Boothy Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 (edited) I read an article in 'Ride' magazine and thought it would be useful for some of the 'fair weather riders' on here.If you've chosen not to ride through the winter, chances are that on the first warm day of spring you'll want to pull of the bike cover, fire it up and go for a spin. But first you need to spend a few minutes prepping the bike, to be certain that it will work properly without damaging itself or throw you off.1) Fuel Tank Open the fuel cap to prevent any vacuum that may have build up in the tank. You can also add some fuel treatment to help stabilise the old fuel - petrol goes off after only a few months.2) Get Really CloseIt's easier to notice any problems by getting up really close and personal. It's surprising how many people find mice storing nuts in air boxes or small oil leaks, loose bolts and cracks in tyres.3) Tyres While you were looking the other way the rubber will have been going harder, eventually causing it to crack. Check the pressures and make sure you have plenty of tread - remember bikes only need 1mm over 70% of the tyre, unlike cars which need 1.6mm4) Polish Thoroughly After cleaning your bike give everything a thorough polish. Use car polish on painted panels, metal polish on aluminium and anti-corrosive spray like ACF-50 on those hard to reach places.5) OilCheck the oil level. Any sign of white froth on the dipstick or in the sight glass means there's moisture in the oil. This could mean a blocked breather or even a head gasket problem and could eventually lead to oil cavitation (air bubbles in the oil) - big trouble.6) Coolant If bike's engine is water-cooled then you'll need to check the coolant level and consider when it was last changed. Don't just top up with water - coolant contains anti-corrosive properties and not just anti-freeze. It also helps the engine run cooler.7) Electrics Give any plugs and black boxes a little squirt of protective oil and smear some grease on the battery terminals so you don't lose the little square nut inside.8) Lights and Indicators Take five minutes and test all lights are working. If you replace an bulbs be sure to read the wattage needed on the side - they're all different. Make sure you check the horn too, as these tend to stick and get lazy after a winter.9) Brakes A good spin of the wheels should tell you if they'e seized and if they need cleaning. Check the wheel bearing wear by grabbing the wheel at he top and the bottom and rocking it - if there's any play then they're knackered.10) Chains and Sprockets These should just need checking, adjusting and oiling. Make sure the sprockets have plenty of life left by looking at the teeth - of they're shaped like a shark's fin you'll need some new ones. Always change a chain and sprockets as a set.11) Lubricate Body panels fasteners, nuts and bolts will all benefit from a smear of grease to keep them from tarnishing and to help removal next time. Also get some maintenance spray in anything that wants to move - footrests, throttle cable arms, swingarm, etc.Now my hands hurt, I wrote less for my A-Level Coursework Edited March 5, 2011 by Boothy Quote
Guest Posted March 5, 2011 Posted March 5, 2011 Thanks for that, a useful read .Not that I really needed to but thought may as well, you did write it out after all! Quote
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