Hibernation

Oops, you really want to hibernate your bike? Honestly? You don't know what you'll be missing, when riding during winter ...

Anyway, when being about to hibernate your bike, you should do something, in order to make it start immediately next spring.

• Clean your bike
• Change engine oil and oil filter
• Replace all parts you think should be replaced (chain and sprockets, brake pads etc.)
• Adjust the tire pressure a little bit higher than recommended
• Put a teaspoon full of oil into the cylinders (through the spark plug hole) and crank the engine sometimes with kill switch set to off. Remount sparks.
• Fill the tank completely. This will prevent corrosion on the inner wall. Not really necessary, if you have a BMW F650GS, or another bike with a plastic tank.
• Empty the carbs. You don't need to dismount them for that, there's a draining screw at the bottom of each carb. Not necessary, if you have a BMW F650GS, or another bike with fuel injection.
• Spray your bike with some anti-corrosive stuff (wax, WD-40 or so). Be aware of the brake rotors!
• Remove the battery and store it in a warm dry place. Fill with distilled water (aqua destillata) up to requested level. Charge it from time to time (every 2 months or so) with low current (0.1 Ampere max.) or better, charge it permanently using an auto-charger, charging and discharging the battery automatically.
• Put the bike on the centerstand or, if you're lacking one, on some other bikestand or a suitable chest. Make sure, that the tires don't touch the ground. If that's not possible, move the bike a little every two weeks.
• And don't start the engine during hibernation phase! Starting it for a short time will cause some sulfuric acids corrode cylinders, pistons, bearings and exhaust pipe.

Once you've done so, next spring you just need to replace the battery, clean the bike from the wax using some cleaner like S100 or so, start it and bring it back on the road.