Getting motorcycle winter storage right means preparing the bike to stand still for several months without the battery draining or the fuel going stale in the tank. Allow an afternoon, a few products, and one last step almost nobody takes: writing down what you did, so you know what to check in spring.
That last point is WheelTrust's job. You keep your motorcycle's service record online, you log the storage with the day's mileage, and you schedule the restart. In March, you know exactly where you left off. And the day you sell the bike, those well-managed winters count in its history.
This checklist covers winter only. For routine maintenance the rest of the year, see our motorcycle maintenance checklist (in French).
Before you start: two dates to check
The roadworthiness test
In France, motorised two-wheelers have had to pass a roadworthiness test (contrôle technique) since 15 April 2024. If your motorcycle was registered in 2020 or 2021, its first test must take place in 2026, no later than four months after the anniversary of its first registration, and by 31 December 2026 at the latest.
In other words, some riders will have to take their bike out of the garage in the middle of winter. If that is you, pass the test before storing the bike, and if the date has already gone by, book an appointment straight away. A pass is valid for three years.
Insurance
Do not suspend it because the bike is not being ridden. In France, a motor vehicle must stay insured, at least for third-party liability, as long as it is fit to be driven, even if it never leaves the garage. Service-public.fr, the French government's information site, makes the point: only a vehicle that is no longer fit to be driven escapes the obligation. If you want to reduce the bill, ask your insurer what it offers for the months off the road, rather than cancelling.
The winter storage checklist, step by step
Your motorcycle's manual remains the reference. It gives the products, quantities and procedures specific to your model. The steps below follow the logical order of an afternoon in the garage.
1. One last ride, then a wash
Ride for twenty minutes or so to warm up the engine and the chain. Then, once the engine has cooled, wash the bike thoroughly. Salt and mud left stuck on it attack the metal all winter. Let it dry completely before covering it.
2. Fuel
Petrol ages in a tank that does not move. Two approaches exist, and the manual decides for your bike.
On most fuel-injected motorcycles, you fill up with a fuel stabiliser. A full tank leaves less room for damp air and rust. Ride a few kilometres after adding it so the product reaches the whole fuel system.
On a carburettor motorcycle, some manuals ask you instead to drain the float bowls to stop them gumming up. Read the "storage" page before choosing.
3. Engine oil
Several manufacturers advise changing the oil before storage rather than in spring. Used oil contains combustion residues that can become corrosive over months of standing still. Honda also recommends changing the oil again if the motorcycle has been stored for more than four months.
If your annual oil change falls in winter anyway, bring it forward by a few weeks. You will start the spring with fresh oil.
4. The battery
It is winter's first victim. A battery that runs completely flat may never recover.
You have two options. Either you remove it, charge it fully and store it somewhere dry and ventilated. Or you leave it in place and connect it to a maintenance charger, designed to stay connected for weeks. If you do neither, at least disconnect the negative terminal.
5. Tyres
A motorcycle left standing on its tyres for months ends up marking them where they touch the ground. Put it on a paddock stand, or on the centre stand if it has one, to take the weight off at least one wheel. Check the pressures before storage, cold, as the manual specifies.
6. Chain and controls
Clean the chain, then lubricate it generously: it should spend the winter under a protective film. Grease the cables and the pivots of the levers and the stand. These are the parts that seize when they sit still.
7. Coolant
If your motorcycle is liquid-cooled, check the level in the expansion tank. If it sleeps in an unheated garage, the coolant must protect against freezing. If in doubt about its age, the manual gives the replacement interval.
8. Cover and location
Choose a breathable cover. A waterproof, poorly ventilated cover keeps moisture against the bike. If the place is damp, take it off from time to time to let things dry. Think about security too: a motorcycle that stands still for months attracts thieves.
What to write down on storage day
This is the step missing from almost every checklist. In March, nobody remembers what they did in November. Did you add stabiliser? Was the oil changed before or after the winter?
Note at least the date and the odometer reading. Then add what you actually did, the oil used and the products added.
In WheelTrust, that fits in one service entry on your motorcycle's vehicle record. If the oil change was done at a workshop, photograph the invoice: WheelTrust reads it with AI and fills in the date, mileage, garage and amount. If you did it yourself, keep the receipt for the oil and filter and attach a photo. Maintenance done at home counts as much as a dealer visit, provided it is documented. The article maintenance and manufacturer warranty (in French) covers this point.
The day's mileage has another use: in spring, the odometer should show the same figure. It is a simple marker that the bike has not moved all winter.
Getting back on the road in spring
Set the reminder now
On storage day, add an upcoming action to the motorcycle's vehicle record: "Spring restart", with a date in March or April. It shows under Upcoming due dates in your Garage, alongside your roadworthiness test, and switches to "Overdue" if the date passes. You can attach the list of things to check.
If you have a car and a motorcycle, each has its own record in the same account (for several vehicles, see the pricing page). The motorcycle's reminder does not get lost among the car's.
What to check before riding
Refit or reconnect the battery, after cleaning the terminals. Check the tyre pressures and look at the sidewalls: cracks point to rubber that has suffered. Lubricate the chain, as light rust may have formed. Check the level and colour of the brake fluid, and the free play at the levers. If the motorcycle was stored for more than four months, the manufacturer may call for another oil change: see the manual.
Then log the restart in the record, with the mileage. The first ride is on cold tyres and cold brakes: leave yourself a margin.
Why these notes matter when you sell
A used motorcycle buyer always asks the same question: how did it spend its winters, and who looked after it?
A seller who answers "in the garage, on a stand, battery on a charger" with nothing to prove it is only as good as their word. A seller who shows five winters on record, with their dates, mileages and invoices, is no longer telling a story. They are showing a history.
With WheelTrust, you send it through a share link while the ad is running, or you print the record's PDF report. Once the sale is done, you transfer the record to the buyer: they receive it with every service entry and supporting document, on a free account. To set the right price, the article motorcycle valuation: estimating a used bike's price (in French) gives the method.
This Saturday in the garage, open your motorcycle's record, log the storage and schedule the restart: create your motorcycle's record. It is free, with no bank card. WheelTrust opens in your phone's browser, with nothing to install, so you can log everything standing next to the bike. Plan details are on the pricing page, and the preview shows a completed record.
Frequently asked questions
Should you fill the tank before storing a motorcycle for winter?
On most fuel-injected motorcycles, yes: a full tank, with a fuel stabiliser, limits condensation and rust. On a carburettor bike, some manuals ask you to drain the float bowls. Your model's manual decides.
Should you start the motorcycle now and then during the winter?
It is not necessary if the battery is on a charger and the fuel is treated. If you want to start it anyway, let the engine reach its normal temperature rather than switching it off after two minutes.
Can you suspend your motorcycle insurance in winter?
Not while it is fit to be ridden. In France, third-party liability insurance remains mandatory, even if the motorcycle never leaves the garage. To lighten the bill, ask your insurer which cover you need during those months.
Does my motorcycle have to pass its roadworthiness test during the winter?
In France, if it was registered in 2020 or 2021, its first test must take place in 2026, no later than four months after the anniversary of its first registration, and by 31 December 2026 at the latest. If that date has passed, book straight away. Otherwise, it is better to pass it before storage. For other bikes, the date depends on the year of first registration: service-public.fr gives the full calendar.
What should go in the service record at winter storage time?
The date, the odometer reading and what you really did: oil change, products added, battery condition. Attach the invoices and receipts. In spring, log the restart with the same mileage.
Sources
Sources in French.
Service-public.fr, "Contrôle technique d'un 2 ou 3-roues ou d'un quadricycle à moteur (catégorie L)" (Roadworthiness test for a motorised two- or three-wheeler or quadricycle, category L), checked on 1 January 2026: service-public.gouv.fr (calendar for 2020-2021 registrations, 3-year validity).
Decree no. 2023-974 of 23 October 2023 amending provisions of the French Highway Code (roadworthiness testing of motorised two- and three-wheelers and quadricycles): Légifrance; order of the same day: Légifrance (test mandatory since 15 April 2024).
Service-public.fr, "Un véhicule doit-il être assuré même s'il n'est pas utilisé ?" (Must a vehicle be insured even if it is not used?): service-public.gouv.fr.
Honda Powersports Canada, "Conseils saisonniers : entretien avant la saison morte et remisage" (Seasonal tips: off-season maintenance and storage; battery, fuel stabiliser, oil change beyond four months, stands, cover, recommissioning): powersports.honda.ca.
Your motorcycle's owner's manual, "storage" chapter: it is the authority on products, quantities and the fuel procedure.
The WheelTrust team