the winter, because of air and moisture in the motorbike gas tank, there will be ice crystals forming of ethanol. 
In the beginning, these micro-ice crystals don’t affect your motorbike. Still, they will force the motorbike gas tank and walls outwards because of expansion properties. 

What happens to your motorbike gas tank inside walls if you forget to winterize the motorcycle?

Because of water traces in the gas tank, there’s a formation of rusting in the inner wall of the gas tank, causing the gas tank wall to be weaker. 

What happens to your motorbike chains and wires if you forget to winterize the motorcycle?

Like the motorbike gas tank rusting, the motorbike chain rusting also happens when the motorbike chain comes into contact with the air containing moisture. 

Final Verdict: 

What Happens if You Forgot to Winterize a Motorcycle? Suppose you don’t winterize your motorbike in the winter and don’t have any plan to ride the motorbike anytime soon. In that case, your motorbike will face flat tire problems, rusting, and corrosion with ice crystal formation in the gas tank and unlubricated motorbike chain and wires. 

I’ve also mentioned some solutions in detail which you can do to protect your motorbike from the side effects of winter.