- Rich's Tech Tips -
Preparing & Maintaining your bike for the riding season:
Riding Gear - It is important to check the condition of your gear before each season. If your helmet is 3-4 years old, I suggest you replace it. The polystyrene inside your helmet provides the cushion effect if you have to hit the deck. Over time the polystyrene loses its resiliency and gets harder, providing less cushion and therefore less protection. Great helmets are available in our Parts Department for about $80 and up. As long as it has a DOT sticker on it, then it is a great helmet. If you wear leather it is a good idea to treat your gloves, boots and jacket with Lexol or Mink oil to keep them in good shape. This will help them last much longer.
Battery Condition - If you did not keep your bike on a battery tender over the winter and find yourself with a dead battery, our Parts Department offers competitive prices on Scooter batteries, Motorcycle batteries and battery chargers/tenders. If you kept your bike on a battery tender then you can unplug it now and you are ready to go. Keep in mind that with today's maintenance-free batteries, if they are connected to a battery tender when not in use, you can expect them to last 4-5 years.
Tires & Pressure - Your tire pressure will typically decrease over the winter so be sure to refill to the proper pressure specified for your bike. Inspect the sidewalls for cracks. Cracks are a sign of age and indicate that a tire should be replaced. Also, tires over 5 years old are not safe to ride on. Tires lose their ability to grip as they age so continuing to ride on them is an accident waiting to happen.
Oil - Right before the riding season is the best time to change your oil. We have a great selection of oils in our Parts Department including Scooter engine oils and gear oils. Oil accumulates moisture when it sits over the winter so I strongly recommend dumping the old, replacing it with new and also changing your filter.
Brake Fluid - If the fluid is not clear anymore, you need to flush it and replace with fresh fluid. Brake fluid is a hygroscopic fluid so it absorbs moisture over time. If it has turned brown, it's time for a change!
Fuel - If you did not put fuel stabilizer in your gas when you put your bike away for the winter, I recommend draining the gas in your tank and replacing it. To do this, turn the "kill switch" off so the bike won't start and open the drains on your carbs. Crank the engine until nice clean new gasoline comes out of the drains. Now it's ok to fire it up. Remember to set your choke off, if your bike has one, as soon as possible. Leaving it on will foul up your plugs.
Brakes - Take a minute to test your brakes to make sure they are working properly. Start out nice and slow and apply both front and rear brakes a few times. Stop and check to see that your wheels are rotating freely. If not, the brake pistons are sticking and it's time for a caliper rebuild.
Make it Shine - I suggest giving your ride a good coat of wax. This will help protect your bike and maintain the overall appearance.
