Tips for Getting Ready for Summer Motorcycling

For motorcycle owners, summertime means an opportunity for long days filled with riding. Whether you’re taking a cross-country road trip or simply exploring what’s in your own backyard, there are a few things that every rider should do to prepare for the season.

If your bike has been in storage over winter, it’s important to have a thorough maintenance check of your bike. Before servicing your bike, refer to the owner’s and service manuals for inspection lists that will help tailor your maintenance to your bike’s specific model. You can either take your motorcycle to a mechanic, or, if you’re familiar with working on it, you can do it yourself. Since oil degrades over long periods of time, one of the first things you should do is drain the oil from the bike and replace it with fresh oil as recommended by the manufacturer.

One of the most common problems with bikes that sit unused all winter long tends to be the battery. When you store your motorcycle somewhere for an extended period of time, it’s important to have the battery on a maintenance or trickle charger. The charger is left on the motorcycle for a long duration, continually re-charging the battery. Every time a battery dies, its life gets cut down. The battery only needs to be drained a few more times before it is necessary to replace it.

Tires are another critical component to the safety of your motorcycle. Check to see if there are any age-related marks and damages. Tires more than 5 or 6 years old should be replaced, even if they don’t appear worn out. Once you have inspected your tires. inflate them to the recommended pressure.

Here are some additional tips from RoadRunner that can also prepare you for summer riding:

• Inspect the brake linings and rotors or drums for wear
• Service control cables
• Clean the battery terminals
• Inspect the sprockets and chain and make sure it’s properly lubed and adjusted

911 Biker Law wants to make sure you’re safe on the road. If something happens and you need a representative who rides, contact us. Our Orlando attorneys concentrate our practice in motorcycle accident law, and can make sure you’re prepared at all times for an unexpected accident.