7. Cover up
There is no need to splash out on fancy bike covers, simply get a load of old blankets, curtains, duvets or rugs from the spare room (check you have permission from an adult first!) or a charity shop to keep your bike toasty over winter. Watch out for buttons or any scratchy items on the covers, these can damage paintwork when you pull them on and off.
8. Insure it!
Just because your bike is off the road doesn’t mean you can cancel your insurance. Thieves are still active at winter and the cold weather can cause roofs to fail and there is always the chance Father Christmas may knock a box over onto your tank. For the sake of a few quid it is better to be safe than sorry.
9. Top up tyres
It’s not a bad idea to slightly over-inflate your tyres over winter to help them keep their shape. This is an especially good thing to do should you be storing the bike with its wheels on the ground. Just remember to return them to the correct pressures in summer.
10. Sort your ****
Finally, remember that spare key you have been meaning to get cut? That hugger you have thought would be a good idea to invest in? The taller screen to make the commute easier? Now the bike is off the road it is a great time to do those silly jobs that you never get around to doing in summer. Search auction sites for a new fairing panel to get rid of that scratched one, look out a good pair of rearsets at a bargain price or simply just sit on the sofa with the dog and watch some great biking movies to get your two-wheeled fix.