How to Get Your Motorcycle Ready for Spring?

 
When the temperatures rise and the snow melts in Granite City, many riders start to plan out a whole season of new adventures. But first, it’s important to give your bike a little TLC after a long, hard winter. Not sure how to get your motorcycle ready for spring? From checking motorcycle oil to greasing up the chain, review our motorcycle inspection checklist!

Spring Motorcycle Inspection Checklist

• Change the oil. Over the winter, condensation can form in your oil reservoir. This can dilute your oil and put a real damper on your first trip of the season. We recommend checking your motorcycle oil and performing an oil change before heading out on the Edwardsville roads.
• Check for tire wear and cracks in the rubber. Your tires contain built-in wear bars to help you track your tread wear. Look for little bumps or bars in the tire grooves and make sure they aren’t flush with the surface of the rubber. Also check for cracks, balding areas, or other signs of damage and replace your set if needed.
• Check fluid levels and quality. In addition to checking your motorcycle oil, be sure to check hydraulic and brake fluids as well. These fluids can break down and thicken over winter, so replace them if needed.
• Battery: If you’ve connected your battery to a trickle charger over winter, you’re probably good to go. Test it just in case it’s at the end of its lifespan and pick up a new one at our parts center. 
• Make sure that brake lights, indicators, and gauges light up. Plug in your battery and make certain that your lights are still nice and bright. If not, pick up some replacement bulbs.
• Inspect and oil your chain. Clean off any rust that you notice on the chain or sprockets. Then take a quick ride to warm up your bike and oil the chain. You might want to check the chain tension and sprockets while you’re at it.

What If I Didn’t Winterize My Motorcycle?

Winterizing your motorcycle is a great way to keep your bike in top condition all year long, but if you forgot, it’s not the end of the world! You’ll just need to perform a few additional steps before your first trip of the season in St Charles, MO:

• Drain the fuel tank and check the fuel. Sometimes your fuel tank can get contaminated over the winter season. Check to see if you notice grit or debris in the tank, and be sure to flush the reservoir if you do.
• Examine the exhaust and air intake system before starting your engine. Really take your time inspecting your bike, especially if you stored it without a cover. Sometimes small animals will hide in the exhaust to stay out of the cold.
• Add a fuel stabilizer. Even if you’ve flushed the fuel system, fuel stabilizers can protect you from small amounts of stale fuel in the reservoir. Otherwise, you risk the chance of engine misfires.
• Charge or replace the battery. If you left your battery on the bike, charge it up. If it doesn’t hold a charge or it’s a few years old, get a new battery to start the season fresh.

Visit Ted's Motorcycle World for Quality H-D® Service in Alton 

Now you know how to get your motorcycle ready for spring, but what if you want to let the experts take care of the heavy lifting for you? Just stop by Ted's Motorcycle World, and let us handle it! Schedule your appointment or just contact us with any questions. We’d be happy to help.