Motorcycle Winter Storage Cost [Cheapest Options]
Everyone loves a good motorcycle. Unfortunately, if you live in an area that gets a lot of snow and ice during the winter, you may consider putting your hog in storage for the cold months.
Fortunately, it is relatively easy to store your motorcycle during the winter to prevent issues down the road.
Overall, you can expect to pay about $150 a month for storage space, and about $160 to buy a cover and motorcycle stand. In total, you can expect to pay about $300 upfront to store your motorcycle.
Other smaller costs include costs of fuel, oil, and any one-time storage costs. If you have a garage to store your bike, you don’t have to worry about monthly storage costs.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind when storing your motorcycle. So we put together this comprehensive article on motorcycle winter storage costs.
We will cover the cost of renting a storage unit as well as the cost of storage accessories for your bike.
How Much Does Winter Storage Cost for a Motorcycle?
There are a few costs we need to consider when storing a motorcycle:
- Storage unit costs
- Storage equipment costs
If you have a garage with enough space, then you are in luck and may not have to pay separately for storage. However, if you don’t have enough space, you’ll need to rent a separate storage unit.
Storage Unit Costs
Storage units can vary in cost from $50 a month for small units to up to $300+ for larger units. Generally speaking, you rent storage units by the month, although many companies will offer special deals if you rent for multiple months at once.
These costs will differ depending on your location.
Below is a table showing average storage costs in different cities for storage units of different sizes.
| City | 5 x 10 | 10 x 10 | 10 x 20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | $200 | $400 | $450 |
| LA | $170 | $300 | $500 |
| San Francisco | $160 | $250 | $440 |
| Newark | $130 | $187 | $340 |
| Boston | $100 | $180 | $320 |
| New Orleans | $110 | $170 | $250 |
| Philadelphia | $90 | $150 | $260 |
| Seattle | $90 | $150 | $300 |
| Tallahassee | $80 | $120 | $200 |
| Charleston | $80 | $120 | $250 |
| Atlanta | $80 | $120 | $220 |
As you can see, storage costs in larger cities, such as New York City or LA, are generally higher. This is because costs for land and rent are generally higher.
On the other hand, smaller cities will cost less. Even in a large city like Atlanta, storage costs are relatively cheap.
Storage Accessory Costs
You will also need some storage accessories. At the very least, you will need a:
- Storage cover
- Motorcycle rack
You can get other accessories but these are the two most important ones.
As far as storage covers go, you can expect to pay about $40 to $120, with an average cost of about $80. The best motorcycle covers are made out of durable nylon.
You should look for a cover with reinforced pads near the bottom to protect from abrasions.
When it comes to motorcycle stands, you can expect to pay about $80 on average, with a typical price range between $50 to $150. The best motorcycle racks are made from durable steel or carbon fiber.
How to Properly Store Your Motorcycle
Motorcycles are complex machines. Even when you pack it up for the winter, you need to still regularly take care of and maintain it. Here is a quick guide on how to take care of your motorcycle when it is in storage.
Clean Dirt and Grease
Motorcycles pick up all kinds of dirt and gunk when you ride them around. This debris can build up on sensitive components and damage them over time.
So before you pack your motorcycle up for winter storage, make sure that you thoroughly wipe down all the surfaces and clean all dirt, grime, and debris off the exterior parts.
Any debris left on will harden over the winter and be that much more difficult to remove.
Fill Fuel Tank
Before stashing your bike for the winter, take your bike to the gas station and top off the fuel tank. You want the fuel tank to be mostly full to prevent moisture build-up on the tank walls.
Also, add a fuel stabilizer after you fill the tank up. Add the stabilizer before you get to the storage location, so it has a chance to mix with the fuel. Alternatively, you can completely empty the fuel from the tank before storage.
If you choose this option, make sure you like the tank with special oils to prevent rusting. We recommend removing all the fuel from the trunk if you are going to store the bike for more than six months.
Change Oil and Filter
Another thing to do before storage is to change the oil and oil filter. The oil left in storage can corrode and harden, which can ruin your bike’s internal components.
You do not want to remove all the oil, just make sure that it is new. After you finish riding your bike for the last time, take her to the shop, replace the oil, and change the filter
Remove Battery
Even when you are not using your bike, it still draws a tiny bit of power from the battery. If you leave the battery on your bike when storing it, you run the risk of draining the battery by the time you take the bike out of storage.
You can either remove the battery entirely and store it separately, or you can hook the battery up to a tender so it keeps the charge topped off.
If you are storing your bike for more than six months, we recommend removing the battery entirely.
Take Weight Off Tires
If possible, you should try to store your bike with as much weight as possible off the tires. You can buy a motorcycle stand to keep the tires off the ground while the bike is in storage.
You can also try to hoist the bike by the front tire to take the weight off the back tire, where most of the weight sits. If you leave the bike completely on the ground, then your tires may leak and become deformed by the time you take it out.
Wax the Exterior
The last thing you should do is invest in some wax for the bike’s exterior. Giving your bike a final wax coating will protect it from moisture and rust, as well as other elemental hazards.
If you forget to wax your bike, the parts could rust while in storage. We also highly recommend investing in a heavy-duty motorcycle cover to protect it from the cold and water.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to store a motorcycle over the winter?
You can expect to pay about $150 per month for storage and about $160 for storage accessories. So you will probably pay about $300 upfront, plus any one-time storage fees.
If you have garage space and want to store your bike there, you won’t have to worry about storage rental costs.
Do I have to store a motorcycle during the winter?
It depends on where you live. In some areas, you can ride your bike throughout the year because you have nice weather year-round.
If you live in the north, then you will most likely have to store your bike once the snow and ice hit. You don’t have to store your bike, but the cold weather during winter can damage your car’s battery and components if left out in the cold.
Can I ride a motorcycle during the winter?
Yes, you can ride a motorcycle during the winter, provided that the snow and ice are not too bad. Even when it snows, you can still ride a motorcycle as long as you are careful and have the right kind of tires for driving in the snow.
If your bike does not have gear specifically for winter, we would not recommend riding your bike in the snow and ice.
Do I need a special kind of storage for my motorcycle?
Not really. You will have an easier time with storage if you rent a climate-controlled unit, but you do not have to.
As long as you prepare your bike for storage by removing the battery, topping off the fuel tank, and wiping down the exterior, you should be able to store it in any storage unit.
If you do opt for a non-climate controlled unit, we recommend getting a motorcycle cover to protect it from the cold. One major benefit of a climate-controlled unit is you protect the electrical components from extreme cold, but it is not required.
How much storage space do I need for my motorcycle?
It depends on the size of your bike and whether you want to store other things in the space. But generally speaking, you can store your motorcycle in a 5’x10’ storage unit with some space leftover for accessories such as helmets and riding jackets.
If you have multiple bikes, you will need at least a 10’x10’ or 10’x15’ unit to store them.
Final Words
Motorcycles are fun but require proper storage and maintenance during the winter. If you have a motorcycle, make sure that you take the necessary steps to protect it during the winter.
Even if you only want to store it for a few weeks, you should take the proper precautions. We recommend going to multiple storage units to get different quotes.
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