How to Survive Parked Motorcycle Syndrome

As the warm months come to an end, it’s time to start gearing up for winter riding on your Harley motorcycle. As you know, this is a very different type of riding so it’s important to be prepared. However, some conditions call for you to park your bike and wait for safer weather. When it comes to below freezing temperatures, snowstorms, and hail, it’s better to be safe than sorry. 

Barnes Harley-Davidson in Victoria, BC, is here with some tips for surviving parked motorcycle syndrome this winter. Read on for more information. If you’re in the market for a new Harley motorcycle, swing by our dealership. We’re located near Nanaimo and Duncan.

Enhance Your Endurance

If you’re a seasoned rider, you know just how important it is to engage your muscles when you ride. Your endurance level largely depends on what kind of shape your body is in. After all, you need to be able to maintain a good riding posture when you ride for hours at a time. Initially, it will take some time to build up our stamina and endurance. When the cold weather rolls around, it’s easy to lose those muscles during months of scarce winter riding.

You definitely don’t want to experience a dip in your riding ability, so you should aim to keep yourself fit all year long. Make sure you hit the gym to maintain the muscles you use for riding. You can really throw yourself into it by researching online or talking to a trainer to come up with a good workout plan. This ensures you’ll be ready to hop on your bike and hit the road when the time comes. 

Plan Your Trips

Take advantage of the downtime during the off-season by planning your upcoming trips. When you’re not doing much winter riding, it’s easy to find yourself longing for the warmer weather. Put the energy to use and start planning your next adventure! You can research cool destinations and plan out your routes, whether you want to a direct trip or a more scenic route with stops along the way. You could even create a calendar with the rides you have in mind.

Make New Biker Friends

Winter is an excellent time to sit inside and chat with new people about your passion for riding. You can check out motorcycle clubs in your area or maybe even explore local H.O.G chapters. Just because you can’t ride during the inclement weather doesn’t mean you can’t talk about your love for Harley motorcycles all day. Your new friends will share the enthusiasm so they’ll be able to relate to the struggle of not being able to ride. You can even plan some springtime rides together with your new buddies.

Brush Up on Maintenance

If this is a new passion for you, then winter is the perfect time to brush up on basic maintenance. If you don’t know how to properly care for your motorcycle, it can easily fall into a state of disrepair. No one wants that! Fortunately, you can use the off-season time to learn new skills and improve your knowledge of how your bike works. There are many simple tasks you can do at home to maintain your ride. If you find that your Harley motorcycle needs a major tune-up, don’t hesitate to contact the service department at Barnes Harley-Davidson in Victoria. Our team is happy to get your machine back in shape for riding season! 

Consider Upgrades

Have you ever looked at your bike and thought maybe it could use a few new features to improve your comfort and overall enjoyment? Well, now is the time to start looking into some sweet upgrades. Whether you’re looking to enhance the aesthetic appeal or increase the functionality, there’s plenty more where that came from. Options include brighter lights, an ergonomic backrest, a windshield, and so on. 

We hope that these ideas will hold you over until the weather improves. If you’re embarking on winter riding, make sure you’re being safe. If you need assistance with parts or service before you hit the road, we’re here to help. Give us a call or visit us at Barnes Harley-Davidson in Victoria, BC.