{"id":20770,"date":"2023-03-29T00:00:54","date_gmt":"2023-03-29T04:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cubesmart.com\/blog\/?p=20770"},"modified":"2024-06-28T11:20:52","modified_gmt":"2024-06-28T15:20:52","slug":"getting-motorcycles-ready-to-ride-for-spring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.cubesmart.dev\/blog\/your-life\/getting-motorcycles-ready-to-ride-for-spring\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Motorcycles Ready to Ride for Spring"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Are you ready to ride? Get your motorcycle prepped for the open road.
Free Image via Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGet your motor running\u2019\u2026head out on the highway\u2026\u201d <\/em><\/strong>Every spring, the call of the road beckons motorcyclists around the world. And every spring, those same motorcyclists spend time getting motorcycle-ready: cleaning and prepping their rides for the heavy-use season to come. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re looking for motorcycle cleaning tips to prepare your motorcycle specifically for spring or\njust want a good de-winterization roundup,\nwe\u2019re here to help. Of course, we\u2019re not mechanics so if you see anything amiss\nor need extra support to get your ride road-ready, seek out professional\nadvice. When it comes to riding and maintaining motorcycles, the old saying\nabout it being better to be safe than sorry definitely rings true. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scroll down for our quick and easy guide to cleaning, prepping, and dewinterizing motorcycles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Motorcycle Cleaning Tips<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve visited your motorcycle storage<\/a> location and determined the time is nigh to get started, you\u2019ll want to collect all the cleaning materials necessary for prepping motorcycles to ride \u2013 and to ride safely. Winter storage can do a number on your motorcycle if you haven\u2019t taken the time at the outset to clean and prepare your ride, so remember that the more work you do before you store your motorcycle<\/a> means the less you have to do after you take it out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gather a few buckets of water (or a garden hose), soft cleaning cloth, car wash soap, wheel cleaner, degreaser, wax, cleaner \/ protectant for the seats and saddlebags, and lubricant for the chain. If you noticed that your headlights or brake lights were a little dim at the end of the last riding season, you might want to purchase a low-priced headlight cleaning kit to remove oxidation. If you decide to use a pressure washer, dial it all the way down from the \u201chigh pressure\u201d setting and stand back from the bike to help prevent damage to plastic parts or anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve got the tools in place, washing your motorcycle is a relatively quick and\neasy task. According to Family Handyman<\/a>, the first step is to remove the seat and\nsaddlebags, and use plastic wrap or sheeting with rubber bands to cover the\nbattery and exhaust pipe. Rinse it off, soap it up, rinse it off again, and dry\nit quickly to avoid water spots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After you’ve got the initial round of dirt and\ngrease off the bike, move on to the wheels, spokes, and tires. Clean them off\nwith a specialized wheel cleaner<\/a> for best results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, use a diluted degreaser to clean the\nengine, drive shaft, and chain, and a leather cleaner to take care of the seat\nand saddlebags. Polish up your chrome, give it another rinse, and then apply\nwax to help protect the paint while you\u2019re on the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For step-by-step motorcycle cleaning tips,\nvisit the excellent piece published by the Art of Manliness<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dewinterizing Motorcycle Fluids<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Basic steps help your bike keep going for years to come.
Free Image via Unsplash<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After you\u2019ve got your motorcycle spruced up\nnicely, it\u2019s time to replace all the fluids that sat stagnant while you stored\nyour bike for the winter. It\u2019s important to always\nwarm your engine up before checking the fluids (but after replacing the\ngasoline).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Drain the gasoline.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Add fuel stabilizer and more gas to the tank. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Change your engine oil and oil filter. This is a good idea even if you changed it before you put it into winter storage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Check hydraulic clutch and brake fluid levels; replace any fluids that look different than when you initially installed them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Check if your transmission oil, coolant or antifreeze, and fork oil needs to be topped off or replaced. Most manufacturers recommend changing fork oil every 20,000 to 50,000 miles, so refer to your maintenance records to determine next steps. (While you\u2019re at it, make sure your air filter isn\u2019t due for replacement. You normally need a new one every 10,000 to 15,000 miles.) <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Prepping Motorcycle\nBatteries, Brakes & Tires<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    When you store\nyour bike over the winter, you\u2019ll always need to prep your battery,\nbrakes, and tires before riding it. First, take a good long look at your\nbattery. If you\u2019ve kept your motorcycle in climate-controlled storage<\/a> so that the battery didn\u2019t freeze and\/or used\na trickle charger over the winter, you\u2019ll\nlikely be in good shape. Only charge it if there are no signs of corrosion or\nleaks. (If you see anything amiss, time for a new one.) It\u2019s also a good idea\nto check the voltage with a voltmeter after you charge it to make sure it\u2019s\nholding the charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Visually inspect the front and rear brakes and brake\npads. Make sure that there is no leaking fluid, and that your brake\ncables are in good shape without too much wear or fraying. You\u2019ll want to make\nsure that your brake pads are at least \u215b of\nan inch thick and that there is a relatively equal amount of material remaining\non your disc brakes (if you have them). Lastly, sit on your bike and test the\nbrake levers. If the positioning feels off, use the lever span adjustment knob to\nfix them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As for your tires, you\u2019ll first want to check\nyour tire wear indicator (TWI) and rain grooves to make sure your tires don\u2019t\nneed replacing. Also be on the lookout for flat\nspots, which can happen when a motorcycle is stored for too long on its\nside stand. (While they typically won\u2019t appear for a few years, it\u2019s always\nbetter to store your motorcycle on a center stand.) If your tires appear to be\nin good condition, check your tire pressure\nand add air to the recommended PSI. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you take care of your motorcycle before\nputting it in winter storage, you hopefully\nwon\u2019t encounter too many surprises when it comes time to get it ready to ride\nagain. If you have any doubts about your own mechanical abilities, it\u2019s always\na good practice to have your mechanic give the bike a once-over before hitting\nthe streets. Also don\u2019t forget to check and replace your helmet and protective\ngear as necessary. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    \u201cGet your motor running\u2019\u2026head out on the highway\u2026\u201d Every spring, the call of the road beckons motorcyclists around the world. And every spring, those same motorcyclists spend time getting motorcycle-ready: cleaning and prepping their rides for the heavy-use season to come. Whether you\u2019re looking for motorcycle cleaning tips to prepare your motorcycle specifically for spring […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":24184,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[642,641],"tags":[1827,1828,1829],"class_list":["post-20770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hobbies","category-your-life","tag-dewinterizing-motorcycle","tag-how-to-clean-a-motorcycle","tag-prepping-motorcycle"],"yoast_head":"\r\nGetting Motorcycles Ready to Ride for Spring | The Storage Space<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Is your motorcycle ready for spring? Follow our expert tips to prepare your bike for the road. 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