Winter is Coming: Prepare Your Motorcycle For Winter Storage in Melbourne

Machine Alley’s No-BS Guide to Winter Motorcycle Storage & Care

So, the mornings are frosty, the skies are moody, and your riding days are numbered for the next few months. Here in Melbourne, winter isn’t arctic — but it’s wet, wild, and not exactly ideal for two wheels. Whether you're riding a vintage café racer or a tricked-out modern streetfighter, if you're planning to park it for the winter months, do it right.

At Machine Alley, we live by the code: respect the ride, even when it’s not riding. Here's how to store your motorcycle over winter so it fires up like a dream come spring.

1. Clean It Like You Just Built It

Don’t park your bike dirty. Road grime, salt spray from the coast, and city soot all eat into your paint and chrome over time. Give it a solid clean — full soap, degrease, and rinse. Dry it off (compressed air is a bonus move), then hit the paint with wax and any exposed metal with a corrosion blocker. And yeah, lube that chain.

Pro Tip: Do it after your last ride. A warm bike is easier to clean and dries faster.

2. Fuel Up, Don’t Gum Up

Fuel turns to trash if it sits too long. Fill your tank to the brim — this keeps moisture out. Add a fuel stabiliser (grab it at any decent parts store), and run the engine for 5 minutes so it gets into the carbs or injectors.

Carbs? Drain those bowls. Injected? You’re golden once the stabiliser’s through.

3. Battery = Life

Letting your battery sit idle all winter is a rookie move. If you’re not riding, either:

• Hook it up to a smart charger (aka battery tender), or

• Pull it, store it inside, and top it up monthly.

Dead batteries in spring are a classic headache. Avoid it.

4. Don’t Square Your Tyres

Tyres left in one spot will flatten out. Pump them up to full pressure and, if you’ve got a stand — use it. No stand? Move the bike a few inches every couple of weeks so it doesn’t rest on the same patch.

Bonus move: throw a yoga mat or carpet under the tyres if it's on concrete. Helps with cold and moisture.

5. Cover, But Let It Breathe

A cheap tarp is worse than no cover at all. Go with a breathable motorcycle cover that keeps moisture out but lets air move. Melbourne’s damp winters can lead to mould, rust, and that funky garage smell.

Cover it even if it’s stored inside. Dust is just urban dandruff.

6. Fluids & Filters

Old oil is acidic. If you're close to needing an oil change, do it before storage. Check the coolant (especially for liquid-cooled machines) and top up the brake fluid if it’s low.

This is next-level care — most don’t bother. You’re not most.

7. Stop Critters from Camping

Spiders in the airbox. Rats chewing wires. Possums investigating your seat foam. Yeah, it happens in Melbourne. Plug up your exhaust and air intake with rags or special covers. Don’t forget to yank them out come springtime.

8. Lock It Like You Love It

Out of sight doesn’t mean out of danger. Winter is prime time for garage theft. Use a solid disc lock or chain, even if it’s just in your shed. And make sure it’s insured — we can’t stress this enough.

Wrap-Up: Be Lazy Now, Pay Later

Winterising your bike is about keeping the machine ready, protected, and primed. Skip these steps when preparing your motorcycle for winter storage, and spring will come with dead batteries, fouled fuel, and rusty regrets.

Want to store your bike safely, and securely? Drop by Machine Alley, and ask about our on-site motorcycle storage, and off-site motorcycle storage, starting from $99 per month.

Got a winter ritual you swear by?

Tag us on Instagram @Machine.Alley or share it in the comments. Let’s keep the garage game strong.