Time to Get That Motorcycle Out of Storage

We know it doesn’t necessarily feel like it today, but last Thursday marked the official start of spring. And to us, when spring comes, we start thinking about riding our motorcycles.

Dust if off – After you’ve uncovered your bike, wipe it down to remove the dust that accumulated anyway

Check the oil – If you went through a storage checklist, you’ll have changed the oil before putting it in storage so it should be in good shape.  After checking, though, you may want to change it anyhow to have a fresh start for the season.

Check the battery – Check the charge level of the battery. Unless you attached a trickle charger during storage, the charge level will have gone down and needs a boost. This is the right time to think about changing the battery, too, if it needs it.

Check lights – headlights, turn signals, and brake lights. Are they all working?  Do you need to replace any bulbs or maybe the battery after all.

Lubricate key parts – look through the moving parts and give your engine and brakes some fresh lubrication to make sure everything is moving freely and smoothly

Check valves, plugs and tire pressure – Once you’ve topped off the air in your tires, make sure you come back and check the pressure again in a few hours.  A slow leak over a few months is natural. A leak over a few hours means trouble.

Did you forget anything? –  Did you put a rag or anything else to keep critters from crawling into your exhaust pipe?  Make sure you don’t forget to take it out!

One last thing – Make sure to review your coverage. Did you change your insurance coverage for the off season?  Is someone else going to be riding it this season, too? Check with us to make sure you’re properly covered.

At this point, if all has gone well, you’ll be ready to fire it up and check that everything is running smoothly.

Now if only the weather would cooperate and you’ll be all set.