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After the wet, drizzle-filled days of spring comes the most exciting season; summer. Summer is the perfect season to go all-out on bike trips because you are guaranteed with good weather for months. However, you have to make sure that your motorcycle is up and running so you won’t end up making sudden repairs in the course of a road trip.
Remember to check your motorcycle intercom and your satellite navigation as well. Update the maps on the motorcycle GPS device and put in the waypoints to follow the route you’re planning.
But before putting your shades on and getting into that bike, take some time to read this article and remember all the tips included. Don’t forget to put on the sunscreen as well!
Summer Motorcycle Preparations
Go over your hog and check whether some parts need maintenance and replacements.- Inspect the lights on the bike. They are proven impractical if they’re busted.
- Examine the cables. The brakes, clutch, controls, hoses and throttle should be in great condition and in excellent working order.
- Inspect the filter, oil and other sorts of lubricant. Each time you change the oil on your hog, make sure that you replace the shaft drive oil as well. Furthermore, inspect the belt tension, fine-tune if needed and guarantee that it’s always clean and well-maintained.
- If need be, examine the levels of brake fluid on your hog along with the shoes and brake pads.
- Pump out the fuel tank and clean it. Change fuel filters after two years. Inspect its fuel lines to check whether it bears cracks and weather damage and change it if any corrosion is noticed.
- Keep the battery charged up to a hundred percent and recharge if the starter sounds or feels feeble, if the battery hasn’t been used in over 2 weeks or recharge anytime the lights get dim.
- Inspect the tread depths. Do not forget to check the tire pressures as well.
- Examine whether the throttle grip is working properly.
- Inspect the bike’s coolant levels.
- Examine the state of the bike’s drive chain.
- Wash or do some pre-washing procedures on your bike.
- Dry your bike thoroughly then apply an after-wash product if needed. Let it dry properly.
- Put on leather treatment on the bike’s leather areas.
- Carefully wax and polish all of the parts with chrome and paint.
- Clean the insides of your helmet with soap and let dry properly.
- If you want it, you can also add an octane booster on your ride. Just make sure to follow the product instructions.
- Consider making a log book. Take notes on the beginning mileage and all of the stuff you did and events you undertook on the road. If you can, add in events that you had fun with plus new routes you explored.
- Go over all of your notes when winter comes and it’s time to once again keep your motorcycle stored for snow season.
- Keep in mind to ride safely and observe all rules of the road.
However if you’re unsure about the preparation, inspections and maintenance, don’t be afraid to ask for the help of the experts. Hear a professional motorcycle technician or dealer’s opinions because they know plenty about these kinds of rides and they are always delighted to assist bikers on troubleshooting/maintenance procedures on their hogs.
Cleaning Your Bike Properly
Summer is just around the corner, and a grungy motorcycle can be a total eyesore. You want your ride to look as cool as you so here are some cleaning tips that will do your hog a whole lot of good without the damage.
Items you will need for the clean-up:
- Wheel cleaner
- Cleaning solution made especially for motorcycles (special cleaning solutions for motorcycles won’t damage the chrome and paint on your ride)
- Soft, spotless cloths or clean wash mitts (reserve some for drying and polishing up)
- Clean sponges
- Leather conditioner
- A clean bucket for mixing in solutions
- Water hose
If you have just gotten back from a trip with your motorcycle, make sure to let its engines cool down first prior to cleaning it. Rushing into the washing procedure can do damage on your ride so guarantee that the bike has taken ample time to rest and cool down before the event.
Once the bike has cooled down completely, you can start washing it. Make use of the cleaning solution made for motorcycles. Mix the solution as it should be; always remember to follow manufacturer instructions, then prepare for the clean-up.
To begin with, take notice of the fenders—if the fenders have thick dirt and grime stuck on them, hose them gently starting from the top down to the bottom. This will soften any caked-on dirt that has accumulated on those parts. Hose them down the second time around to wash out any dirt that has softened.
Start the whole cleaning routine from the top of the hog down to the lowest parts by using the cloth or wash mitt. If the cloth becomes mucky with the dirt, take another piece of clean cloth in order not to cause scratches on the bike’s chrome and painted-on parts.
If you’re using a sponge to clean up, guarantee that the sponge pores do not have any grime or debris stuck on them in order not to inflict nicks and scrapes.
Wash the motorcycle from the top down to the bottom and focus on spots that gets dirtied often. Inspect each small area where dirt and grime can hole up to ensure that your bike will be totally clean. Make use of a clean, soft rag and wheel cleaner to scrupulously clean every wheel of the bike.
Once the cleaning and rinsing is over, dry the bike with the clean cloth or wash mitt. In the course of the drying procedure, take notice of areas on the bike where the water has a habit of pooling. Make sure that you completely dry those spots to avoid rusting and corrosion.
Treat the leather parts of the bike with the leather conditioner or any leather treatment that your bike dealer suggests. Make sure that you maintain its leather accessories and its saddle as well.
